Indian astronaut Shubhandhu Shukla, now 10 days into his historic space mission, is making remarkable contributions to space science that could redefine the future of long-duration space travel. His hands-on work is helping solve some of the most persistent challenges of sustaining human life in orbit and beyond.
Muscle Loss in Microgravity:
A centerpiece of Shux’s mission is the myogenesis investigation, which targets the accelerated muscle atrophy astronauts face in microgravity. Without gravitational resistance, skeletal muscles weaken rapidly. Shukla has been closely observing how cell differentiation and metabolism are disrupted, leading to increased muscle breakdown and reduced protein synthesis.
Even with today’s rigorous in-orbit exercise routines, astronauts still suffer muscle deterioration on long missions. Shukla’s documentation could be crucial in developing molecular-level countermeasures to maintain strength on journeys to the Moon, Mars, or beyond.
Microalgae as Space-Life Support:
Shux has also worked with the Space Micro Algae experiment, handling sample deployment and recovery. Microalgae are increasingly seen as a biological Swiss army knife in space — they produce oxygen, can serve as food, and even contribute to biofuel production. Their efficiency in recycling CO₂ and nutrients, along with resilience to extreme conditions, makes them a frontrunner for future bioregenerative life-support systems.
Shukla’s data may help unlock the next leap in closed-loop ecosystems, a critical piece of deep space habitation.
Sprouts and Space Agriculture:
Through the Sprouts project, Shukla irrigated seeds in microgravity to monitor their germination and early growth. This follows on from ISRO’s success with cowpea germination in space. The seeds will later be cultivated on Earth across multiple generations, enabling scientists to track genetic, microbial, and nutritional changes caused by space exposure.
The goal is to develop resilient space crops, a cornerstone of sustainable food production for future missions and off-world settlements.
Voyager Displays and Human-Machine Interaction:
Another vital contribution is from the Voyager Displays experiment, which tracks eye movement and hand-eye coordination in microgravity. This data is essential for designing next-generation spacecraft interfaces, ensuring that critical controls remain intuitive and safe even in altered sensory environments.
Why It Matters:
Shukla’s contributions span biology, agriculture, sustainability, and human factors engineering. Each experiment lays a brick on the path toward long-term human presence in space, be it aboard future Moon bases, Mars missions, or deep-space habitats.
His work underlines India’s expanding role in global space research and adds critical insight to a growing international knowledge base — making him not just a trailblazer for India, but for humanity’s interplanetary future.
