ISRO-DBT ink deal to conduct biotechnology experiments in space station

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have inked an agreement to design and conduct experiments, which will then be integrated into the forthcoming Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s proposed indigenous space station.

The BAS is expected to take shape from 2028-2035.

Some of the experiments being mooted include how weightlessness can influence muscle loss on those in space, what kind of algae may be suitable as nutrients or to preserve food for longer, how some algae may be processed to make jet fuel and the impact of radiation on the health of those aboard space stations.

Before the BAS, the major mission on ISRO’s plate is the Gaganyaan mission, which will be India’s first crewed mission to space that is expected to launch in 2025-2026. Prior to that there will be three, uncrewed test missions. Some of the biology missions could be included in these test missions.

“In some of the test flights (uncrewed) prior to the main Gaganyaan mission, we may consider including some of these experiments. Which ones specifically, we are yet to decide,” S. Somanath, Chairman, ISRO, told The Hindu. “Based on what we learn, we could consider some experiments in Gaganyaan. However, the primary plan is for the BAS.”

The International Space Station (ISS), which is a collaborative venture involving the United States, Canada, Russia, Japan, has been operational, in its complete form, since 1998. But with changing geo-politics and costs, the ISS is expected to be decommissioned by 2030. Some countries are moving to build their own space stations. China launched the base module of its station, Tiangong, in 2021 and has complete the tri-modular station as of November 2022. The station hosts regular crewed missions.

The ISRO-DBT collaboration stems from another initiative this year called the BIOE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) policy by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) that aims to stimulate ‘bio-manufacturing’ in India. The bio-economy, officials in the DBT said, would be worth $300 billion by 2030.

“The space bio-manufacturing sector is part of this. This agreement will spur innovation and developments in human health research, novel pharmaceuticals, biotherapeutics, regenerative medicine, bio-based technologies for waste management as well as support multiple start-ups,” said Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, DBT.