Ham Radio & Life on the International Space Station

• 07 Jul 2025

Source: IE 

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, communicated with Earth using ham radio communication, marking a unique instance of space-to-Earth communication.

Ham Radio

• Ham radio (amateur radio), is a licensed, non-commercial radio communication service used for education, experimentation, and emergency communication. 
• Operators use radio waves, transceivers and antennas to establish contact locally, globally, and even from space. 
• It was first used in space in 1983 for communication between astronauts and Earth.  
  • The ISS features the ARISS (Amateur Radio on the ISS) system supported by the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe. 
• In India, individuals above 12 years of age can obtain a ham radio license from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. 
• In India, ham radio played a crucial role in facilitating emergency communications during the Indian Ocean tsunami (2004), the Uttarakhand floods (2013), and various other disasters. 

 

Radio waves: 

• Discovered by Heinrich Hertz, they are long-wavelength electromagnetic waves used in communication systems.  
• They propagate via line-of-sight, ionospheric reflection, or satellite relay, enabling long-distance transmission and forming a core part of wireless communication technology. 

 

Life on the ISS: 

• In microgravity, astronauts consume dehydrated, packaged food rehydrated with hot water to avoid floating crumbs that may damage equipment.  
  • Meals are secured using Velcro trays, and utensils are cleaned without water using wipes.  
  • High calcium, low sodium, and vitamin D intake is recommended to maintain bone health during extended space missions.  

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