Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has achieved a remarkable milestone with its Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS) aboard the PSLV-C60 mission. The cowpea seeds sent into space have successfully sprouted their first leaves, marking a significant advancement in understanding plant growth in microgravity conditions.
Life Sprouts In Space | ISRO’s Cowpea Seeds Sprout Leaves
Why In News
- Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has achieved a remarkable milestone with its Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS) aboard the PSLV-C60 mission. The cowpea seeds sent into space have successfully sprouted their first leaves, marking a significant advancement in understanding plant growth in microgravity conditions.
All You Need To Know
- The experiment, ISRO’s first biological experiment in space, was part of CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies), an automated platform designed to cultivate and sustain plant life in microgravity environment of space.
- Developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, it involves growing eight cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds within a controlled environment equipped with active thermal management onboard ISRO’s POEM-4 module.
- Of the eight seedlings, at least three sprouted leaves. “This accomplishment not only demonstrates ISRO’s capability to grow plants in space, but also provides valuable insights for future long-duration missions,” ISRO said on X.
- Launched on December 30, 2024, as part of the PSLV-C60 mission, the CROPS experiment is designed to study how plants adapt and grow in the unique environment of space Cowpea seeds sent on the PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM), or the Bharatiya Space Lab, have germinated in the near zero-gravity and enclosed surroundings of space – and leaves are also expected to grow soon.
- This experiment was part of the SpaDeX or space docking experiment launched on December 30, 2024, using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
- In a post on X, the ISRO handle wrote, “Life sprouts in space! VSSC’s CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies) experiment onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 successfully sprouted cowpea seeds in 4 days. Leaves expected soon.”
- ISRO Chairman Dr S Somanath told that the successful experiment could play a key role in the human space mission (Gaganyaan) and the plan to build an Indian space station (Bharatiya Antariksha Station).
- The successful sprouting of leaves is a promising indicator of the experiment’s potential to provide insights into plant biology in space.
- The CROPS experiment is crucial for future long-duration space missions, particularly as humanity aims for deeper space exploration, including missions to Mars and beyond.
- Understanding how plants grow and thrive in microgravity could help develop sustainable life support systems for astronauts during extended missions.
- Isro’s POEM-4 module is hosting a total of 24 payloads, including various experiments from both Isro and academic institutions. This mission not only showcases India’s growing capabilities in space research but also highlights the importance of collaboration between government and private entities in advancing scientific knowledge.
- The successful germination of cowpea seeds adds to a growing body of research focused on astrobotany—the study of plant growth in extraterrestrial environments.
- As scientists analyse the data collected from this experiment, it will pave the way for future studies aimed at ensuring food security for astronauts on long-term missions.
Conclusion
- “The success of the CROPS experiment marks a promising step towards sustainable human presence in space,” ISRO said.
- The cowpea experiment wasn’t the only one carried on board POEM during the recent launch. Experiments to study plant cells in microgravity, by Amity University, and the growth curve of gut bacteria in space, by Bengaluru’s R V College of Engineering, were also carried out.
