- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have signed an agreement to design and conduct biological experiments for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).
- It will be India’s indigenous space station expected to operate between 2028-2035.
- Planned experiments will explore-
- Impact of weightlessness on muscle loss
- Algae’s potential as food and fuel
- Radiation effects on human health aboard space stations.
- Some biological experiments may be included in uncrewed test flights for Gaganyaan, India’s first crewed space mission, scheduled for 2025-2026, with further studies intended for BAS.
- The ISRO-DBT collaboration aligns with the DBT’s BIOE3 policy.
- This partnership is expected to drive innovation in space-related biotechnology and contribute significantly to India’s bio-manufacturing sector.
Dig Deeper: Read more about the BIOE3 Policy.
