‘Earth is a blue marble’: Shubhanshu Shukla’s space reflections after return from ISS

This photo was shared by Group Captain Shukla on social media, describing Earth as a "blue marble".

"Our planet literally is a blue marble," writes Group Captain Shubhanshu ‘Shux’ Shukla, marveling at the sight of Earth from space, on social media.

“The oceans are huge and sometimes we would pass an entire duration of day (45 minutes) without seeing land,” he added to his Instagram post, sharing his first personal reflections after safely returning from orbit.

India’s newest spacefarer touched down on July 15 after completing a landmark 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), becoming the first Indian in over four decades to set foot on the orbital outpost.

Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot and one of ISRO’s Gaganyaan astronauts, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California alongside fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (mission commander), European astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 4:45 pm IST, with the return trip to Earth taking approximately 22.5 hours.

During his nearly two weeks on the ISS, Shukla contributed to more than 60 scientific experiments, many conceptualised and developed in Indian laboratories. These included research on the impact of microgravity on human physiology, cognitive load management, AI-based health diagnostics, and microalgae cultivation for life support, significant for India's upcoming Gaganyaan missions and the proposed Bhartiya Antariksha Station.

The data and insights from these experiments will be consolidated into technical reports and peer-reviewed journals. ISRO has announced plans to establish a dedicated repository of knowledge from this mission to strengthen future Indian space programmes.

Shukla, chosen in 2019 as one of the four astronauts for India’s ambitious Gaganyaan programme, has over 2,000 hours of flight experience on aircraft such as the Sukhoi-30MKI and Mirage-2000. His participation in the Axiom-4 mission is being viewed as a testbed for ISRO’s first indigenous human spaceflight, tentatively scheduled for 2027.

Back home, his contribution is set to be formally recognised by the Government of India, ISRO, and the Indian Air Force. Ceremonial events and awards are expected to follow after his return to India, currently slated for around August 17.