India’s first astronaut to step aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is carrying out a farming experiment that could help feed astronauts on future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Shubhanshu Shukla, a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, will attempt to grow mung beans and fenugreek, two edible plants, in microgravity, as part of Axiom Space’s fourth private mission to the orbiting laboratory.
The experiments are being carried out in partnership with India’s space agency, ISRO, which is participating in the mission to help prepare for long-duration crewed flights in the future. It also marks progress for India’s plans for human space flight, as it hopes to set up its own space station later this decade.
“Space farming will be a game-changer for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars because astronauts simply cannot pack months or years' worth of food in a rocket. The weight and cost would be prohibitive,” Dr Dimitra Atri, principal investigator at New York University Abu Dhabi’s Space Exploration Laboratory, told The National.
The research aboard Axiom-4, which launched on June 25 from Florida and docked with the ISS a day later, focuses on understanding how these plants germinate and grow in a zero-gravity environment.
According to Axiom, fenugreek and mung beans were selected for their rapid growth, high nutritional value and ability to adapt to confined conditions. The mung bean seeds were pre-soaked to allow for faster germination, a technique often used in terrestrial agriculture.
“Growing fresh vegetables in space solves this logistical challenge while simultaneously producing oxygen and purifying the air, effectively transforming plants into a comprehensive life support system,” said Dr Atri. “Additionally, tending to something green and living helps maintain astronauts' psychological well-being during extended stays on the lunar surface or the long, isolated journey to Mars.”
Mr Shukla has also been working on a space microalgae experiment, growing sample bags and capturing images of the algae strains. These microscopic organisms could serve as a sustainable, nutrient-rich food source for future deep space missions, according to Axiom Space.
Space farming milestones
Researchers have been increasingly focusing on farming efforts in space in the past decade, so astronauts can one day produce their own food.
In 2015, Nasa astronauts successfully grew red romaine lettuce on the ISS, which was the first time food had been grown, harvested and eaten in space. The lettuce was cultivated using the Veggie Growth Chamber, a portable greenhouse equipped with LED lighting and water pillows.
Astronauts harvested radishes aboard the ISS in 2021 in an experiment led by Nasa’s Plant Habitat-02 project. The goal was to study how edible root vegetables, like radishes, develop in space and whether they can be cultivated consistently.
Experiments like these have helped scientists develop better growth chambers, study how plant genes behave or respond in space conditions and understand how different crops absorb nutrients without soil.
Apart from space farming, Mr Shukla is carrying out experiments on muscle loss in microgravity and the behaviour of tardigrades, which are tiny, resilient organisms known for surviving extreme environments. He is also taking part in cognitive performance studies that monitor how astronauts adapt mentally and physically during space flight.
Moment of pride for India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video call with Mr Shukla aboard the ISS on Saturday, during which he said the mission was a historic moment for the country. “Today, you are farthest from your motherland, but you are closest to the hearts of 140 crore [1.4 billion] Indians,” Mr Modi told him.
Mr Shukla spoke about the challenges of adapting to space, including how basic tasks can be difficult. “Sleeping is a big challenge … I had to tie my feet down to stay in place,” he said.
He also described how Earth appears from orbit, saying: “From space, one cannot see borders … India appears truly grand, very big … much bigger than on a map.”
The astronaut brought a taste of India to orbit by offering his crewmates traditional dishes such as carrot halwa (carrot pudding), moong dal halwa (desert with lentils, ghee and milk) and mango juice. “My fellow astronauts enjoyed the food,” he said.
India’s growing space ambitions
India has been increasing investment in space exploration efforts, with plans to join the ranks of long-term human spacefaring nations. ISRO is preparing for its first crewed mission under the Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit aboard a domestically built spacecraft.
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Fixtures
50-over match
UAE v Lancashire, starts at 10am
Champion County match
MCC v Surrey, four-day match, starting on Sunday, March 24, play starts at 10am
Both matches are at ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City. Admission is free.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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LIGUE 1 FIXTURES
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Understand What Black Is
The Last Poets
(Studio Rockers)
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
