Congress MP Shashi Tharoor hailed astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s historic mission to the International Space Station as a “powerful symbol” of India’s human spaceflight ambitions. Despite the government’s call for a special Lok Sabha discussion on Shukla’s achievement and its role in the Gaganyaan program, the opposition boycotted the debate over voter list revisions in Bihar. Tharoor emphasized Shukla’s contributions to testing Indian systems in space and advancing global space diplomacy. His mission is seen as pivotal for inspiring youth in STEM fields and refining protocols for future missions. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urged opposition participation, likening the moment to Operation Sindoor’s bipartisan spirit. (PC: Mint & Deccan Herald)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and the second Indian in space, returned to India early Sunday following his Axiom-4 mission . He was received at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport by dignitaries including Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, and ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan . Shukla will soon meet Prime Minister Modi before heading to Lucknow and later participating in National Space Day celebrations . This milestone reflects both national pride and India’s advancing role in human space exploration. 

Arunachal Pradesh's Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona inaugurated a cutting-edge Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School in remote Shi-Yomi district, a collaborative initiative by ISRO and Muskaan Foundation to boost space science education . Named in honor of the minister’s late father, the lab is designed to offer students hands-on experience in space science and technology, nurturing curiosity, innovation, and scientific thinking among rural youth . The inauguration, held on August 16, 2025, drew the presence of local officials, educators, students, and community leaders, marking a proud moment for education outreach in the region .    

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s second astronaut and the first to dock aboard the International Space Station, returned home early Sunday after completing the NASA-led Axiom-4 mission . His aircraft touched down at Delhi’s IGI Airport, where he was warmly received by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, and enthusiastic citizens . PM Narendra Modi is expected to meet him, and Shukla will participate in National Space Day celebrations . His mission’s insights are seen as vital contributions to India's upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight and future space ambitions.

The NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite has successfully unfolded its massive 12-meter-wide radar antenna reflector in orbit—a pivotal moment that transitions the mission from launch to commissioning. With the reflector fully deployed and locked, engineers can now perform critical system checks, calibration, and tuning of its dual-band radar systems (L-band by NASA; S-band by ISRO), vital for capturing high-resolution Earth observations. Once operational, NISAR will begin mapping the entire planet every 12 days, providing real-time data essential for monitoring climate-driven changes, natural disasters, and environmental shifts like glacier melting, land deformation, forest health, and water-cycle dynamics. (PC: NASA)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s celebrated astronaut of the Axiom-4 mission, is heading back to India — marking his first return since the successful International Space Station expedition . Sources indicate he may meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi this Monday to share insights and experiences critical to India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight program . Upon landing tomorrow, he will also participate in the National Space Day celebrations on August 23. Shukla spent 18 days aboard the ISS conducting seven India-specific experiments, whose results are now being reviewed by Indian scientists. (PC: NDTV)  

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan unveiled bold timelines: a crewed Gaganyaan mission is slated for early 2027, preceded by uncrewed test flights in 2025, marking India’s definitive push into human spaceflight. Concurrently, India plans its own modular space station, with the first 52-tonne module due in orbit by 2028, and full deployment by 2035. The Gaganyaan programme has been reinforced with enhanced systems, including human-rating of the launcher and astronaut safety measures like escape mechanisms and robust re-entry shielding. These milestones underscore India’s ambition to become a key global player in space exploration and human spaceflight leadership. (PC: ANI)

Two Indian aquanauts achieved a landmark deep-sea dive on August 5–6, 2025, reaching depths of 4,025 m and 5,002 m in the North Atlantic aboard the French submersible Nautile. Raju Ramesh and Commander (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh completed these unprecedented dives as part of preparations for India’s Samudrayaan Deep Ocean Mission. This milestone equipment operation marks India’s entry into elite club of nations capable of manned deep-sea exploration and paves the way for the indigenously developed Matsya 6000 submersible, expected to carry a crew of three to 6,000 m by December 2027. (PC: X)

Two Indian aquanauts, Commander (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh and R Ramesh, have set new national records by diving to depths of 5,002 meters and 4,025 meters, respectively, in the North Atlantic Ocean. These dives were conducted aboard the French submersible Nautile on August 4 and 5, 2025, marking the deepest underwater explorations ever undertaken by Indians. The mission is part of India's Deep Ocean Mission, Samudrayaan, which aims to send three aquanauts to 6,000 meters by 2027 using an indigenously developed titanium submersible. The dives also facilitated valuable training in vessel handling and operational protocols. (PC: The Times of India)

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announced that India will soon launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the United States, marking one of the heaviest payloads ever handled by the Indian space agency. The launch is planned within the next two months using India’s GSLV Mk-III (LVM3) rocket. Speaking at SRM Institute’s convocation, Narayanan highlighted ISRO’s journey from launching a small American-supplied rocket in 1963 to becoming a global launch provider. He also noted the recent success of the NISAR mission, jointly developed with NASA, calling the upcoming launch a significant milestone in Indo-US space cooperation and ISRO’s heavy-lift capability. (PC: The Hindu)