Realisation about fragility of earth common among astronauts upon return: Rakesh Sharma

Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to venture into space, said almost every astronaut realises the fragility of Earth and that people should learn sustainability before looking for other habitable places.

Every astronaut comes back with the realisation about the fragility of earth, the “heaven” that people should stop “ruining” by exhausting its resources, Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to venture into space, said.

Mr. Sharma also said people should learn about sustainability before making attempts to find habitable places other than earth.

“Almost every space traveller comes back with the realisation about the fragility of our planet... That is where [the space] you get to see the big picture... that our earth is just a pale blue dot,” he said during a recent interactive session at a musuem launch in Kolkata.

“So instead of ruining heaven, which is what we have, I don’t much endorse the rush to build up a far-off hell somewhere else before we learn sustainability.... Unfortunately, there are not many people talking about it, even those who return from space,” the 74-year-old former wing commander said.

Mr. Sharma was a part of the Soviet Union’s ‘Soyuz T-11’ expedition, launched in April, 1984. He remains the first and only Indian to journey into space.

He was in Kolkata to inaugurate the Museum of Astronomy and Space Science on the premises of the Indian Centre for Space Physics.

During the address, he urged all stakeholders to look at ways to be more sustainable for safeguarding the planet.