What does it actually take to become an astronaut? Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to travel to space after more than four decades, joins South Park Commons general partner Aditya Agarwal to share the answer.

During Axiom Mission 4, Shukla became the first Indian aboard the International Space Station (ISS). An astronaut with ISRO and a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, he shares what it takes to get there, from the intense selection process and psychological testing to a seven-day isolation challenge and other unexpected requirements candidates must meet.

He also reflects on life in orbit, from speaking Hindi aboard the ISS for the first time to the disorientation, the overview effect, and the physical changes the human body experiences. Along the way, Shukla and Agarwal explore India’s space ambitions and what it takes to chase an outsized dream.

Shubhanshu Shukla: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagan-shux/
Aditya Agarwal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityaagarwal3/
South Park Commons: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons/

Apply to SPC: https://www.southparkcommons.com/apply

(00:00:00) - Introduction: Becoming Comfortable With the Uncomfortable

(00:01:54) - Why Saying "Yes" Changed the Course of His Life

(00:07:15) - What It Really Takes to Become an Astronaut

(00:11:40) - The Physical, Medical, and Psychological Tests

(00:15:21) - What It Feels Like to See Earth From Space

(00:17:20) - Microgravity: How Space Changes Your Body and Mind

(00:25:35) - The Pressure and Responsibility of Representing India in Space

(00:28:29) - The New Space Economy and Why the Next Decade Will Be Different

(00:35:03) - Advice for Entrepreneurs Building the Future of Space

(00:44:19) - The Future of Human Space Exploration: Moon, Mars, and Beyond

The Man Who Took India to the International Space Station | Shubhanshu Shukla

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The Man Who Took India to the International Space Station | Shubhanshu Shukla