How India And Israel Are Reaching For The Stars - Together

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set for the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), with Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe helping bring the excitement of space to students at the Indian astronaut's school in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.

The two spacefarers, after an interaction at a gathering in Houston, had envisioned a program that would allow Indian students to experience the thrill of space exploration in real time.

"Every year, there's a gathering of astronauts in Houston, where NASA's main human spaceflight centre is based. That's where I met Group Captain Shukla. He told me about his mission, and I shared how we had engaged school children in Israel during my time on the ISS. He immediately suggested we reach out to the City Montessori School in Lucknow," Mr Stibbe said.

The City Montessori School is where Mr Shukla studied.

Plans are now underway to create a parallel "mission control" experience at the school, allowing students to follow Mr Shukla's journey aboard the ISS, watch live feeds from the station, and participate in interactive educational activities.

"The idea is to create programs, materials, and excitement," Mr Stibbe, who was part of the Axiom 1 mission in 2022, said.

"We want children to ask questions, to be curious. During the mission, they'll be able to watch Shukla at work on the station-not just during interviews, but through continuous camera feeds that show astronauts floating, working, and living in microgravity. It's super exciting," he said.

Mr Stibbe, who funded his private mission to space, is passionate about making space accessible to all. His outreach efforts in Israel reached thousands of students, and he hopes to replicate that success in India.

"Whatever we did in Israel, we're now extending a hand of friendship to India," he said.

"There's a lot we can learn from each other," Mr Stibbe said. "From the educational system, from the missions, and from the science. We're following India's space program closely and hope for more cooperation."

The initiative has the potential to draw attention at the highest levels. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are great friends," Mr Stibbe said. "If they get the opportunity, I'm sure they would be happy to join in. We'll definitely extend an invitation."

For Mr Stibbe, the mission is personal.

"Watching the Earth from space, seeing the sunrise and sunset - it changes you. You realise how fragile our planet is. That's why I believe in sustainability and in inspiring the next generation to care for our world," he said.

"India and Israel," Mr Stibbe said with a smile, "the friendship goes beyond Earth - and on Earth."