Space experience reinforced belief in ‘higher power’: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has said that he agrees with astronaut Victor Glover’s famous observation that there are “no atheists on top of rockets”, and added that his space experience reinforced his belief in ‘higher power’.

Shukla said launching into space itself requires faith and noted that astronauts strap themselves to their seats on a rocket that carries hundreds of tonnes of explosive fuel, which is then ignited.

“You really have to have something inside you if you are okay with strapping yourself to a seat which is sitting on the top of a rocket which is holding 500 tonnes of explosive fuel and then you light it on fire. You have to have faith in something, right,” Shukla said to thundering applause and a burst of laughter.

Speaking at the Z Media event ‘Architects of Viksit Bharat’ in Bengaluru, Shukla added that his experience of seeing Earth and the vastness of the universe also strengthened his belief in a higher power.

Reflecting on the scale of the cosmos, Shukla said Earth may appear massive from space, but it is only a small part of a much larger universe. He pointed out that Jupiter could hold around 1,300 Earths, while the solar system, galaxy and galaxy clusters are themselves part of an increasingly vast cosmic structure.

The experience, he said, makes it difficult to believe that everything exists without some connecting force. “I do believe that there is probably a higher power which is guiding us and which is showing us the way,” Shukla said.

In his message on how humans should use their time on Earth, he said, “All we can do with the time that we have on Earth is be good human beings, be kind to each other, and live a life as well as we can.”

‘A violent experience’: Shukla on rocket ride

A test pilot by profession, Shukla said his job is to experiment with new jets and technology. He flies the Sukhoi-30 at around 2,200 kmph, but said spaceflight, at about 27,800 kmph, is of an entirely different magnitude and offers a completely novel experience.

“Rocket launches may look beautiful, but appearances are deceptive. Flying to space atop a rocket is a violent experience, taking astronauts from zero to nearly 28,000 kmph in about nine minutes,” he added.

Life aboard the space station

Shukla described the International Space Station as roughly equivalent to a five-bedroom house, and said living there feels like living inside huge cylinders. The station is filled with wires, gadgets and lab equipment, and has a distinct metallic, industrial smell.

Despite the demanding work schedule, the view from space made it all worthwhile, he said.

Shukla added that the space station offers the best view of Earth, and that looking back at the planet is the best part of going to space. “You never get bored of looking at Earth from space,” he said.