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India enters its 2nd orbit, not just to fly, but to lead: Shux | India News - Times of India

BENGALURU: India has entered its "second orbit" in space exploration -- this time not just as a participant, but with the clear intent to lead. That's how Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (Shux), India's newest spacefarer, described his mission in his first interaction after returning from the International Space Station (ISS).Shux, who flew to space in a multinational private mission led by Axiom Space in collaboration with Nasa and SpaceX, marked India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years. "It wasn't a solitary leap. It was the beginning of India's second orbit. And this time, we are ready, not just to fly, but to lead," he said.For India, this was more than a symbolic milestone. It was also a rehearsal. PM Modi had asked Shukla to document every aspect of his journey, a detailed assignment meant to feed into the Gaganyaan programme, India's first human spaceflight mission. "I've done that very well," Shukla said, promising that the knowledge gained will prove "invaluable" for Gaganyaan.Over his 20-day mission, Shukla carried out a suite of Indian science experiments, ranging from stem cell studies to microgravity demonstrations. "I saw stem cells behave in unexpectedly positive ways in space. It was science in motion, 400km above the planet," he said.Not all of it was lab work. One of his most talked-about microgravity demonstrations involved trapping a bubble inside a bubble -- an effort that turned into a group mission with fellow astronauts, drawing laughs and attention on Earth. "Doing science in space is fun as well as challenging," Shukla said.He emphasised how this flight was as much about inspiring India's youth as it was about technical validation. "The most common question I got from students was, 'How do I become an astronaut?' That's the real success of this mission. We are halfway there. The rest is just enabling."To foster that curiosity, the crew conducted live STEM sessions from orbit. But the impact wasn't just educational -- it was emotional. "The messages, the love, the support from every corner of India filled me with something unexpected, a new kind of purpose," he said.Shukla also reflected on the physiological experience of spaceflight. "Leaving Earth's gravity showed me how deeply our bodies are shaped by it. After 40 years of living in gravity, adjusting to microgravity was strange. Then coming back, the same phone in my hand felt heavy." He recounted how even simple tasks like standing or walking needed relearning. "Thankfully, the rehabilitation programme works. Within days, I felt normal again -- ready for another mission."Humour tinged some of his stories. He recalled waking up one morning after returning, closing his laptop, and letting it fall -- instinctively expecting it to float. "Thankfully, the floor was carpeted."Asked about his biggest learning, Shukla spoke not about any one moment, but the entire machinery behind the mission. "People from across time zones and cultures came together to make 20 days in space possible. That scale of collaboration is what stays with me most."Just before splashdown, he and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu watched pink and orange plasma streak across the window as their capsule "Grace" re-entered Earth's atmosphere. We were watching the screen show 1g and feeling it get heavy -- by 1.8g we were already struggling," said Kapu. "But it was beautiful."And then there was Earth itself. Shukla said the view defied all expectations. "There are no borders, no demarcations. It is all our home. The sense of oneness was very strong," he reiterated.For a country preparing its own independent crewed mission, these are not just reflections, they are building blocks. As Shux said: "This is only the beginning." Chethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines -- Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few -- but is based out of Bengaluru, India's science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.

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