Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla turns farmer, still in space as Axiom-4 return delayed, expected back after...

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has become a farmer in the final leg of his space journey. Shukla and his fellow Axiom-4 astronauts have spent nearly two weeks aboard the orbital lab and are expected to return to Earth any day after July 14. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has become a farmer in the final leg of his space journey.

What Shubhanshu Shukla said

"I am very proud that ISRO has been able to collaborate with national institutes across the country and do some fantastic research that I am looking forward to doing on the station for all the scientists and researchers. It is exciting and enjoyable to do this," Shukla said in an interaction with Axiom Space Chief Scientist Lucy Low on Wednesday.

The sprouting experiment is being led by two scientists - Ravikumar Hosamani of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, and Sudhir Siddapureddy of the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad.

Turns farmer

Once back on Earth, the seeds will be grown for multiple generations to investigate the changes that occur in their genetics, microbial ecosystem and nutritional profile, said a statement from Axiom Space.

Another experiment

In another experiment, Shukla deployed and stored microalgae, whose ability to produce food, oxygen and even biofuel is being investigated. Their resilience and versatility make them ideal for human life on long-duration missions.

"From researching stem cells to looking at the effect of microgravity on seeds and evaluating the cognitive load on astronauts while interacting with screens on the station, it has all been amazing. I am proud to be such a bridge between researchers and the station and conduct research on their behalf," Shukla said.

He added, "One particular research I'm really excited about is stem cell research, where scientists are trying to figure out if it's possible to speed up recovery, growth or injury repair by adding supplements to stem cells. It's been great working in the glove box doing this research for them. I'm really excited to do it."

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