Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has shared a fascinating video of his training inside the Multi Axis Trainer (MAT) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for the Ax-4 mission. The video offers a rare peek into the intense preparation astronauts undergo to handle the challenges of spaceflight, showcasing Shukla strapped into a device that spins wildly to simulate the disorienting motions of a spacecraft.
The Multi Axis Trainer, also called the Mercury Astronaut Trainer, was originally designed to prepare America’s early astronauts for the possibility of their capsule spinning out of control in orbit.
Let’s get spinning.
I am in a MAT (Multi Axis Trainer or Mercury Astronaut
Trainer) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This trainer was used to expose the Mercury astronauts to excessive rates in roll, pitch and yaw should the capsule experience the same in orbit. The aim was… pic.twitter.com/E1QN2ZsXEC
— Shubhanshu Shukla (@gagan_shux) August 31, 2025
“This trainer was used to expose the Mercury astronauts to excessive rates in roll, pitch, and yaw should the capsule experience the same in orbit,” Shukla explained. “The aim was to expose the astronauts to such rates so that they can control the space capsule in spite of being under such extreme rates,” he added. The device mimics the chaotic tumbling an astronaut might face, helping them learn to stay focused and in control under extreme conditions.
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Although the Mercury astronauts never faced such extreme spins during their missions, the training proved its worth later. Shukla shared a gripping story about legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong during the Gemini 8 mission in 1966. When a faulty thruster caused Armstrong’s spacecraft to spin dangerously while attempting to dock with the Agena target vehicle, he relied on his training to take manual control and stabilize the craft. This quick thinking saved the mission and remains a celebrated moment in space history.
Shukla’s video also gave a glimpse into what it feels like to train in the MAT. Despite its dizzying appearance, the trainer is designed to keep trainees’ stomachs at the center of the motion, which helps prevent motion sickness. “Incidentally, you don’t feel sick in this trainer as your stomach is at the center always,” Shukla noted. However, he warned that closing one’s eyes during the training could cause nausea due to sensory confusion, adding, “not ready to try” that himself.
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