ICGEB takes a leap into Space with Axiom-4 Mission

With the successful launch of the Axiom-4 mission, two cutting-edge experiments from ICGEB New Delhi are now on board the International Space Station (ISS). This marks a major milestone for both ICGEB and Indian space biotechnology research.

The first experiment, co-designed by the Metabolic Engineering Group at ICGEB New Delhi under the leadership of Dr. Shashi Kumar and the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi, is a joint collaborative effort under an ISRO-NASA initiative. This project focuses on the behavior of three edible microalgae species (Chlorella sorokiniana-I (CS-I), Parachlorella kessleri-I (PK-I), and Dysmorphococcus globosus-HI (DG-HI)) under microgravity conditions. The objective is to explore their potential in carbon dioxide fixation, oxygen generation, wastewater recycling, and ultimately their viability as a sustainable food and life-support system for astronauts. By simulating long-term spaceflight conditions, this experiment aims to bring us a step closer to self-sustaining life-support solutions for future deep space missions.

The second experiment, designed by the Systems Biology for Biofuel Group ICGEB New Delhi led by Dr. Shireesh Srivastava, investigates two strains of Cyanobacteria (Spirulina subsalsa and Synechococcus Sp. PCC11901). This study is a joint initiative of ISRO-ESA (European Space Agency) focusing on the growth of Cyanobacteria using urea as a nitrogen source, thereby examining the possibilities of carbon and nitrogen recycling in closed space environments. Understanding these microbial processes is key in developing efficient bio-regenerative systems crucial for extended human spaceflight and planetary habitation.