News Desk:
IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla makes history aboard the ISS, working on thought-powered tech and muscle repair research in zero gravity.
Lucknow-born astronaut and Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has etched his name in space history — not just as the first Indian aboard the International Space Station (ISS), but as a pioneer experimenting with brain-controlled technology in orbit.
In a sensational scientific leap, Shukla is developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) in microgravity, part of a cutting-edge experiment titled “Thoughts over Gravity.” Conducted in collaboration with Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski inside the Columbus laboratory module, the experiment uses near-infrared tech to record brain activity — aiming to unlock the future of hands-free, thought-driven communication with computers in space.
The ambitious BCI project is part of NASA-supported Axiom Space Mission-4, which includes astronauts from India, Poland, the US, and Hungary on a 14-day scientific journey aboard the ISS.
NASA, in its official blog post, highlighted the significance of Shukla’s contributions — not only in cognitive experiments but also in life sciences research. Before diving into brainwave studies, Shukla conducted vital research in the Destiny lab module, observing how microscopic aquatic animals adapt to extreme environments like microgravity. He also examined muscle stem cells under a microscope to decode how muscle tissues repair themselves in space — a major step toward enhancing astronaut health during long-duration missions.
With science at the speed of thought, Shubhanshu Shukla is not just orbiting Earth — he’s rewriting the rules of space exploration.
