New Delhi: IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has undertaken a key experiment to decode muscle health in space — crucial for astronauts undertaking long space missions as well as for people with muscle loss on Earth.
Shukla last week scripted history by becoming the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), aboard Axiom Space’s mission-4
He, along with three others from the US, Poland, and Hungary and seven members of the Expedition 73, led the muscle and brain research.
“Shukla worked in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox checking muscle stem cell cultures to learn how to maintain muscle health in space,” NASA said in a blog post.
Studying muscle degradation in microgravity — a key issue that has long challenged space medicine — could unlock new therapeutic strategies.
“What happens on going to space is that because gravity is absent, the load goes away, and hence, muscle loss occurs. So, my experiment is looking at whether we can stop or delay this muscle loss by giving some supplement,” Shukla said, during an interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the orbital lab.
“It has a direct implication on Earth, too, that these supplements can be used on people who suffer muscle loss due to old age. So, I think it can definitely be used there,” the IAF Group Captain added.
Axiom Space, in its mission statement, noted that “the findings can prevent muscle atrophy in astronauts during long space missions”.
On Earth, it can lead to “treatments for muscle-related diseases and conditions related to ageing or prolonged immobility,” the private American said.
Meanwhile, Shukla filmed a video targeted at young Indian students discussing how the digestive system adapts to space. He also filmed the crew activities for the Astronaut Mental Health study, NASA said.
During the 14-day stay at the ISS, the Ax-4 crew will conduct around 60 scientific studies and commercial activities in microgravity, representing 31 countries, including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe.
India, through ISRO, has contributed seven carefully selected studies to the mission.
