Nice [France], June 4 : Union Minister of Earth Sciences (I/C), Dr. Jitendra Singh, will lead the Indian delegation to the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, beginning June 8. The delegation also includes the Secretary of Earth Sciences and noted ocean expert Dr. M. Ravichandran.
During the visit, Norway's Minister of International Development, Asmund Grover Aukrust, will host a side event at Monaco harbour, with Crown Prince Haakon as the Guest of Honour. The conference aims to address global ocean challenges and promote sustainable ocean management.
Meanwhile, in a significant development related to space research, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced that Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the upcoming Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). This mission is a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and NASA.
The experiments will pioneer space nutrition and develop self-sustaining life support systems essential for long-duration space travel. The first experiment will study the effects of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae, focusing on growth parameters and molecular changes compared to Earth conditions. Microalgae are considered ideal for space nutrition due to their rapid growth, high-protein biomass, carbon dioxide absorption, and oxygen release.
The second experiment will investigate the growth and proteomic response of cyanobacteria, including Spirulina and Synechococcus, under microgravity. It will assess the potential of Spirulina as a space "superfood," explore nitrogen sources from human waste for growth media, and study cellular metabolism changes in space. These findings are critical for creating closed-loop life support systems for future missions.
These space biology experiments will use indigenously developed biotechnology kits tailored for microgravity, designed and validated by Indian scientists, highlighting India's growing self-reliance in space technology and biotechnology.
Dr. Singh noted that the Axiom-4 mission team includes Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland/ESA), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary/ESA), with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla serving as Mission Pilot.
To further strengthen space biotech research, ISRO and DBT have formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) involving institutions like the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and BRIC-inStem. The group is exploring new experiment opportunities and announced plans to accelerate developments in space biomanufacturing, bio-regenerative systems, and extra-terrestrial biomanufacturing for long-term missions.
Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that these initiatives mark India's transition from launch services to a leadership role in space exploration, sustainability, and science. The success of these experiments could revolutionize human nutrition and bio-recycling in space habitats, underscoring India's growing influence in the global space sector.
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