Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla To Carry 'Gajar Ka Halwa' To Space In Ax-4 Mission, ISRO And DRDO Have Developed Space-Friendly Indian Food After Years Of Research

Ax-4 Mission: India is all set to make a historic return to space with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla going to ISS under Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission. He will take off along with three other astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, on June 11 at 5:30 pm, as the mission was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Amidst the excitement for the mission, ISRO and DRDO have developed an Indian menu for space after years of research, that Shubhanshu will be carrying to ISS. 

Gajar Ka Halwa In Space 

The American space agency follows a standardized food menu for all its space missions but this time India is sending an astronaut to the ISS for the very first time so ISRO has decided to add an Indian touch to the menu.

This will make the Group Captain feel more at home for the 14 days he will orbit space. Shubhanshu will carry some of his favorites like the moong dal halwa, gajar ka halwa, aamras, and rice with him.

Reportedly, since Indian food is high in spice content, Shubhanshu wasn't permitted to carry them with him to space but was later allowed to carry some of it. He is excited to share the sweet dishes with other astronauts and have a good time. However, Shubhanshu is a fitness freak and is into yoga so his family believes he'll stay conscious of what he eats and will balance his diet accordingly.

ISRO And DRDO Developed Space-Friendly Indian Food

Usually, commercially available powders, cookies, candies, etc. are packaged for space trips or NASA's Space Food Systems Laboratory produces freeze-dried food, but an Indian astronaut is bound to miss the taste of delicacies from his hometown.

So now, ISRO and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have developed space-friendly Indian food after years of research.

After making Shubhanshu happy with a unique blend of sweet dishes on his menu, ready-to-eat dishes like idli, upma, biryani, pulao, dal, vegetable curry, roti and halwa, all tailored for zero gravity, have been created by ISRO and DRDO.

According to reports, the meal packets will have to be rehydrated with water before consumption, and the menu for Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight expected to take off by 2027, will likely be the same.

Prayers For Success

As the auspicious moment approaches, 39-year-old Shubhanshu's family and friends have started praying for the mission's success and his safe return home.

"We are very proud of him, not just the family, but the whole country. The country's space mission is being sent after 40 years... It feels good that people are talking about my son, and his posters are being put up everywhere. Only 24 hours are left for his mission... We are constantly praying to god for his well-being and the success of his mission..." said Shubhanshu's father.

About The Mission

As Shukla's house is adorned with posters and prayers, Texas-based Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX and NASA is set to send four astronauts Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Mission Commander Peggy Whitson (US), and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) to the International Space Station (ISS) for 14 days.

Mission's primary purpose is to conduct scientific research in fields like health, materials science, and space technology, advance commercial spaceflight, and promote international collaboration.