ISRO, Department of Biotechnology to work together on space biotech

The collaboration will focus on microgravity experiments, space biomanufacturing, and bioastronautics. The collaboration may result in establishing laboratories on different aspects of space biotechnology or developing instruments that can be used in space. There is huge potential, said ISRO chairperson S Somanath.

The experiments mentioned above are among five that have been long-listed at present for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission, where Indian astronaut Subhanshu Shukla will be sent on-board International Space Station.

The collaboration will help in developing experiments that can be conducted without human intervention for the first three unmanned spaceflight under Gaganyaan mission and then some where human intervention will be necessary for the first human spaceflight.

Dr Vamsi Krishna, senior scientist at DBT, said: “Two key challenges for any human space mission are the requirement for a continuous source of nutrition and waste management. Microalgae is known to grow faster in a microgravity environment and can recycle CO2 to O2 while it generates nutrition.”

The experiment will help the researchers select the most robust species of microalgae for future cultivation in space.

He also said that the research on supplements to prevent muscle loss in space — astronauts experience up to 20% muscle loss in 5 to 11 day long spaceflight — could also potentially help in treating sarcopoenia — an age-related condition that results in loss of muscle mass and strength.

This long term collaboration has become essential with the Indian Space Research Organisation now entering the domain of sustained human spaceflight, with the aim of setting up a space station by 2035.