Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla urges global cooperation as India advances crewed space program

During a special session at the Bengaluru Space Expo, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla reflected on the collaborative spirit that enabled his role as pilot of Axiom Mission 4 and called for continued international partnership as India pursues its Gaganyaan crewed flight, lunar landing attempts and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station slated for 2035. He stressed that viewing Earth from orbit reinforces a shared planetary identity, underscoring the need for global cooperation.

ISRO officials, including Biju S R of the Human Space Flight Centre, traced the agency’s evolution from modest payload rockets to the heavy-lift LVM3, highlighting a shift toward human exploration. Project Director S S Vinod detailed safety priorities such as advanced crew escape systems, health monitoring and a parachute-based deceleration system developed with DRDO support. Additional speakers, like Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair and veteran Ravish Malhotra, discussed astronaut welfare, communication with families and the broader vision of a sustainable Indian presence in space.