PM Modi interacts with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the ISS
On 28 June 2025, PM Narendra Modi spoke by videoconference from New Delhi with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian aboard the International Space Station.
Summary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the International Space Station (ISS) via videoconferencing on 28 June 2025. Shukla said the crew completes 16 orbits a day, seeing 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets, while travelling at nearly 28,000 km per hour, and that he had just passed over Hawaii. He had shared carrot halwa, moong dal halwa and aam ras with fellow astronauts. Shukla said the first experiment scheduled that day was on stem cells, testing whether supplements can prevent or delay muscle loss in microgravity. The Prime Minister set 'homework' of taking forward Mission Gaganyaan, building India's own space station and landing an Indian astronaut on the Moon.
Key facts
- Date / mode
- 28 June 2025, videoconference
- Orbits per day
- 16 (16 sunrises, 16 sunsets)
- Speed
- Nearly 28,000 km/h
- Indian dishes shared
- Carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, aam ras
- Experiment that day
- Stem cells / muscle loss in microgravity
- PM's 'homework'
- Gaganyaan, Indian space station, Indian astronaut on the Moon
Practice MCQs 5 questions
During his interaction with PM Modi on 28 June 2025, how many orbits of the Earth did Shubhanshu Shukla say the ISS crew completes in a day?
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Correct answer: B — 16
PIB: Shukla said they complete 16 orbits a day, witnessing 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets.
What approximate speed of the space station did Shubhanshu Shukla mention during the interaction with the Prime Minister?
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Correct answer: D — Nearly 28,000 km per hour
PIB: Shukla said they were travelling at a speed of nearly 28,000 km per hour.
Consider the following statements about the PM–Shubhanshu Shukla interaction of 28 June 2025: 1. Shukla said he shared carrot halwa, moong dal halwa and aam ras with fellow astronauts. 2. The interaction took place after Shukla had returned to Earth. 3. Shukla said that a short while earlier the station had passed over Hawaii. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 3 only
PIB: statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong: Shukla was aboard the ISS and the interaction was by videoconference.
According to Shubhanshu Shukla, the first experiment scheduled on the day of his interaction with the PM studied which subject?
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Correct answer: A — Stem cells and whether supplements can prevent or delay muscle loss in microgravity
PIB: the first experiment that day focused on stem cells, testing whether specific supplements can prevent or delay muscle loss caused by the absence of gravity.
Which of the following was NOT part of the 'homework' PM Modi set for Shubhanshu Shukla on 28 June 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Landing an Indian astronaut on Mars
PIB: the PM said India must move forward with Mission Gaganyaan, build its own space station and land an Indian astronaut on the Moon. Mars was not mentioned.