International Space Station: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla conducts experiments on microgravity, crop seeds, microalgae

Florida [US], July 9 (ANI): The Axiom Mission 4 crew members conducted a wide range of research activities aimed at advancing scientific studies, testing new technologies, and continuing global outreach efforts in space exploration, Axiom Space shared on its mission blog on Tuesday.
According to Axiom Space, over the last few days, Commander Peggy Whitson, Group Captain Pilot Shubhanshu Shux Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz Suave Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu have advanced scientific studies, contributing to the mission broader goals in space exploration and Earth-based innovation.
On Tuesday, the crew held research on microgravity.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla conducted three experiments. In the first instance, he worked on the sprouts project to study how microgravity affects germination and early plant development. On return to Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems, and nutritional profiles.
In another experiment, he deployed and stowed microalgae, which are being investigated for their potential to produce food, oxygen, and even biofuels. Their resilience and versatility make them ideal for supporting human life on long-duration missions, Axiom Space blog observed.
For the third experiment, he captured images for the crop seeds experiment, wherein six varieties will be grown over multiple generations post-mission. The goal of the experiment is to identify plants with desirable traits for genetic analysis in support of sustainable farming in space.
Other experiments conducted by the crew were the Voyager Displays experiment, which investigates how spaceflight affects eye movement, gaze coordination, and pointing accuracy.
Significantly, the crew also participated in the AstroMentalHealth study, which focused on astronauts mental and behavioural health during human spaceflight missions. A neuromuscular electrical stimulation session was also conducted to investigate potential countermeasures against muscle loss caused by microgravity.
Axiom Space blog also noted that the crew contributed to the Suit Fabric Study by collecting data on how clothing affects heat transfer in microgravity, where normal convection doesnt apply. Insights from this study could also enhance thermal regulation in clothing for extreme environments on Earth, thereby benefiting fields like healthcare and sports.
Data was also collected for the Telemetric Health AI study, which explores how spaceflight impacts the cardiovascular and balance systems. Another study, the IMU-DRS, tested the accuracy of smartphone motion sensors in microgravity. It also reported that the crew continued collecting radiation exposure data using the Rad Nano Dosimeter.
The crew also took part in the Acquired Equivalence Test -- a cognitive experiment that challenges astronauts to recognise patterns and associations between visual symbols, even when altered in ways that defy Earth-based spatial norms.
Later, the crew members also connected with Axiom Space Chief Scientist Dr Lucie Low for a Q&A session about their research studies and the progress being made, as they are now more than halfway through the mission.
Biomedical research topped the science schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as the Expedition 73 and Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crews explored cellular immunity and electrical muscle stimulation.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is a part of Axiom Mission 4, launched on June 25 from NASA Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 3:21 am ET on Wednesday aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Group Captain Shukla is serving as Mission Pilot on the four-member Axiom Mission 4 and piloted the Dragon spacecraft, which successfully docked with the ISS on June 26, ahead of schedule, autonomously docking at 4:05 pm (IST) to the space-facing port of the space station Harmony module.
The Ax-4 crew is expected to stay aboard the space station for up to 14 days. (ANI)

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