India's space agency, ISRO, has embarked on a historic collaborative venture with NASA and the European Space Agency through the Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), marking a significant milestone in India's space exploration journey. This mission represents a comprehensive scientific initiative designed to enhance our understanding of life and technology in microgravity while establishing essential foundations for future long-duration space missions.

Mission Profile And Indian Participation

The Axiom Mission-4 represents a watershed moment for India's space program, scheduled for late May 2025. This mission will feature Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force, who will become the first Indian to visit the International Space Station and the first Indian astronaut in space in over four decades since Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 flight. During his 14-day stay aboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct at least seven experiments alongside astronauts from the United States, Hungary, and Poland.

This collaborative effort represents a substantial investment from India, with reports indicating financial commitment between $60-70 million for the research initiatives. The mission aligns with India's ambitious space roadmap, which includes plans to send an astronaut to space through the Gaganyaan program by 2026-2027, establish an Indian space station by 2035, and achieve a lunar landing by 2040. Shukla's participation is strategically significant as he is among the top contenders for the Gaganyaan mission, with his ISS experience providing critical hands-on training in spaceflight operations and emergency preparedness.

Human-Computer Interaction In Microgravity

A pioneering aspect of ISRO's AX-4 contribution is a comprehensive study examining how astronauts interact with electronic displays in zero gravity conditions. This human-centred research, conducted in partnership with NASA and Voyager, investigates how spatial orientation, gaze behaviour, and cognitive processing function differently when using computer screens in microgravity.

The experiment meticulously analyses several critical aspects of digital interaction in space, including eye-hand coordination for pointing tasks, gaze fixation patterns, rapid eye movements, and both cognitive and physical stress related to screen interactions. Researchers will employ advanced eye-tracking technologies to gather data on visual attention and motor responses, enabling them to assess whether these altered interaction patterns contribute to elevated stress levels in astronauts.

Results from this study could revolutionize the ergonomic design of space-based user interfaces, potentially enhancing mission efficiency and crew well-being during extended missions. By understanding the natural adaptations astronauts make when using technology in microgravity, engineers can develop more intuitive interfaces that reduce cognitive load and physical strain—critical factors for deep space missions where optimal human-computer interaction directly impacts mission success.

Biological Research For Sustainable Space Habitation

ISRO is addressing the critical challenge of food security in space through multiple complementary experiments aboard Ax-4, focusing on different biological systems with applications for sustainable space habitation.

Microalgae And Cyanobacteria Studies

In the "Space Microalgae" experiment, ISRO collaborates with NASA and Redwire to evaluate how three strains of edible microalgae respond to spaceflight conditions. These nutrient-rich microorganisms represent promising candidates for space-based food production due to their high protein and lipid content, along with valuable bioactive compounds. The research examines how microgravity affects their growth rates, genetic activity, and viability as potential food sources that could be scaled for future missions.

In a parallel study conducted with ESA, ISRO is investigating cyanobacteria—photosynthetic microbes with significant environmental applications. By comparing two cyanobacteria strains in microgravity, researchers aim to understand their growth rates, cellular responses, and biochemical pathways. This research could prove instrumental in integrating these organisms into closed-loop life support systems, enabling continuous oxygen regeneration and waste recycling aboard spacecraft—essential capabilities for self-sustaining habitats beyond Earth.

Crop Production In Microgravity

Building on the theme of space-based food production, ISRO is conducting the "Sprouting Salad Seeds in Space" experiment in collaboration with NASA and BioServe Space Technologies. This comprehensive study investigates how salad seeds germinate and develop in microgravity, examining multiple generations to understand long-term viability. The research analyses germination rates, genetic alterations over successive generations, changes in microbial profiles, and variations in nutritional content compared to Earth-grown counterparts.

These insights are vital for establishing reliable food cultivation strategies for future space habitats, where astronauts would need to grow nutritious produce rather than relying solely on supplies from Earth. The ability to produce food in space is not merely a convenience but a necessity for the feasibility of human expansion beyond Earth's orbit, particularly for missions to Mars or beyond.

Addressing Physiological Challenges of Spaceflight

One of the most persistent challenges astronauts face during extended space missions is muscle atrophy resulting from microgravity exposure. ISRO is tackling this issue through a collaborative study with NASA and BioServe Space Technologies that investigates how a specific metabolic supplement influences muscle regeneration in microgravity conditions.

By identifying the biological mechanisms responsible for muscle degradation in space, this research aims to develop effective countermeasures that can support crew health during long-duration missions. The findings could potentially lead to therapeutic interventions that prevent or mitigate muscle loss, ensuring astronauts maintain physical capabilities throughout their missions and experience fewer complications upon returning to Earth. Additionally, these insights may have significant implications for Earth-based medical applications, potentially advancing treatments for muscle disorders and age-related degeneration.

Harnessing The Extreme Resilience of Tardigrades

Perhaps one of the most fascinating experiments in ISRO's AX-4 portfolio involves studying tardigrades, microscopic organisms renowned for their extraordinary ability to survive extreme conditions. Often called "water bears," these resilient creatures have existed on Earth for approximately 600 million years and possess remarkable adaptability to harsh environments.

In partnership with NASA and Voyager, ISRO's experiment examines how tardigrades respond to the space environment, tracking their revival rates, survival capacity, reproductive behaviours, and gene expression patterns compared to Earth-based control populations. By understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tardigrades' exceptional resilience, scientists may develop novel approaches to protecting astronauts and equipment from the harsh conditions of space, including radiation exposure and temperature extremes.

This research has significant potential for applications in space biology and bioengineering, potentially leading to innovations in radiation protection, preservation techniques, or the development of extremophile-inspired materials. The adaptive capabilities of tardigrades offer a unique biological model for understanding how life might thrive in environments previously considered inhospitable to complex organisms.

Significance For India's Space Ambitions

Through its participation in the Ax-4 mission, ISRO is reinforcing India's expanding role as a key player in international space research and exploration. This mission represents just one component of ISRO's ambitious slate of upcoming projects for 2025, which includes the PSLV-C61 mission carrying the advanced EOS-09 satellite equipped with C-band synthetic aperture radar for high-resolution Earth imaging in all weather conditions.

The knowledge gained from these experiments will strengthen India's capabilities for its future space endeavours, including the Gaganyaan mission and the planned Indian space station. By focusing on experiments with dual-use applications, ISRO is maximizing the return on its investment, ensuring that advances made for space applications can also benefit life on Earth through medical, agricultural, and technological innovations.

Conclusion

The Axiom Mission-4 represents a watershed moment for India's space program, marking its formal integration into elite international space research. Through its diverse and innovative experiments, ISRO is making significant contributions to our understanding of life and technology in microgravity while developing essential capabilities for future long-duration space missions.

By addressing critical challenges such as human-computer interaction, sustainable food production, life support systems, and physiological adaptation to space, ISRO is tackling some of the most pressing obstacles to human expansion beyond Earth. The knowledge gained from these experiments will inform not only India's future space endeavours but also global efforts to establish a sustainable human presence beyond our planet.

As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to make history as the first Indian to visit the ISS in decades, he carries with him the scientific aspirations of a nation increasingly asserting its leadership in space exploration. The AX-4 mission exemplifies how international collaboration can accelerate scientific progress while allowing emerging space powers like India to demonstrate their unique contributions to humanity's greatest adventure—the exploration and eventual settlement of space.

IDN