‘A first for India’: Bharatiya Space Lab grows plants in zero gravity
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Life sprouts
Cowpea seeds germinated aboard ISRO’s Bharatiya Space Lab, marking India’s first successful plant growth in space.
Space lab
The seeds were part of ISRO’s POEM experiment onboard the PSLV-C60, launched on December 30, 2024.
Future plans
ISRO Chairman Dr. S Somanath linked the experiment to upcoming human missions like Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station.
Growing challenge
Microgravity posed hurdles as seedlings lose orientation, but ISRO’s experiment proved plants could adapt.
Fast growth
Cowpea seeds were chosen for their ability to germinate and sprout leaves in under a week.
Space station
This small success could provide critical insights for life support systems on future Indian space stations.
CROPS tech
The experiment was conducted using the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS).
Broader study
POEM is also testing the growth of gut bacteria and spinach cells in microgravity for future biological research.
Indian milestone
This breakthrough puts India among global leaders exploring life sustainability beyond Earth.