In a live interaction from the International Space Station, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla answered questions from students in Lucknow, sharing his personal experiences of life in space.
The session was part of ISRO’s Vidyarthi Samvad Programme and took place at City Montessori School, drawing students from various schools in the region.
Curious students quizzed astronauts on food, sleep, and handling illness in space, covering both routines and emergencies.
Responding from the ISS, Shukla described sleeping in microgravity as both fun and tricky. “There’s no floor or ceiling. You might see someone sleeping on the wall or ceiling,” he said. “We tie our sleeping bags to avoid floating away. Otherwise, we could wake up in a different module altogether.”
When asked about illness, he explained that astronauts carry a good supply of medicines. “We’re prepared, just in case something happens,” he said.
Another big question was about staying fit in space—since without gravity, muscles tend to weaken. “On Earth, gravity keeps your muscles active. In space, we don’t have that, so we must exercise regularly,” Shukla explained.
He shared that astronauts use a stationary bike that has no seat. “You float, lock your feet on the pedals, strap yourself in, and cycle,” he said. There’s also a machine for full-body workouts.
Food was another area of curiosity. Shukla said meals are pre-packaged but varied. “Food becomes a key source of motivation,” he told the students. He had even brought Indian desserts like gajar ka halwa and aam ras with him.
The students asked whether astronauts have any free time. “Not much,” Shukla said, “but when we do, we love looking out at Earth. It’s stunning.”
On mental health, he admitted that isolation can be difficult. But video calls and communication with family make a big difference. “Modern tech helps a lot,” he added.
Shukla also spoke about his body adjusting to space. “On day one, I felt strange. Now I’ve adapted,” he said. Returning to Earth, though, will mean relearning gravity. “That will be another challenge. It takes preparation.”
For the students in Lucknow, a dream suddenly felt real. It started with an astronaut describing the “dynamic” and “amazing” feeling of his launch from Kennedy Space Center.
Then, Group Captain Angad Pratap of the Gaganyaan mission team laid out a challenge: stay focused, because your generation will see space exploration explode with new possibilities.
The message landed perfectly. As one student put it, “He gave us a glimpse of what our future could be… It made me feel like becoming a scientist or maybe a test pilot isn’t just a dream.”
The event left students with plenty to think about. Many said the talk felt personal and inspiring. One student summed it up: “Hearing someone speak from space, someone who’s one of us—that was unforgettable.”
