Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to engage in a special interaction with school students and scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday, July 4. The unique event will be conducted via ham radio, with the telebridge established at Bengaluru’s U R Rao Satellite Centre, according to the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS).
Shukla, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the 14-day Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, will participate in this interactive session facilitated by ARISS—a global programme designed to connect students with astronauts in space using amateur radio systems. The conversation is scheduled to
begin at 10:17 UTC (3:47 PM IST) and will be relayed through the K6DUE telebridge in the US.
Ham radio, often relied upon during emergencies when conventional communications are down, is used by ARISS to create meaningful learning moments for students by allowing them to speak directly with astronauts on the ISS.
The official ARISS X handle confirmed the event, posting:
“Contact upcoming with India! @Axiom_Space #Ax4 crew member Shubhanshu Shukla, VU2TNI, will talk to the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Karnataka via ham radio from the Space Station. Scheduled Fri. July 4 at 10:17 UTC, 6:17 AM ET, 3:47 PM ISS via K6DUE telebridge.”