Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla turned into a farmer in the final leg of his International Space Station (ISS) mission. He clicked photos of 'moong' and 'methi' seeds sprouting in petri dishes.
Shukla then and inserted them into a storage freezer on the ISS as part of a study on how microgravity influences germination and early plant development.
The Indain astronaut and his Axiom-4 teammates have spent 12 days on the ISS and are expected to return to Earth after July 10, depending on the weather conditions off the Florida coast.
For now, NASA is yet to announce a date for the undocking of the Axiom-4 from the space station. The duration of the Axiom-4 mission docked to the ISS is up to 14 days.
"I am so proud that ISRO has been able to collaborate with national institutions all over the country and come up with some fantastic research which I am doing on the station for all the scientists and researchers. It is exciting and a joy to do this," Shukla said in an interaction with Axiom Space Chief Scientist Lucie Low on Wednesday.
The sprouts experiment is lead by two scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and Sudheer Siddapureddy of the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad.
Once back on Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems and nutritional profiles, a statement from Axiom Space said.
In another experiment, Shukla deployed and stowed microalgae, which are being investigated for their potential to produce food, oxygen and even biofuels. Their resilience and versatility make them ideal for supporting human life on long-duration missions.
Shukla also clicked photos for the crop seeds experiment, where six varieties will be grown over multiple generations post-mission. The goal is to identify plants with desirable traits for genetic analysis for sustainable farming in space.
Shukla said his research tasks on the space station spanned various domains and disciplines.
"Right from doing stem cell research and looking at the effect of microgravity on seeds, evaluating the cognitive load on astronauts while they are interacting with screens onboard the station. It has been fantastic. I feel proud to be this kind of a bridge between the researchers and the station and do the research on behalf of them," he said.
"One particular research I am really excited about is stem cell research where scientists are trying to explore whether it is possible to accelerate recovery or growth or repair injury by adding supplements to stem cells. It has been great to work in the Glove Box doing this research for them. I am really excited to be doing this," Shukla said.
Shukla then and inserted them into a storage freezer on the ISS as part of a study on how microgravity influences germination and early plant development.
The Indain astronaut and his Axiom-4 teammates have spent 12 days on the ISS and are expected to return to Earth after July 10, depending on the weather conditions off the Florida coast.
For now, NASA is yet to announce a date for the undocking of the Axiom-4 from the space station. The duration of the Axiom-4 mission docked to the ISS is up to 14 days.
"I am so proud that ISRO has been able to collaborate with national institutions all over the country and come up with some fantastic research which I am doing on the station for all the scientists and researchers. It is exciting and a joy to do this," Shukla said in an interaction with Axiom Space Chief Scientist Lucie Low on Wednesday.
The sprouts experiment is lead by two scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and Sudheer Siddapureddy of the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad.
Once back on Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems and nutritional profiles, a statement from Axiom Space said.
In another experiment, Shukla deployed and stowed microalgae, which are being investigated for their potential to produce food, oxygen and even biofuels. Their resilience and versatility make them ideal for supporting human life on long-duration missions.
Shukla also clicked photos for the crop seeds experiment, where six varieties will be grown over multiple generations post-mission. The goal is to identify plants with desirable traits for genetic analysis for sustainable farming in space.
Shukla said his research tasks on the space station spanned various domains and disciplines.
"Right from doing stem cell research and looking at the effect of microgravity on seeds, evaluating the cognitive load on astronauts while they are interacting with screens onboard the station. It has been fantastic. I feel proud to be this kind of a bridge between the researchers and the station and do the research on behalf of them," he said.
"One particular research I am really excited about is stem cell research where scientists are trying to explore whether it is possible to accelerate recovery or growth or repair injury by adding supplements to stem cells. It has been great to work in the Glove Box doing this research for them. I am really excited to be doing this," Shukla said.
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