Context:
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, during the final leg of his mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), participated in several cutting-edge biological and agricultural experiments under India’s collaborative space science programme with Axiom Space and ISRO.
Key Scientific Experiments Conducted:
Space Germination of Indian Crop Seeds
- Seeds Used: Green gram (moong) and fenugreek (methi)
- Objective: Study the impact of microgravity on seed germination and early plant development.
- Method: Seeds sprouted in petri dishes, photographed, and stored in a space freezer for return to Earth.
- Post-Mission Plan:
Seeds to be cultivated over multiple generations to observe:- Genetic adaptations
- Microbial ecosystem shifts
- Changes in nutritional profiles
Microalgae Deployment
- Studied for their ability to produce food, oxygen, and biofuels.
- Valuable for long-duration space missions due to their:
- High adaptability
- Efficient oxygen generation
- Sustainability in closed-loop ecosystems
Space Crop Breeding
- Six plant varieties grown with the aim to:
- Identify desirable genetic traits
- Enable sustainable space farming through genetic analysis
Stem Cell Research
- Focus on testing if microgravity and supplements can:
- Accelerate cell repair or recovery
- Improve stem cell-based injury healing or tissue growth
Significance of the Research
- Pioneers astro-agriculture and space biomedicine using indigenous Indian crops.
- Lays foundation for space-based life support systems, crucial for future Mars or lunar missions.
- Enhances India’s contribution to global space biology research.
