Shubhanshu Shukla Conducts Microalgae and Cyanobacteria Experiments on ISS: Centre Explains
New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla conducted experiments on indigenous microalgal species and cyanobacteria strains aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to explore ways to sustain human life in space, the Union government informed Parliament on Wednesday.
Shukla, who became the first Indian to reach the ISS last month, completed an 18-day mission and returned on July 15. During his time on the orbital laboratory, he carried out multiple experiments led by ISRO, along with other activities.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh detailed the biological experiments aimed at enhancing life support systems for future space missions.
“Three indigenous robust microalgal species, namely, Chlorella sorokiniana-I, Parachlorella kessleri-I, and Dysmorphococcus globosus-HI, were experimented on the International Space Station (ISS) to study the impact of microgravity, CO2, and O2 levels simultaneously in space and on the Earth (indoor lab),” Singh said.
“These microalgae have the potential to function effectively in microgravity environments and grow fast on Earth to produce value-added products of industrial importance, while in space, capturing excess CO2 from the ISS cabin and making vital nutrients and food supplements to support the astronauts’ lives in space,” he added.
Singh also mentioned that IAF Group Captain Shukla studied the growth of two cyanobacteria strains an Indian isolate of Spirulina and a fast-growing Synechococcus strain using two different nitrogen sources, nitrate and urea, under microgravity conditions.
“The cyanobacteria experiment is expected to demonstrate the ability of cyanobacteria to recycle both carbon and nitrogen,” the Minister noted.
He further explained that this research marks significant progress towards developing cyanobacteria-based biological life support systems for future space missions.
Shukla, the youngest astronaut-designate under India’s Gaganyaan mission, is seen as a key contributor to the country’s human spaceflight ambitions scheduled for 2027.
(With inputs from IANS)
Jyoti Kumari joined Medical Dialogues in 2025 as a Journalism Intern. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi. She is passionate about news reporting, content creation, social media, and emerging media trends.