‘You could walk on the Moon’: Shubhanshu Shukla chats with students from space, encourages them to dream big

Shubhanshu Shukla Chats with Students from Space (Image: Shubhanshu Shukla/X)

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, in his twelfth day on board the ISS, interacted with students from Assam and Meghalaya via a Ham radio session organised at NESAC, Shillong.

Schoolchildren had a rare opportunity to pose questions during the ten-minute interaction. Shukla answered warmly, providing information on daily life in space, training, and how to remain healthy while in space. He urged the students to aim high, saying, “Many of you can become astronauts or walk on the Moon.”

Life Aboard the Space Station

Shukla explained how the ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes, showing 16 sunrises and sunsets a day. Despite that, astronauts follow Greenwich Mean Time to keep a stable routine.

He said space affects the human body in many ways. “We grow up with gravity on Earth,” he noted, “but in space, our muscles and bones weaken.” To counter this, astronauts rely on exercise routines that include treadmills, cycling, and resistance training.

Shukla admitted he felt space sickness at first but adapted quickly. Medication helped him adjust to the weightless conditions of microgravity.

Training, Technology, and Teamwork

Shukla highlighted the importance of astronaut training before space travel. He said it includes long sessions in India, Russia, and other partner countries. He stressed that teamwork is essential for survival and success in orbit.

He also explained how robots and artificial intelligence support astronauts in space. “We use robotic arms for many tasks, inside and out,” he said. “They are incredibly helpful.”

Students from several schools, including Army Public School, Alpha Higher Secondary School, and B K Bajoria School, took part in the session. They submitted 20 questions, and Shukla answered as many as time allowed.

For the young students tuned in from the hills and plains of the Northeast, the sky no longer feels so far away.