India to conduct food experiments on International Space Station as part of Axiom Mission-4

As countdown begins for India’s foray into human space exploration after four decades, Union Science Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday announced that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the pilot of Axiom Mission-4, will conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments on board the International Space Station (ISS).

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The mission will be launched on June 8.

The experiments—developed under a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from the NASA—aim to pioneer space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems vital for future long-duration space travel.

Singh said the first ISS experiment will examine the impact of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae—a high-potential, nutrient-rich food source. The study will focus on key growth parameters and the changes in transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of various algal species in space compared to Earth conditions.

The space biology experiments aboard the ISS will be conducted using indigenously developed biotechnology kits under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). These specialised kits, tailored for microgravity conditions, have been designed and validated by Indian scientists to ensure precision and reliability in space-based research. Their deployment marks a major milestone in India’s ability to deliver world-class scientific tools for frontier research and underscores the country’s growing self-reliance in critical technologies for space exploration and biotechnology.

The success of these experiments has the potential to revolutionise human nutrition in space and enable bio-recycling systems for closed habitats, Singh said.

“Microalgae grow rapidly, produce high-protein biomass, absorb carbon dioxide, and release oxygen—making them perfect candidates for sustainable space nutrition and closed-loop life support systems,” the Minister said.

The second experiment will investigate the growth and proteomic response of cyanobacteria—specifically Spirulina and Synechococcus—under microgravity, using urea- and nitrate-based media. The research will evaluate the potential of Spirulina as a space “superfood”. These insights are critical for developing closed-loop, self-sustaining life support systems essential for long-duration space missions.

Shukla will serve as Mission Pilot on the Axiom-4 Mission, alongside Commander Peggy Whitson (USA, former NASA astronaut); Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland/ESA); and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary/ESA).

Shukla is part of the first team of Indian astronauts trained for human spaceflight, with Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair serving as his designated backup.

To drive future innovation, an ISRO-DBT Joint Working Group (JWG) has been constituted to accelerate collaborations in Space Biotechnology and Space Biomanufacturing. Institutions including the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, and BRIC-inStem, Bengaluru, are currently exploring new experiment opportunities.