7 cool experiments Shubhanshu Shukla will do in space!

Seven experiments Shubhanshu Shukla will conduct during his 14-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS). Each experiment is crucial for advancing India’s space research and preparing for future long-duration space missions.

 1. Myogenesis

Agency: Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine

Focus: Muscle loss in space

Muscle fiber shrinking

Microgravity = less resistance = muscle atrophy

Targeting therapies to protect astronaut muscles

2. Crop Seeds in Space

Agency: Kerala Agricultural University

Focus: Studying six crop varieties

Crop seeds → ISS

Track growth traits & genetic changes

Prepping crops for Moon/Mars farming

3. Voyager Tardigrades

Focus: Studying survival mechanisms of water bears

Tiny 8-legged creatures

Survive extremes using cryptobiosis

Future biotech + long-duration space travel resilience

4. Space Microalgae

Focus: Growth & metabolism of 3 algae strains

Microalgae cells

No gravity = unique growth behavior

Future role: oxygen, biofuel, food source in space habitats

5. Sprouting Seeds

Agency: ISRO

Focus: Germination and growth after space exposure

Seed to plant → generations on Earth

Study gene expression, microbial load

Evaluate nutritional changes

6. Cyanobacteria on ISS

Agency: ISRO + ESA

Focus: Photosynthetic bacteria in space

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthesis under space conditions

Implications for closed-loop life support systems

7. Voyager Displays

Focus: Screen usage effects on astronaut cognition

Eye movement tracking

Pointing, gaze, attention analysis

How screen use affects stress & mental well-being

Why This Matters:

These experiments explore:

Health in space (muscles, cognition)

Food & sustainability (seeds, algae, cyanobacteria)

Biotech breakthroughs (tardigrades, genetic adaptation)

India’s leap in space biosciences supports future lunar/Mars missions and Earth-bound innovations.