Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission stepping stone to ‘Gaganyaan’: Shashi Tharoor

On behalf of the Opposition, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor this morning, 18 August, Monday, expressed "how proud all Indians are" of Commander Shubhanshu Shukla's recent International Space Station (ISS) mission.

Calling it "a stepping stone to our nation's own human spaceflight programme [on] Gaganyaan," Tharoor said "Shukla's mission provided ISRO invaluable hands-on experience and data that cannot be replicated in simulations".

"His first-hand observations on pre-launch procedures, spacecraft systems, and the psychological and physiological effects of microgravity are crucial for de-risking and refining the Gaganyaan mission," the Congress MP from Thirvananthapuram said of Shukla's recent work as an astronaut.

While on the ISS, Shukla also took a stab at growing millets in space, which Tharoor noted, also contribute to Gaganyaan's trajectory going forward: "The numerous scientific experiments, including studies on human health in space and plant growth, provide technological and scientific validation which will directly help design the life support and medical systems for Gaganyaan," he said.

He added that Shukla's mission also helped test out Indian systems and protocols in space.

Tharoor also expressed certainty that Shukla's participation in the ISS mission will lead to international investment in India's space programme and collaborative research with other space-going nations — for, he said, "Shukla's mission, conducted in partnership with international agencies, reinforced India's role in global space diplomacy."

The ISS mission represents an Indian astronaut's first space flight in 41 years — the last having been Rakesh Sharma sojourn on the Russian craft Soyuz T-11.

For returning India to the global 'space map', so to speak, Parliament honoured Shukla with a special mention in a 'Viksit Bharat' discussion today. The Opposition MPs were not present for this, being engaged in a collective INDIA bloc protest around the Bihar special intensive revision of electoral rolls and the campaign against the pan-India 'Vote chori' the parties have alleged is being condoned by the Election Commission of India.