Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, recently back from a landmark space mission, is sharing surprisingly human insights about what happens when the thrill of zero gravity meets the weight of reality—literally.
In a candid post-mission reflection, Shukla revealed,
“My phone felt heavy. I dropped my laptop the first time I picked it up. I was re-learning gravity.”
While much of the public attention is on the launch, orbit, and re-entry, what follows is an equally complex journey—re-acclimatization to Earth’s gravitational pull. Known as space adaptation syndrome, astronauts often face balance issues, weakened muscles, and coordination challenges after days or weeks in space.
Shukla described simple everyday activities becoming difficult. “You’re used to floating. Now, everything pulls at you,” he said. Holding a phone or bending to pick something up wasn’t just physically demanding—it required conscious recalibration of motor skills.
Beyond the physical, he spoke of the mental shift:
“In space, your perspective changes—literally and emotionally. You see Earth from a distance, and it rewires how you think.”
His honest narrative brings attention to the need for post-mission psychological and physiological support, a growing focus in astronaut training globally.
India, with its space ambitions expanding through missions like Gaganyaan, continues to prepare for human spaceflight in deeper ways. Stories like Shukla’s offer valuable insight into the real human experience of space—its wonders, and its challenges.
As Shukla continues to recover and inspire, his story serves as a reminder: the mission may end on Earth, but the journey continues within.
