'I Strap Myself To Bed To Sleep': Captain Subhanshu Shukla Shares Space Experience With Students During Virtual Talk

Lucknow born astronaut and Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), interacted with students from Uttar Pradesh and Kerala via video conferencing on Thursday. The session was hosted by the CMS Kanpur Road campus in Lucknow and attended by 150 students from UP and selected participants from Kozhikode district, Kerala.

During the interaction, Subhanshu addressed a range of questions about life in space, demonstrating zero-gravity effects by playing with a floating ball. When asked about sleep in space, he explained that astronauts have to secure themselves with straps while sleeping to avoid floating around due to the lack of gravity. Shukla emphasized the importance of daily physical exercise to counter muscle loss in microgravity. “I exercise daily and use a specially designed cycle without a seat, where we pedal while being strapped in,” he said.

On maintaining mental health, he mentioned using technology to stay in touch with family and friends. Responding to a question on food, he said astronauts prefer familiar packaged meals and shared that he brought carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango pulp with him. He also carries a complete medical kit.

This mission marks the first time in 41 years that an Indian has reached space. Shukla is participating in Axiom Mission-4 and is scheduled to return to Earth on July 10. His experience is expected to contribute significantly to India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, the country's first manned space program.

Students described the interaction as inspiring and said it gave them a clearer view of possible careers in space science.