Space is fun but also disorienting, says Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

S pace may look magical but living there is both fun and confusing, said astronaut and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s first visitor to the International Space Station (ISS). Interacting with school students in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, he shared a vivid account of life beyond gravity, mixing scientific insight with personal experience to ignite young minds.

Shukla said that in space, everything including the human body floats, making daily movement surprisingly easy. “We could move even heavy cargo without much effort,” he said. For fun, astronauts would use one of their teammates like a ball and push him from one side to another, a video of which he showed to students.

But space is not just enjoyable. Shukla described how lack of gravity disorients the body. “It was very difficult to understand the ups and downs. My mind was totally confused,” he said. The first few days were the toughest. He did not feel hungry for 3–4 days as the stomach too floated internally.

He highlighted the physiological changes astronauts face. With no load on muscles, the body begins to weaken quickly. “I lost over 4.5 kg of muscle mass during my stay in space,” he revealed. Slowly, the body adapts to the new environment but returning to Earth brings another round of physical struggle.

Shukla stressed on the power of the human mind, saying it often makes us believe things that may not be true. Mental strength, he added, plays a major role during space missions.

Shukla said India is moving in the right direction and will need many skilled researchers and space scientists in the coming years. “Space exploration is about solving problems that we don’t even know yet. Problem-solving is the most critical skill,” he told the students.

He urged them not to limit their ambition only to becoming astronauts. “There is huge scope in space science from nutrition and design to technology and research,” he said, encouraging curiosity and innovation.

Shukla also showed captivating videos of Earth, India and sunrise as seen from the ISS drawing amazement from the students.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who addressed the gathering, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has allocated ₹1 lakh crore under the Research Development & Innovation Scheme to promote scientific progress. He also noted that several missiles and drones used during Operation Sindoor were developed in Odisha.

Majhi urged students to use this opportunity and become part of Viksit Bharat’s growth story. With innovation, research and dedication, he said, more youngsters could follow the path of Shubhanshu Shukla.

The event ended with a strong message that space is not just about astronauts, but about ideas, science and curiosity.