Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who served as pilot in the Axiom-4 mission, conducted an exciting experiment in the unique environment of the International Space Station (ISS). This experiment focused on water to show how it behaves differently in space compared to Earth. With the help of microgravity, Shukla demonstrated some surprising characteristics of water that we don’t normally see. After spending 18 days in the ISS, Shukla, along with team leader Peggy Whitson and fellow crew members Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, began their journey back to Earth on a Monday evening.
Water experiment
In the experiment, Shukla played around with the way water behaves to create a floating bubble. He joked that he felt like a "water bender" while working in the space station. Whitson helped explain this idea further by lightly pushing a plastic bag into the water bubble. This showed how the surface of the water acts like a magnet in the unique environment of space. It sticks to things and bending light in interesting ways, almost like a lens.
The astronauts expressed their enthusiasm not only for conducting scientific research but also for sharing the beauty and wonder of Earth from space. Shukla mentioned that he tried to savor each moment by sitting by the window and gazing down, describing it as the most beautiful view he had ever seen. Whitson explained that as the crew neared the conclusion of their two-week mission, they had managed to balance rigorous scientific research with educational outreach and public engagement.
Watch video here:
Dealing with gravity
Their mission aimed to reach out to students and science communities around the world, including those in India, Hungary, and Poland. When asked about what it felt like to come back to Earth from space, Whitson mentioned that it wasn't a pleasant experience, noting that dealing with gravity again can be quite tough. On his first spaceflight, Shukla expressed hope that he would handle the descent more effectively than his ascent, which involved some motion sickness.
In a 10-minute broadcast, the astronauts estimated they had traveled about 2,900 miles. The Axiom-4 mission had commenced on June 25 when a Falcon-9 rocket carrying the Dragon space capsule was launched from Florida towards the ISS.
ALSO READ: Shubhanshu Shukla's Dragon spacecraft undocks from ISS, splashdown set for July 15
