Bengaluru: Captain of the Indian group Shubhanshu Shukla He will carry out seven experiments developed by scientists in Bengaluru, Dharwad, Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi at the International Space Station (ISS), where it is expected to arrive in the coming weeks as part of the Axiom-4 mission (Ax4).
Weeks after the initial details of scientific experiments will make Shukla in ISS were made public for the Axiom space, the US firm. Implementing AX-4, Isro, on Monday, gave details of the institutions involved in the development of these experiments. Toi had reported that Shukla will carry out seven experiments on April 3, while few other details had been reported before.
The selected experiments represent various scientific fields and come from the main Indian research institutions. These experiments have been carefully chosen to advance knowledge in areas such as human health, agriculture, biotechnology and physical sciences in microgravity conditions.
The University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad will investigate the outbreak of salad seeds in space, with particular relevance for crew nutrition. This research could provide valuable information to keep astronauts during extended missions.
The Indian Institute of Sciences (IISC) will carry out two separate research, one that studies survival and reproduction of Tardigrades in spaceand another human interaction analysis with electronic screens in microgravity.
The International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), based in Trieste, Italy, with a center in New Delhi, in collaboration with the National Institute for Research of the Genome of Plants of India (NIPGR) in New Delhi, will examine the impact of microgravity and radiation on edible microalgae.
In a separate experiment, ICGeb will study comparative growth and proteomic responses of cyanobacteria when urea versus nitrate in microgravity are used.
Another selected research includes a study conducted by the Institute of Science of stem cells and regenerative medicine of Bengaluru (Insttent), investigating the effect of metabolic supplements on muscle regeneration in microgravity conditions.
The Indian Institute of Science and Technology of the Isro Space (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, together with the Faculty of Agriculture of the Agricultural University of Kerala, will study the impact of microgravity on the growth and performance parameters in food crop seeds.
“These experiments are currently experiencing strict evaluations and reviews before launch, adhering to the operational philosophy promoted by the safety of human space flight missions,” Isro said.
He added that the scientific initiative comes from the collaboration efforts established during the visit of the state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States in June 2023. “… follows the steps of the Wing Commander (RETD).
He reiterated that the experience acquired by implementing these experiments will help foster a microgravity research ecosystem within India, which potentially leads to more advanced space experiments in various disciplines in the future.
“This mission is aligned with Isro’s ambitious long -term vision for space exploration, which includes the establishment of a Bharatiya Antariksh operational station by 2035 and a lunar mission of Indian crew by 2040,” said the space agency.