Sept 2, 2025: Imagine being strapped into a machine that spins you around in every direction, testing your limits and pushing your body to the edge. This is a real-life training session for astronauts at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Centre, not a scene from a sci-fi movie. Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla recently shared a thrilling video of himself undergoing training in the Multi-Axis Trainer, also known as the Gimbal Rig or Vomit Comet Chair.

The trainer is a complicated device made to look like the violent tumbling that a spacecraft might go through while it is in orbit. The goal is to help astronauts stay calm, regain control and complete mission tasks under extreme physical stress.
Interestingly, Mercury astronauts once used the same device, although it was not required for their specific missions.

However, when Neil Armstrong had to manually stabilize the spacecraft following a thruster failure on the Gemini 8 mission, the method proved to be crucial. Despite its nickname, the Vomit Comet Chair does not always induce nausea, as the stomach stays centred, reducing sickness. However, Shukla warns that closing the eyes can confuse the brain.
After completing the training session, Shukla captioned his video "Let's get spinning" and added a final message: "Enjoy the ride."

A comment stated, "This video is inspiring me, and I'm sure every child who sees this will dare to break the boundaries you're such a great inspiration to all of us." Another user wrote, “This looks scary but interesting, Thank you for sharing this information with us,” and a third said, “This looks extraordinarily amazing.”