How exactly do astronauts actually eat and defecate in microgravity? Here's a factual look at how these essential routines are managed hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

How exactly do astronauts actually eat and defecate in microgravity? Here's a factual look at how these essential routines are managed hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

How do astronauts eat and defecate in space? The science behind daily life on the ISS

With no access to resupply missions during extended stays, how astronauts access and recycle water has become a triumph of modern engineering, and a crucial step for future deep space missions.

With no access to resupply missions during extended stays, how astronauts access and recycle water has become a triumph of modern engineering, and a crucial step for future deep space missions.

Cleaner than bottled water? The science behind astronauts sipping purified urine in space

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a video interaction with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, marking a historic moment as the Indian Air Force officer became the first Indian astronaut to board the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, serving as mission pilot on Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on June 25 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The Prime Minister also shared a video of the exchange on social media platform X, calling it a ‘wonderful conversation’ and praising Shukla for his milestone achievement in India’s space journey. Highlighting the symbolic value of Shukla's name, the Prime Minister remarked that the word 'Shubh' (auspicious) in his name marks a ‘shubh-aarambh’, an auspicious beginning for a new era of space exploration and scientific aspiration for India’s youth. The conversation also included a light-hearted moment about ‘gajar ka halwa’, a traditional Indian dessert. PM Modi asked, “Did you and the other astronauts eat the gajar ka halwa there?” to which Shukla responded that they enjoyed the sweet, along with other Indian treats he had carried aboard the ISS.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I had a wonderful conversation with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he shared his experiences from the International Space Station. Watch the special interaction! <a href="https://t.co/MoMR5ozRRA">https://t.co/MoMR5ozRRA</a>&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1938945641528643735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;When asked about his well-being and how it felt to be in space, Shukla replied: “This journey isn’t just mine, it belongs to the entire nation. As a child, I couldn’t have imagined becoming an astronaut.”&nbsp;The Prime Minister offered heartfelt congratulations, saying, “My voice carries the collective enthusiasm of all Indians. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for raising India’s presence in space."&nbsp;Earlier, pictures of the interaction were shared by the Prime Minister's Office on its official X handle.&nbsp;The post read: “PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station."&nbsp;During their 14-day stay on the ISS, Shukla and his Ax-4 crewmates, mission commander Peggy Whitson (USA), and specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)—will conduct more than 60 scientific and outreach experiments. These include studies in cancer research, DNA repair, and advanced manufacturing. Shukla will lead seven of the projects, contributing to what Axiom describes as its most ambitious research agenda yet.&nbsp;The mission also highlights growing international partnerships in space. The Ax-4 mission was made possible through collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), following a commitment by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi to deepen cooperation in human spaceflight. It marks a key step in commercial space engagement and India’s expanding space diplomacy.

Highlighting the symbolic value of Shukla's name, the Prime Minister remarked that the word 'Shubh' (auspicious) in his name marks a ‘shubh-aarambh’, an auspicious beginning for a new era of space exploration and scientific aspiration for India’s youth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a video interaction with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, marking a historic moment as the Indian Air Force officer became the first Indian astronaut to board the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, serving as mission pilot on Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on June 25 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The Prime Minister also shared a video of the exchange on social media platform X, calling it a ‘wonderful conversation’ and praising Shukla for his milestone achievement in India’s space journey. Highlighting the symbolic value of Shukla's name, the Prime Minister remarked that the word 'Shubh' (auspicious) in his name marks a ‘shubh-aarambh’, an auspicious beginning for a new era of space exploration and scientific aspiration for India’s youth. The conversation also included a light-hearted moment about ‘gajar ka halwa’, a traditional Indian dessert. PM Modi asked, “Did you and the other astronauts eat the gajar ka halwa there?” to which Shukla responded that they enjoyed the sweet, along with other Indian treats he had carried aboard the ISS.

Highlighting the symbolic value of Shukla's name, the Prime Minister remarked that the word 'Shubh' (auspicious) in his name marks a ‘shubh-aarambh’, an auspicious beginning for a new era of space exploration and scientific aspiration for India’s youth.

'All well up there?': PM Modi speaks to Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the International Space Station

NASA astronauts have cumulatively spent thousands of days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), enabling critical research into the effects of long-duration space travel. Among them, seven have stood out for their exceptional time spent in orbit, shaping our understanding of human endurance and systems vital for deep space exploration. The agency maintains two key metrics: time spent on a single spaceflight and cumulative time across an astronaut’s career. While Frank Rubio holds the record for the longest single mission at 371 days, it is Peggy Whitson who leads overall with a total of 675 days in space.

