Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will engage with schoolchildren and scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday.
Shukla, who is one of four astronauts, is on the Axiom-4 space mission that is a 14-day science journey to the International Space Station.
Ham Radio Contact Scheduled for July 4
Friday’s contact will be conducted through ham radio, with a telebridge to be arranged at Bengaluru’s U R Rao Satellite Centre, news agency PTI reported citing the Amateur Radio on International Space Station (ARISS).
Ham radio is an amateur radio-communication service classed as reliable during emergencies, when regular means of communication are not available.
The contact will be conducted under the ARISS programme, which provides radio communication chances to school students and astronauts aboard the ISS.
“Contact upcoming with India! @Axiom_Space #Ax4 crew member Shubhanshu Shukla, VU2TNI, will talk to the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Karnataka via ham radio from the Space Station. Scheduled Fri. July 4 at 10:17 UTC, 6:17 AM ET, 3:47 PM ISS via K6DUE telebridge,” ARISS posted on X
Shubhanshu Shukla Leads Microalgae Experiment in Space
As part of their miniature space lab at the ISS, the Axiom-4 crew will be conducting a series of scientific experiments. Shukla on Sunday performed the space microalgae experiment, where he took images of the algae strains after releasing sample bags at his orbital location.
Axiom Space added that the days in which organisms would be contributing to the future of space exploration and might provide a sustainable and “nutrient-rich food source” for crewed space missions, which span longer periods of time.
Crew Also Participates in VR and Health Monitoring Studies
Besides this, the crew also contributed to the Neuro Motion VR project, where the astronauts wear VR headsets and perform attention-based tasks. Meanwhile, their brain activity is tracked with the help of functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
The crew is also busy collecting data to understand how spaceflight missions affect cardiovascular and balance systems, which can be used for monitoring health in real time.