‘Velcro And Tape Everywhere’: Shubhanshu Shukla Shows How Astronauts Dine In Zero Gravity

From velcro-taped spoons to slow eating, Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), has shared interesting glimpses of his space sojourn.

In an Instagram video, Shukla demonstrates how even something as ordinary as a meal turns into a complex task in space. “Eating and drinking in space is a real challenge,” he says, offering a view of his dining table aboard the ISS. Unlike on Earth, nothing stays put— spoons, bottles and even drops of coffee drift unless secured.

Astronauts turn to ingenious fixes to cope with life in space. “Velcro and tape everywhere,” Shukla explains, pointing out how spoons are fitted with velcro and bottles stick to surfaces to prevent them from floating away. To illustrate his point, he lets go of his spoon mid-air and shows how it just drifts away.

He also shows how astronauts manage drinks in microgravity. Holding a pouch of coffee, he says, “Right now, I’m drinking my coffee, and I’ll show you how it actually works.” Moments later, he releases a large drop of coffee, which floats in front of him. “You can also eat water in space,” he reveals.

In the caption to his post, the ISRO astronaut reflected on the adjustments required to eat in orbit. “Food in space. Never thought I would have to learn to eat again,” he wrote. Emphasising the need for discipline, he added, “Here I am explaining why habits matter when you are eating in space. If you are not mindful, you can easily create a mess and you don’t want to be that guy. Solid mantra that works for anything in space: ‘Slow is Fast’.”

Sharing an interesting fact about human biology, Shukla says gravity plays no role in digestion. “A process called ‘peristalsis’ is responsible for digestion, which is gravity-independent. It is the contraction and relaxation of muscles to push food down through the digestive tract. Head up or head down, gravity or no gravity, your body will always digest food,” he says, signing off with a “Bon Appetit.”

Watch the video here:

Shukla’s post has received a number of reactions from followers.

One user expressed admiration, saying, “Wow, Shubhanshu! It's incredible to see you master the art of dining in zero-G… even the most mundane tasks become a scientific adventure.” Others were fascinated by how microgravity works. One user wrote, “It's always fascinating to see how liquid behaves in space and with some space brew on board, it is definitely fun.”

One user was also curious about the science behind it, asking, “So does the drinks/food once just eaten tend to come back up in the mouth? In simple words, is digestion a normal process in space?”

Shubhanshu Shukla returned to India from the US on Aug. 17 after completing an 18-day space mission, where he was part of the Axiom-4 crew aboard the ISS.