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><h2>List Of Astronauts:-</h2><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Astronaut</td><td>No. of days</td></tr><tr><td>Peggy Whitson</td><td>675</td></tr><tr><td>Sunita Williams</td><td>608</td></tr><tr><td>Don Pettit</td><td>590</td></tr><tr><td>Jeff Williams</td><td>534</td></tr><tr><td>Mark Vande</td><td>523</td></tr><tr><td>Scott Kelly</td><td>520</td></tr><tr><td>Mike Barratt</td><td>447</td></tr></tbody></table></figure></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<h2>Leading the list: Peggy Whitson to Mark Vande Hei</h2>&nbsp;Peggy A. Whitson tops NASA’s cumulative time-in-space chart with 675 days over multiple missions, including a recent nine-day stint on the Axiom-2 mission in 2023. She is currently commanding the private space mission led by Axiom Space to the ISS. Sunita L. Williams follows with 608 days, having participated in four missions, known especially for her spacewalks and marathon in orbit.&nbsp;&nbsp;Don Pettit is third with 590 days, contributing significantly to science and engineering aboard the ISS. Jeff Williams comes next with 534 days over four missions, the last of which was in 2016. Mark Vande Hei logged 523 days in total, 355 of which were from a single long-duration mission between 2021 and 2022.&nbsp;<h2>Completing the top seven: Scott Kelly and Mike Barratt</h2>&nbsp;Scott Kelly, known for his nearly year-long stay on the ISS, accumulated 520 days in total. In 2016, Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko completed a historic 340-day mission aboard the ISS. His mission yielded valuable insights into the physical and mental effects of long-term spaceflight.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rounding out the list is Mike Barratt, with 447 days across two missions. Mike went on two missions. Each of these astronauts played a crucial role in the ongoing research into human health, spacecraft systems, and life-support technologies, advancing NASA’s preparations for future missions beyond low Earth orbit.&nbsp;

The Axiom-4 mission was launched on Wednesday with four crew members, includes Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut, who holds the record for highest cumulative days in space.

NASA astronauts have cumulatively spent thousands of days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), enabling critical research into the effects of long-duration space travel. Among them, seven have stood out for their exceptional time spent in orbit, shaping our understanding of human endurance and systems vital for deep space exploration. The agency maintains two key metrics: time spent on a single spaceflight and cumulative time across an astronaut’s career. While Frank Rubio holds the record for the longest single mission at 371 days, it is Peggy Whitson who leads overall with a total of 675 days in space.

The Axiom-4 mission was launched on Wednesday with four crew members, includes Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut, who holds the record for highest cumulative days in space.

Who’s spent the most time in space? NASA’s top 7 astronauts, including Axiom-4’s Peggy Whitson

SpaceX has said its efforts to recover debris from last week’s Starship explosion have been delayed. The company has requested assistance from the Mexican government as parts of the rocket reportedly landed in the state of Tamaulipas. Mexico has launched an investigation to assess environmental damage and possible legal violations. After the incident.&nbsp;The incident occurred during a test of SpaceX’s Starship rocket in Texas. The spacecraft exploded mid-flight, lighting up the sky and scattering debris. SpaceX described the blast as a “major anomaly” and confirmed that parts of the rocket may have crossed into Mexican territory.<h2>SpaceX asks Mexico for help with recovery</h2>In a post on the social media platform X, SpaceX said that recovery efforts have been hindered by people entering the debris zone without permission. “Despite SpaceX's attempts to recover the anomaly-related debris, which remains the property of SpaceX, these efforts have been obstructed by unauthorised parties trespassing on private land,” the company wrote in a post. SpaceX added that it had asked for local and federal help from Mexican authorities and offered support for the clean-up.<h2>Mexico launches investigation, cites contamination risk</h2>President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico is reviewing the environmental and legal implications of the incident. The focus is on rocket debris that landed in Tamaulipas and any possible contamination. “There is indeed contamination. We are reviewing what international laws may have been violated. From there, we will start the process,” she said in a public briefing.&nbsp;The government’s review will include environmental and airspace safety regulations. If international laws are found to be breached, Mexico could consider taking legal steps.<h2>Starship’s troubled record</h2>The Starship programme, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has experienced several failures. A launch earlier this year also ended in an explosion minutes after liftoff, with debris reportedly landing on Caribbean islands and damaging a vehicle in the Turks and Caicos. Each failure has raised safety concerns, especially as launches become more frequent.&nbsp;Despite setbacks, SpaceX continues to develop Starship for long-term missions, including planned trips to Mars. However, the company now faces pressure to ensure better safety practices and co-operation with international partners.&nbsp;As of now, the Axiom Mission 4 crewed mission remains unaffected by the incident, and the authorities are closely monitoring future SpaceX activities for compliance with environmental and aerospace laws.

The Starship programme, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has experienced several failures. A launch earlier this year also ended in an explosion minutes after liftoff, with debris reportedly landing on Caribbean islands and damaging a vehicle in the Turks and Caicos as reports says.

