India’s ambitious entry into space biology research has hit a new hurdle as delays in the Axiom-4 mission have necessitated the replacement of time-sensitive biological materials required for a series of scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian Air Force officer chosen for the mission, was originally scheduled to launch on May 29.
However, persistent weather disruptions and technical issues with the Falcon-9 rocket have pushed the mission back by over three weeks. NASA has now stated that the mission will lift off “no earlier than June 19.”
Shukla is set to perform seven India-specific experiments during his 14-day stay on the ISS, but at least six of these now require fresh specimens or reagents.
Officials from the Department of Biotechnology confirm the issue, stating that while such challenges are common in space missions, this is a new learning curve for Indian agencies. Many of these biological materials are highly time-sensitive and must be packed in special containers suitable for transport to microgravity environments.
The Department of Biotechnology and ISRO are jointly leading these efforts. Several Indian principal investigators are already in the United States, working to ensure the new materials are ready ahead of the rescheduled launch.
Among Shukla’s tasks in space will be experiments involving tardigrades, also known as water bears—microscopic organisms known for their resilience. The goal is to observe how life adapts to the microgravity conditions of space.
According to ISRO, these efforts are expected to foster a microgravity research ecosystem within India and lay the groundwork for more complex space-based experiments in the future. This mission marks the first time an Indian will participate in high-end research aboard the ISS, a lab that has hosted groundbreaking science for over two decades.
Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasised the strategic importance of this mission. “The next big revolution will be biotechnology-driven,” he said. “Very soon India will have a domain of space biology and space medicine.” Dr. Singh also noted that the Department of Biotechnology has supplied exclusive kits for experiments that have never before been conducted.
Shukla will be examining how microgravity affects muscle cells, investigating muscle degeneration in astronauts, and cultivating specific bacteria and seeds during the mission.
His findings could have far-reaching implications for health, biotechnology, and future long-duration space travel.
ISRO has selected seven innovative microgravity experiments for astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s upcoming space mission, focusing primarily on biological research.
These include a study on the impact of microgravity radiation on edible microalgae, jointly led by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the National Institute of Plant Genome Research; and an experiment to sprout salad seeds in space, coordinated by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, aiming to explore possibilities for fresh food production in orbit.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will examine the survival and gene activity of the hardy Eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus sp. BLR, and will also lead a non-biological experiment analysing human interaction with electronic displays in space—the only one not requiring material replacement.
Meanwhile, the Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine is spearheading research on muscle regeneration under microgravity using metabolic supplements.
Another ICGEB-led study will compare the growth responses of cyanobacteria using urea and nitrate.
Finally, a collaborative experiment by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology and Kerala Agricultural University’s College of Agriculture will assess the growth and yield parameters of seeds in space conditions.
These studies are part of Axiom Space Inc.'s broader research initiative, which includes 60 experiments from 31 countries. While it's unclear how many of these international studies have also been affected by the delay, Axiom has noted that most of the experimental hardware will be carried aboard the Crew Dragon capsule.
This marks the most research-intensive mission Axiom has conducted to date. “This will be the most research-oriented, science-related activity conducted during an Axiom Space mission aboard the ISS,” the company said, emphasizing its global scope and importance.
Shukla will be joined on the mission by Dr. Peggy Whitson, a seasoned former NASA astronaut and the mission’s commander, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.