Astronaut Filmed Earth's Airglow From Orbit
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla captured footage of atmospheric light emissions during a mission to the ISS.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Space
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In June 2025, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla filmed Earth's airglow while stationed on the International Space Station during Axiom Mission 4. He released the recorded footage of the planetary light phenomenon on October 4, 2026.
Why it matters
The footage documents the distinct atmospheric light emissions occurring in the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. This observation differentiates naturally occurring chemical light emissions from the solar-wind-driven phenomena known as auroras.
Green airglow emissions occur between 90 km and 100 km altitude, while sodium atoms generate orange and yellow light between 85 km and 90 km altitude.
The players
Shubhanshu Shukla
Group Captain and astronaut who participated in Axiom Mission 4.
International Space Station
A modular, low-Earth orbit laboratory that serves as a research platform for international space agencies.
The details
Airglow is produced when solar ultraviolet radiation excites and dissociates atmospheric molecules during daylight hours. As these atoms and molecules return to lower-energy states, they release stored energy as visible photons. This process is chemically distinct from auroras, which result from charged particles in solar wind interacting directly with Earth's magnetic field.
Timeline
June 2025: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla visited the International Space Station.
October 4, 2026: Shukla shared the airglow video on X.
The Tech Race
Axiom Mission 4 represents a growing segment of commercial spaceflight aimed at increasing the diversity of research performed in low-Earth orbit. This mission builds upon the established framework for civilian and international pilot-astronauts conducting scientific imaging from the ISS.
This footage provides a rare visual look at atmospheric chemistry for the public, illustrating phenomena not typically visible from the ground. While the imaging is primarily educational, such data helps researchers better understand the composition of the upper atmosphere.
The takeaway
The footage distinguishes between chemical airglow and magnetic-driven auroras, highlighting the complexity of our upper atmosphere. Interested observers can watch for future atmospheric imaging releases from private orbital missions to further characterize these light-emission layers.
Further reading
For more on high-altitude atmospheric research, explore our latest Space coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MoneyControl.
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