Water Bears To Space Farming: India's 7 Experiments On Space Station

On his fortnight-long mission to the International Space Station next month, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's 'gaganyatri', will conduct seven India-specific experiments in space, the Indian Space Research Organisation said today. These include studying 'water bears' - microscopic organisations - to understand how living things adapt to microgravity.

According to ISRO, the experience will nurture a microgravity research ecosystem back home, leading to the induction of advanced experiments that make up India's space programme.

India does not, at this time, have any deep experience of research in microgravity. In fact, this will be the first time an Indian will be working in an highly advanced space laboratory, one in which many complex experiments have been undertaken over the last 25 years.

Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said Mr Shukla will focus on 'space technology, space bio-manufacturing, and bio-astronautics' during his mission.

Mr Shukla, an officer with the Indian Air Force, will grow the water bear, also called tardigrade and which can reach just 0.5mm in length, during his time on the football field-sized space station. He will also grow special bacteria and study the effect of space on muscle cells, including trying to understand why astronauts face muscle loss in space.

All in all, he will conduct seven experiments across the fields of agriculture, food, and human biology, when he becomes the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station.

The field of microgravity research has potential applications in diverse areas such as human health, physical and life sciences, material research, novel pharmaceutical development, and biotechnology, and offers significant opportunities to the national scientific community.

ISRO has shortlisted seven microgravity research experiments proposed by Indian Principal Investigators (PIs) from various national R&D laboratories or academic institutions for implementation on ISS during the Axiom-4 mission.

The experiments are:

1. Impact of microgravity radiation on edible microalgae, for the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the National Institute of Plant Genome Research.

2. Sprouting salad seeds in space, which is relevant to crew nutrition and which will be monitored by the University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad in Karnataka.

3. Survival, revival, reproduction, and transcriptome of the Eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus sp. BLR strain in space by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

4. Effect of metabolic supplements on muscle regeneration under microgravity by the Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine.

5. Analysing human interaction with electronic displays in microgravity by the IISc.

6. Comparative growth and proteomics responses of cyanobacteria on urea and nitrate in microgravity by the ICGEB.

7. Impact of microgravity on growth and yield parameters in seeds by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology and the Kerala Agricultural University's College of Agriculture.

Earlier Axiom Space Inc. said the Ax-4 research will comprise 60 scientific studies and activities from 31 countries, including also Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, and Europe.

This will be the most research-oriented, science-related activity conducted during an Axiom Space mission aboard the ISS to date, underscoring the mission's global significance and collaborative nature to advance microgravity research in low Earth orbit, the company said.

Mr Shukla will be accompanied by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and mission commander, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.