FLORIDA, July 1 (ANI): Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), conducted a crucial biomedical experiment on flight day 6 of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), exploring the effects of microgravity on muscle loss.
Working inside the Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG), Group Captain Shukla led operations for the ongoing myogenesis study, aimed at identifying the molecular pathways responsible for skeletal muscle dysfunction in space. According to a mission blog by Axiom Space, the findings from this research may lead to targeted therapies that help prevent muscle atrophy during extended space missions and could also support the development of treatments for muscle-wasting conditions on Earth, including those associated with aging and immobility.
“Shux performed operations in the Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) for the myogenesis study, which could uncover how microgravity contributes to muscle loss,” the blog stated. “These insights may also translate to improved treatments for muscle-wasting conditions on Earth.”
Alongside Group Captain Shukla, the Ax-4 crew—Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)—continued their full schedule of scientific research aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Commander Whitson advanced work on the Cancer in Lymphoma Epidemiology of Outcomes (LEO) study, capturing images of tumor organoids in microgravity. The research, conducted in partnership with the Sanford Stem Cell Institute, is helping to propel development of Rebecsinib—a promising cancer drug that has shown superior performance in space-based tests and is now entering clinical trials under the FDA’s Investigational New Drug (IND) status.
Meanwhile, Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu monitored radiation levels aboard the ISS using the Rad Nano Dosimeter. The data will contribute to improved crew protection strategies for future space exploration and advance radiation detection technologies on Earth. Kapu also participated in the VITAPRIC experiment, which examines how selenium levels affect the nutrient composition of microgreens grown in microgravity—an important study for future space-based agriculture.
The Ax-4 crew also continued the Telemetric Health AI study, using biometric data and ultrasound scans to monitor cardiovascular and balance system responses in microgravity. This AI-driven approach could significantly enhance space medicine and expand access to remote healthcare on Earth.
A standout innovation aboard the mission is the PhotonGrav brain-computer interface project, where astronauts wore specialized headsets to measure cerebral blood flow and indirectly monitor neural activity. The study explores the use of thought-based control systems for spacecraft operations and may lead to breakthroughs in neurorehabilitation technologies for people with mobility or speech impairments.
Earlier, on flight day 5, Group Captain Shukla conducted the space microalgae experiment, deploying sample bags and capturing images of algae strains. These tiny organisms are seen as potential sustainable, nutrient-rich food sources for future long-duration missions.
Group Captain Shukla made history on June 26 by becoming the first Indian astronaut to board the ISS and the second Indian in space. The Ax-4 crew includes former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, and European Space Agency astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu.
The Axiom Mission 4 launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25 at noon IST. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 p.m. IST, connecting to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. The mission is expected to last up to 14 days. (ANI)
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