FLORIDA [US], July 1 (ANI): Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut representing the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), conducted a series of high-impact scientific experiments on Monday focused on muscle regeneration, digestive adaptation in space, and astronaut mental well-being.
According to NASA, Shukla worked in the Kibo laboratory’s Life Sciences Glovebox to study how muscle stem cells behave in microgravity. He also filmed an educational video for Indian school students, explaining how the human digestive system functions in space.
“Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla filmed a video targeted to young Indian students discussing how the digestion system adapts to space,” NASA reported. “Next, Shukla worked in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox checking muscle stem cell cultures to learn how to maintain muscle health in space.”
The Life Sciences Glovebox is a sterile, enclosed environment aboard the ISS used for handling biological samples in microgravity. ISRO’s ongoing experiment, Myogenesis, examines how muscle stem cells regenerate in space, with particular focus on the role of mitochondria—the cell’s energy producers—whose functions are often disrupted in zero gravity. The study is also testing metabolic supplements that may enhance muscle repair in space.
“Results could lead to interventions that maintain muscle health during long-term space missions and help people on Earth with muscle-related challenges such as age-related muscle loss and muscle-wasting diseases,” NASA explained.
Other members of the Ax-4 crew also advanced scientific research. Mission Commander Peggy Whitson performed vein scans on Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu using the Ultrasound 2 device to study how spaceflight affects blood pressure, balance, and vision. Meanwhile, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski tested a brain-computer interface using a headset developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). He later joined Whitson and Shukla in recording footage for a mental health research study.
NASA highlighted the PhotonGrav investigation—short for Thoughts over Gravity—which tests whether near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can effectively track neural activity in microgravity. This technology could one day enable astronauts to control spacecraft systems through thought-based commands and may also benefit patients on Earth with speech or mobility impairments.
Earlier, on flight day five, Shukla focused on the space microalgae experiment, deploying and imaging algae sample bags. These organisms are being evaluated as a potential nutrient-rich, sustainable food source for future space missions.
Alongside the Ax-4 mission, the ISS’s regular Expedition 73 crew continued their schedule of health-focused experiments. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers conducted muscle stimulation tests and cognitive performance evaluations. McClain also contributed to brain function studies, while Ayers and astronaut Jonny Kim processed blood samples—including those from Ax-4 crew members—for ESA’s Bone on ISS study.
Japanese astronaut and JAXA Commander Takuya Onishi completed air quality checks and collected blood and urine samples for long-term health tracking. Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy prepared for the arrival of the Progress 92 cargo spacecraft while loading the Progress 90 with waste. Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov underwent 24-hour cardiovascular monitoring and prepped the European robotic arm for future operations.
Summarizing the week’s achievements, NASA stated, “The seven-member Expedition 73 crew wrapped up a weekend of housecleaning and relaxation, then kicked off Monday with muscle and brain research aboard the International Space Station. Their Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) counterparts worked throughout the weekend and began the week taking a closer look at muscle cells and exploring brain-computer interfaces.”
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history on June 26 by becoming the first Indian to board the International Space Station. The Ax-4 crew includes former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, and ESA astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
Axiom Mission 4 was launched on June 25 at noon IST aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 p.m. IST, ahead of schedule, 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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