India In Space Nutrition Breakthrough: Shubhanshu Shukla To Conduct Key Experiments On ISS

Indian astronaut and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is about to habits unique meals and nutrition-related experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as a part of the impending Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned on Saturday. 

The experiments — evolved below a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with beef up from NASA — intention to pioneer area vitamin and self-sustaining lifestyles beef up methods essential for long term long-duration area commute.

Dr Singh mentioned the primary ISS experiment will read about the have an effect on of microgravity and area radiation on suitable for eating microalgae — a high-potential, nutrient-rich meals supply.

The learn about will center of attention on key enlargement parameters and the adjustments in transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of quite a lot of algal species in area in comparison to Earth prerequisites.

Presenting an instance of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Space biology experiments aboard the ISS shall be performed the use of indigenously evolved biotechnology kits below the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

These specialized kits, adapted for microgravity prerequisites, were designed and validated by means of Indian scientists to verify precision and reliability in space-based analysis.

Their deployment marks a big milestone in India’s skill to ship world-class medical equipment for frontier analysis and underscores the rustic’s rising self-reliance in essential applied sciences for area exploration and biotechnology.

“Microalgae grow rapidly, produce high-protein biomass, absorb carbon dioxide, and release oxygen — making them perfect candidates for sustainable space nutrition and closed-loop life support systems,” mentioned Dr Singh.

The 2nd experiment will examine the expansion and proteomic reaction of cyanobacteria — in particular Spirulina and Synechococcus —below microgravity, the use of urea- and nitrate-based media.

The analysis will assessment the potential for Spirulina as an area “superfood” because of its excessive protein and nutrition content material, assess the feasibility of the use of nitrogen resources derived from human waste, equivalent to urea, for cyanobacterial enlargement, and learn about the results of microgravity on cell metabolism and organic potency.

These insights are essential for creating closed-loop, self-sustaining lifestyles beef up methods very important for long-duration area missions.

“These organisms could be the key to carbon and nitrogen recycling in spacecraft and future space habitats,” the minister mentioned.

Shukla is a part of the primary crew of Indian astronauts skilled for human spaceflight, with Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair serving as his designated backup.

The Ax-4 project, controlled by means of Axiom Space and introduced by the use of SpaceX Falcon 9, is a landmark for India’s first astronaut-scientist-led area biology experiments onboard the ISS.