Eye on Gaganyaan mission: How Shubhanshu Shukla's experiments on ISS will help Isro's manned mission; explained

NEW DELHI: The Axiom mission marked India's second human venture into space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic journey aboard a Soviet spacecraft in 1984.

Although not India's pioneering astronaut, Captain Shukla's orbital mission represents a significant advancement in the nation's space aspirations. Through Gaganyaan, India's domestic space programme anticipated to launch its crewed mission by 2027, the country aims to join the exclusive group of nations - the Soviet Union (now Russia), the United States and China - that have independently sent humans to space.

India has demonstrated its space capabilities through successful ventures, including placing an orbiter around Mars and achieving a soft landing with a robotic craft near the lunar south pole.


Captain Shukla, aged 39, serves as an Indian Air Force test pilot and is amongst the selected astronauts. His participation in the Axiom mission, encompassing microgravity adaptation, spaceflight operations, launch procedures and emergency response training, will contribute valuable expertise to India's space programme Gaganyaan.

Key contributions of Shukla's experiments to Gaganyaan

• Microgravity Crop Growth: Shukla will grow Indian superfoods like moong and methi in zero gravity to study how microgravity affects seed germination and plant growth. This research aims to develop India-specific space food systems and identify space-hardy genes that could enable sustainable food production during long missions to the Moon or Mars.

• Muscle Loss and Human Physiology: Experiments will examine muscle degeneration and the aging of human cells in orbit, providing insights into physiological changes astronauts face in microgravity. This knowledge is vital for maintaining astronaut health on Gaganyaan and future missions.

• Mental Health and Cognitive Performance: Research will explore the impact of screen exposure on mental health and cognitive functions during spaceflight, helping to design better psychological support and work environments for astronauts.

• Microbial Behavior and Life Support: Studies on microbes in space and the viability of growing edible algae as nutritious space food will contribute to life support systems and crew nutrition strategies.

• Tardigrade Survival Mechanisms: Investigating how tardigrades (water bears) survive in space conditions could reveal biological resilience mechanisms applicable to human spaceflight.

Operational experience for Gaganyaan

Beyond scientific experiments, Shukla's mission provides critical operational experience, including pre-launch quarantine, international collaboration, ingress and egress procedures, medical diagnostics, and health readiness protocols. This hands-on experience will help ISRO prepare astronauts and ground teams for the complexities of manned spaceflight.

Significance

Shukla is one of four astronauts shortlisted for Gaganyaan, and his role as mission pilot on Ax-4 offers India a vital opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of living and working in space. The mission strengthens India's space research ecosystem and prepares the country for sustained human presence in space, including plans for an Indian space station in the future.

In summary, Shubhanshu Shukla's ISS experiments are designed to directly support and enhance the Gaganyaan mission by addressing scientific, medical, and operational challenges of human spaceflight, thereby paving the way for India's independent crewed space missions