Brother from another mother: When Indian astro met his space twin going to the Moon

In a moment that blended humour with history-in-the-making, Indian astronaut Group Captain P. Balakrishnan Nair recalled a rare encounter with Nasa astronaut Victor Glover during training for the Axiom-4 mission.

Nair joked with Glover that he looked like his “brother from another mother,” adding with a laugh that he could replace him on the mission “and no one would notice.”

The astronaut with call sign Papa Nair told indiatoday.tech on the eve of a landmark spaceflight. Glover is part of Nasa’s Artemis-II crew, set to become the first person of colour to travel to the Moon's vicinity.

The mission marks humanity’s return to deep space exploration more than five decades after the Apollo era, and will test systems critical for future lunar landings.

MEET VICTOR GLOVER, THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO FLY TO MOON

Glover, a naval aviator and experienced astronaut, previously flew on SpaceX’s Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station.

His upcoming journey aboard Nasa’s Orion spacecraft is expected to push the boundaries of human spaceflight once again, as astronauts orbit the Moon and return to Earth on a 10-day mission.

Nair’s anecdote points to the growing camaraderie between Indian and international astronauts as India prepares to send its own crew to space under the Gaganyaan programme.

Papa Nair is among the select Indian astronauts undergoing rigorous training, including international collaborations, ahead of India’s first human spaceflight.

Meanwhile, fellow astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla shared his own memorable encounter during training in the United States, a “fanboy moment” with veteran Nasa astronaut Christina Koch.

Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, is also part of the Artemis-II crew and is set to become one of the first women to journey to the Moon.

Koch’s extensive experience aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and her role in historic all-women spacewalks have made her a role model for aspiring astronauts worldwide.

For Shukla, meeting her was both inspiring and symbolic of India’s growing presence in global space exploration.

WHAT IS INDIA'S GAGANYAAN?

India’s Gaganyaan mission aims to place Indian astronauts in low-Earth orbit, marking a major milestone in the country’s space ambitions.

With astronauts like Nair and Shukla training alongside global counterparts, the mission reflects not just technological progress but also a spirit of international cooperation.

As Artemis-II prepares to carry humans back toward the Moon, these personal stories highlight how space exploration continues to unite astronauts across nations, sometimes even revealing “brothers from another mother” along the way.