Axiom-4: Bengaluru 'water bears' serve their purpose in space

Time of India

2 days ago

Pics credit: Axiom Space
He may have witnessed more than a hundred sunrises and sunsets from orbit, but for Indian astronaut
Shubhanshu Shukla
, the first eight days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been a whirlwind of scientific discovery.
While six of the seven Isro-led experiments are underway, tardigrades or 'water bears' that travelled all the way from Bengaluru to the orbital lab some 400 km from Earth, have served their purpose in space.
Shux, who kicked off his scientific experiments with Myogenesis — to investigate the biological pathways behind skeletal muscle degradation in microgravity inside the Life Sciences Glovebox, marked his first week in orbit by completing the study on tardigrades or 'water bears'.
'Shukla has successfully completed the microgravity experiment involving Tardigrades onboard the ISS,' Isro confirmed. The next step would be for the principal investigators to analyse the data obtained from experiments conducted by Shux.
The study focused on tardigrades' survival, revival, and reproductive behaviour in space. It will provide valuable insights into the underlying biological mechanisms leading to resilience of extremophile organisms in microgravity environments and has potential applications on Earth especially in the area of therapeutics,' Isro confirmed.
Bengaluru 'Water Bears'
The water bears at ISS were studied in the Voyager Tardigrades experiment designed by researchers from the
Indian Institute of Science
(IISc).
Biochemist Sandeep Eswarappa and team at IISc, who spent over five years studying tardigrades, resilient microscopic organisms that have survived five mass extinctions, discovered a Paramacrobiotus species with an astonishing defence: When exposed to lethal ultraviolet radiation, this species absorbs the harmful rays and emits harmless blue fluorescence instead.
That was the first direct experimental evidence of photoprotective fluorescence in any organism. And, it is this 'Bengaluru strain' of the tardigrade that has flown to the ISS with Shux.
Other experiments
Shux's first eight days in orbit as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission have been defined not just by spectacle, but also a series of intricate biological investigations that could transform both future space missions and life on Earth.
The Myogenesis study, on the other hand, is progressing with planned interventions and recording of observations as per the experiment protocol. In parallel, other Indian experiments for studying selected strains of microalgae and cyanobacteria under space conditions are ongoing, contributing to research on regenerative life support systems and crew nutrition.
'As part of the Electronic Displays human research study, Shux carried out daily software-based cognitive and interface assessments.
The study aims to optimise crew interaction with digital systems in the unique environment of space,' Isro added.
A day before the well-deserved 'rest day' upon completing half his stay at the ISS, he had begun documenting the progress of the Cyanobacteria Growth Experiment, another Isro-led study analysing how photosynthetic bacteria behave in space. These tiny organisms could one day form the backbone of life support systems on long-duration missions, recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen and aiding water regeneration.
Shux also helped deploy and manage samples for the Space Microalgae investigation — another study with enormous potential. Microalgae, already valued on Earth for their rapid growth and nutritional content, are being cultivated in orbit to observe how microgravity influences their metabolism, genetic activity, and biomass yield. These hardy organisms may serve as future spacefarers' food, fuel, or even pharmaceutical source.