Space farming: Shubhanshu Shukla fenugreek, moong grows on ISS; It is called ‘exciting and joyful work’. Bharat News

New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently riding on the International Space Station (ISS), played an unusual role of a space farmer in the last days of his mission. Shukla Petri is capturing photographs of sprouted moong and fenugreek seeds in dishes and placing them in a storage freezer as part of a major experiment on seed germination in microgravity.The experiment is a collaboration among the Indian Research Institutes, headed by Ravikumar Hasmani, Dharwad, and Sudhir Sidpuriddi of Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad. Its purpose is to study how microgravity affects seed germination and initial plant growth.“I am very proud that ISRO has been able to cooperate with national institutions across the country and has come up with some brilliant researches that I am doing at the station for all scientists and researchers. It is exciting and is a pleasure to do so, “Shukla said in a conversation with Lucy Lo, the chief scientist of the Axiom space.Sprouts will be brought back to Earth and cultivated for many generations to understand how the space situation may have changed their genetics, microbial interaction and nutritional value, Axiom space said in a statement cited by news agency PTI. In addition to the use of seeds, Shukla is also working with Microlega, which is being discovered for their ability to produce food, oxygen and biofuels in space. Their strength and flexibility promises candidates to maintain human life on long -term missions.Shukla also contributed to a crop seed use which includes varieties of six plants which will be grown in many generations. “Stem cell research is right from conducting the correct and the impact of microgravity on seeds, evaluating cognitive loads on astronauts, while they are interacting with the screen at the station. It has been fantastic. I feel proud to have such a bridge between the researchers and the station and do research on their behalf, ”he said.“I am really excited about a special research, stem cell research, where scientists are trying to find out if it is possible to speed up recovery or growth or repair injury by adding supplements to the stem cell. It has been great for them to work in this research glove box. I am really excited to do so, ”said Shukla.Shukla is part of the Axiom-4 mission, which has spent 12 days in ISS. The team is expected to return to Earth after 10 July based on weather conditions from Florida coast. NASA has not yet announced the last unwarded date, but the mission may last for 14 days.