SpaceX has said its efforts to recover debris from last week’s Starship explosion have been delayed. The company has requested assistance from the Mexican government as parts of the rocket reportedly landed in the state of Tamaulipas. Mexico has launched an investigation to assess environmental damage and possible legal violations. After the incident. The incident occurred during a test of SpaceX’s Starship rocket in Texas. The spacecraft exploded mid-flight, lighting up the sky and scattering debris. SpaceX described the blast as a “major anomaly” and confirmed that parts of the rocket may have crossed into Mexican territory. SpaceX asks Mexico for help with recovery In a post on the social media platform X, SpaceX said that recovery efforts have been hindered by people entering the debris zone without permission. “Despite SpaceX's attempts to recover the anomaly-related debris, which remains the property of SpaceX, these efforts have been obstructed by unauthorised parties trespassing on private land,” the company wrote in a post. SpaceX added that it had asked for local and federal help from Mexican authorities and offered support for the clean-up. Mexico launches investigation, cites contamination risk President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico is reviewing the environmental and legal implications of the incident. The focus is on rocket debris that landed in Tamaulipas and any possible contamination. “There is indeed contamination. We are reviewing what international laws may have been violated. From there, we will start the process,” she said in a public briefing. The government’s review will include environmental and airspace safety regulations. If international laws are found to be breached, Mexico could consider taking legal steps. Starship’s troubled record The Starship programme, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has experienced several failures. A launch earlier this year also ended in an explosion minutes after liftoff, with debris reportedly landing on Caribbean islands and damaging a vehicle in the Turks and Caicos. Each failure has raised safety concerns, especially as launches become more frequent. Despite setbacks, SpaceX continues to develop Starship for long-term missions, including planned trips to Mars. However, the company now faces pressure to ensure better safety practices and co-operation with international partners. As of now, the Axiom Mission 4 crewed mission remains unaffected by the incident, and the authorities are closely monitoring future SpaceX activities for compliance with environmental and aerospace laws.

The Starship programme, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has experienced several failures. A launch earlier this year also ended in an explosion minutes after liftoff, with debris reportedly landing on Caribbean islands and damaging a vehicle in the Turks and Caicos as reports says.

SpaceX debris recovery delayed after Starship blast; Mexico investigates environmental risk

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew, including India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) at 6:30 am ET (4:00 pm IST) on Thursday, June 26. The docking, known as ‘soft capture,’ was smooth and marked a key milestone in the mission, which lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 25 at 12:01 pm IST. This event makes Shukla the second Indian to travel to space, 40 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984, and the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS.&nbsp;Shukla, a 39-year-old fighter pilot and the mission pilot, is part of a four-member international crew. Alongside him are Peggy Whitson (USA), the mission commander and a former NASA astronaut; Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), both serving as mission specialists.&nbsp;WATCH:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Axiom-4 successfully docks with ISS Next, the astronauts will open the hatch and greet Expedition 73 crew . . . .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONuncut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONuncut</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Axiom4Mission?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Axiom4Mission</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShubhanshuShukla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShubhanshuShukla</a> <a href="https://t.co/KtsTDFfLCf">pic.twitter.com/KtsTDFfLCf</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1938190300037714189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;<h2>What's next?</h2>&nbsp;The crew is set to spend 14 days aboard the ISS, undertaking various scientific experiments. Organised as a joint effort by NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space, with support from ISRO. This mission represents a growing trend of commercial human spaceflight involving international collaboration.&nbsp;<h2>Post-Docking Process Begins, Hatch Opening 2 Hours Away</h2>&nbsp;Following the successful docking, the post-docking sequence is underway before the astronauts can enter the ISS. The first step, known as ‘soft capture,’ was completed as the Dragon spacecraft latched onto the docking port. This is followed by ‘hard mate’, a process involving mechanical latches and hooks engaging to form a secure, airtight connection between Dragon and the ISS.&nbsp;Next comes the leak check and pressure equalisation phase, during which engineers carefully inspect for air leaks and gradually balance the pressure between the spacecraft and the station. Once a safe and stable environment is confirmed, astronauts remove their helmets or suits, known as suit doffing, and system readiness is verified, ensuring all life support and airflow systems are operational. Only after these procedures are completed, typically two hours post-docking, will the hatch be opened, allowing the Ax-4 crew to officially enter the ISS.

The docking, known as ‘soft capture,’ was smooth and marked a key milestone in the mission, which lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 25 at 12:01 pm IST. 

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew, including India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) at 6:30 am ET (4:00 pm IST) on Thursday, June 26. The docking, known as ‘soft capture,’ was smooth and marked a key milestone in the mission, which lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 25 at 12:01 pm IST. This event makes Shukla the second Indian to travel to space, 40 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984, and the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS. Shukla, a 39-year-old fighter pilot and the mission pilot, is part of a four-member international crew. Alongside him are Peggy Whitson (USA), the mission commander and a former NASA astronaut; Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), both serving as mission specialists. WATCH:

The docking, known as ‘soft capture,’ was smooth and marked a key milestone in the mission, which lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 25 at 12:01 pm IST.&nbsp;

WATCH: Dragon docks at International Space Station with Shubhanshu Shukla onboard; post-docking steps begin

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How do astronauts eat and defecate in space? The science behind daily life on the ISS

The science behind astronauts sipping purified urine in space

PM Modi speaks to astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the ISS

Here's a list of NASA’s top 7 astronauts who have spent the most time in space

SpaceX Debris Recovery Delayed; Mexico Probes Environmental Impact

Dragon docks at ISS with Shubhanshu Shukla onboard; post-docking steps begin