'Learning like a baby, enjoying this experience': Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from spacecraft
New Delhi (PTI): Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday said he was learning to live in microgravity conditions "like a baby" and it was an amazing experience to float in vacuum as the Dragon spacecraft circled the Earth in its journey to dock at the International Space Station.
Sharing his experience via a videolink from the spacecraft, Shukla said after remaining in quarantine for 30 days, where he was far away from all the excitement, ahead of the launch of the Axiom-4 mission on Wednesday, "the only thought in my mind was to let us just go".
Shukla and three other astronauts lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on board the Dragon spacecraft, powered by the Falcon-9 rocket for a 14-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS).
The astronauts, part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission, are expected to dock at the ISS at 4:30 pm on Thursday.
"Wow, what a ride it was. Frankly, when I was sitting in the capsule Grace, yesterday on the launchpad, the only thought in my mind was let's just go. After 30 days of quarantine, it was a feeling that I just wanted to go. Excitement and all was very far away. There was just this feeling that let us just leave," Shukla said.
The new Dragon spacecraft of SpaceX has been named Grace by the astronauts.
He also introduced ‘Joy’, a toy swan that is the zero gravity indicator, and the fifth "crew member" on the Axiom-4 mission.
Sharing his experience of encountering the gravitational force during the launch, Shukla said he felt like being pushed back in his seat.
"But when the ride started, it was something. You were getting pushed back in the seat. It was an amazing ride and then suddenly nothing. Everything was silent and you were just floating. You were unbuckled and just floating in the silence of vacuum," he said.
Shukla said the first few moments after they got shot into the vacuum did not feel that great, but soon it was "an amazing feeling".
He added that his fellow astronauts have told him that he has been sleeping a lot since the launch on Wednesday.
"I am getting used to it quite well. I am enjoying the views, enjoying the experience and learning like a baby. Learning the new steps, learning how to walk, learning how to control yourself, learning how to eat. It’s just so exciting," Shukla said.
"It is a new environment, a new challenge and I am really enjoying this experience with my fellow astronauts here. It is good to make mistakes, but it is better to see somebody else do that too. So it has been a fun time," Shukla said.
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SIT formed to probe second sexual assault case against expelled Cong MLA Mamkootathil
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe a second case of sexual assault against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, police officials said on Friday.
The SIT will be led by G Poonguzhali, Assistant Inspector General at the Police Headquarters.
The team also includes a DSP rank officer and sub-inspectors, officials added.
The second sexual assault complaint was received by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, which it forwarded to the state police chief.
ALSO READ: Cong expels rape-accused MLA Mamkootathil from party's primary membership
Following this, the Crime Branch registered a case and launched an investigation.
Crime Branch officials said the email complaint contained only the sender's email ID and no other contact details.
As part of the probe, they have sent a reply email requesting that the complainant contact them and provide her statement.
The complainant has alleged that she was sexually assaulted under the false promise of marriage, a Crime Branch official said.
However, details such as the location and date of the alleged incident are not currently available to the police.
The SIT will attempt to trace the sender of the email and record her statement, which is crucial for further investigation, the officer said.
Mamkootathil was expelled from the Congress party on Thursday after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail petition in another rape case.
Police said he is currently absconding, and a manhunt is underway in Kerala and neighbouring states.
