ISS journey to Gaganyaan: Shubhanshu Shukla interacts with NID students

NID stated in a release, “These artefacts, now transformed into symbolic space souvenirs, represent the creative contributions of Indian design to the nation’s space journey. He shared that these designs had received widespread appreciation at both national and international levels, underscoring the role of design in space.”

Shukla shared with students his spaceflight experiences, his preparations for the mission and gave insights from his journey aboard the ISS. He also spoke about the ongoing Gaganyaan mission, emphasising the strategic importance of India’s space programme and its potential to inspire future generations.

His interactions proved to be highly engaging, inspiring, and intellectually enriching for the students.

As part of his two-day visit to the Gandhinagar campus, Shukla actively engaged with students, toured the campus facilities and participated in in-depth discussions on design possibilities in space exploration. He delivered insightful sessions at both Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar campuses on November 10 and 11, respectively, on his experiences with space missions and shared a national perspective on India’s space programmes.

NID Director Ashok Mondal reaffirmed NID’s commitment to collaborate with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other national institutions in advancing design-led innovation for nation-building.

During his tour of the campuses, Shukla visited various departments and design disciplines, interacting with faculty members, staff and students. He expressed admiration for the diverse range of design projects underway at NID and acknowledged the institute’s commitment to fostering innovation and problem-solving through design.

Shukla also reviewed and discussed several collaborative projects between the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) of ISRO and NID. He spoke about various opportunities and avenues for NID students to collaborate with ISRO, encouraging them to contribute their design expertise to projects that support India’s advancements in space technology and exploration.

“Highlighting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ISRO’s long-term objectives, he spoke about India’s plans to establish its own space station and conduct a manned lunar mission by 2040. He underscored the indispensable role of design in enhancing human experience and functionality in space missions, encouraging NID students to explore design-led solutions for the challenges of space exploration,” NID added in the release.