HYDERABAD: India’s Axiom-4 astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Monday said microgravity research and specialised space education will play a decisive role in shaping India’s future space goals.
He also revealed that the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) is exploring the launch of an undergraduate programme focused on the space sector.
Speaking at IIT Hyderabad’s Extra Mural Lectures (EML) series, Shukla welcomed the proposed undergraduate programme, saying India’s expanding space goals require a new generation of trained professionals. “Given the ambitions India has, there is a need to do this,” he said, adding that faculty members were enthusiastic about the idea.
Shukla said one of his key responsibilities aboard the ISS was to conduct seven Indian scientific experiments. These included research on myogenesis to better understand muscle loss in microgravity, as well as studies on microalgae growth as a potential sustainable source of food and oxygen for future long-duration space missions.
Explaining the challenges of conducting research in orbit, Shukla said even simple tasks can become complex in microgravity. While photographing algae samples daily was straightforward, analysing them required innovation because air bubbles inside syringes do not rise in space. To overcome the problem, he spun the syringes to create centrifugal force and separate the bubbles, a solution developed by astronauts in orbit.
Recalling his time aboard the ISS, Shukla described the absence of gravity as the most defining experience. “It is not just the absence of noise; it is the absence of struggle. For the first time, you are not supported by anything, you are always floating,” he said.
He explained that microgravity causes fluids to shift towards the head, weakens the muscles and expands the spine temporarily. Living in a confined spacecraft with no immediate rescue option, he added, requires teamwork, discipline and strong mental resilience.
Responding to student questions, Shukla highlighted the ISS’s advanced life-support systems, including its ability to recycle nearly 98% of water.
He said India is leveraging global experience for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and future ambitions, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
IIT Hyderabad Director Prof BS Murty said Shukla’s journey from the Indian Air Force to spaceflight would inspire students.