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Time of India
4 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Beyond space station: Shukla's on-ground research aims for habitats on Mars
BENGALURU: As Group Captain prepares for his historic flight to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Axiom-4 Mission (Ax-4) on June 8, his days in quarantine are being watched closely. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But what's flown under the radar is that this Indian Air Force pilot turned astronaut has also donned the researcher's hat—co-authoring two scientific papers that aim to push the boundaries of extraterrestrial living. Both studies, conducted while Shukla was at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, tackle two key challenges of future Mars missions : how to build habitats and how to survive the planet's harsh soil chemistry. In one study accessed by TOI, researchers developed a concept for a modular Martian habitat called BHEEM—short for Bhartiya Extraterrestrial Expandable Modular Habitat. This innovative design proposes stackable geometric modules made from triangles, squares and pentagons that can be launched compactly and expanded onsite to house astronauts. Aside from Shukla, this study is authored by Mritunjay Baruah, Amogh Ravindra Jadhav, Bimalendu Mahapatra and Aloke Kumar. Designed with a deep understanding of human-centred needs in space, BHEEM offers a reconfigurable living space that prioritises mission efficiency and astronaut comfort. Each module supports essential tasks—ranging from mission planning and hygiene to exercise and medical care—and is built to withstand the structural stresses of extraterrestrial environments. But building habitats is only half the battle. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now What will they be made of, especially in an environment where every kilogram launched from Earth comes at a premium? That's where the second study steps in. Alongside researchers Swati Dubey, Nitin Gupta, Rashmi Dixit, Punyasloke Bhadury and Aloke Kumar, Shukla investigated how 'Sporosarcina pasteurii', a biocementation-capable bacterium, can be used to make 'Martian bricks' by consolidating Martian soil simulant with a process known as 'Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP)'. The twist? They tested how well this microbe performs in the presence of perchlorates—oxidising salts found in actual Martian soil. The findings — as per a pre-print of the study accessed by TOI — were striking. While perchlorates are typically hostile to life, they induced an unexpected behaviour in the bacteria: the formation of multicellularity-like clusters and the release of protective extracellular matrix. Even more surprisingly, when combined with a natural adhesive like guar gum, the bacteria helped produce bricks with twice the compressive strength in the presence of perchlorates compared to those without them. 'This suggests that with the right additives, Martian soil could be turned into durable construction material using local resources,' the study has found. These two studies—one architectural, the other microbial—highlight a systems-level approach to planetary colonisation. While BHEEM lays the structural blueprint for lunar or Martian habitats , the MICP work provides a sustainable method to build those habitats using Mars' own soil. For Shukla, who is currently in pre-launch quarantine, this dual role as astronaut and scientist underscores the multidisciplinary nature of modern spaceflight. His upcoming mission to the ISS may be a leap for India's human spaceflight programme, but his ground-based research has also been trying to lay the bricks—quite literally—for India's future on Mars.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
IISc, French scientists study droplets in microgravity, to aid bio printing in space
Prof Aloke Kumar & Prof Saptrishi Basu BENGALURU: Two Indian scientists, in collaboration with French scientists , have conducted microgravity experiments that could advance the ability to fabricate materials in space, studying droplet behaviour during the 68th CNES (french space agency) parabolic flight campaign. The findings could potentially contribute to future applications including fabricating organs, space bricks, electronics, diagnostic kits and surface patterning in extraterrestrial environments. Professors Saptarshi Basu and Aloke Kumar from the Indian Institute of Science ( IISc ) along with David Brutin, the principal investigator and RC Remmy from AIX Marseille University participated in the campaign, which involved 10 experiments aboard a ZeroG flight designed to simulate microgravity conditions. 'We embarked on this effort of bio printing in space , which involves a bottom-up approach whereby droplets of desired materials are deposited on substrates in 3D printing mode. This experiment allows insightful science into fundamental issues like wetting of droplets on substrates under zero gravity,' Basu told TOI from France. Prof Saptrishi Basu & Prof Aloke Kumar inside the aircraft ahead of the parabolic flight The team's experimental setup — contained in a compact 7kg box housing cameras, LED light sources, a blower, syringe pump, computer and timing units — was manually deployed during microgravity phases lasting 10-15 seconds. During these brief windows, the researchers injected droplets onto various substrates and recorded their spreading and wetting behaviour using high-speed cameras. According to Basu, the research is 'tailored towards better understanding of the challenges that will ultimately result in bio printing in space towards sustainable habitat.' The campaign involved an aircraft performing 93 parabolic manoeuvres over three days. During each parabola, passengers experienced 22 seconds of microgravity, preceded and followed by 20-second phases of hyper-gravity where they were subjected to approximately 1.8 times Earth's gravity. Gaining approval for such experiments involved a rigorous process. 'The experimental design and plan had to be pre-approved and certified by Novespace and CNES. The proposal was first shared and presented before a technical panel at least one year in advance of the proposed flight date,' Basu explained. After initial approval, researchers conducted ground-based experiments before packaging their setup in a compact, automated fashion weighing no more than 10kg. All aspects of the experiment — operating conditions, instruments, power requirements and fluids used — underwent multiple rounds of vetting by Novespace (a subsidiary of CNES), with safety protocols being particularly stringent. Basu described the experience as a 'wild adventure of hyper and microgravity' that yielded 'new physical insights into droplet physics under zeroG.' He stressed that from both technical and scientific perspectives, their experiment allows a paradigm shift in human knowledge and technology advances.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
ISRO's second SpaDeX docking receives 'vote of confidence' for critical tech
Live Events The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) second docking under the SpaDeX Mission of Chaser and Target has given a vote of confidence for India's growing space ecosystem, including startups, private industry, and research called the second success a 'milestone,' which will help further refine docking and undocking technologies critical for future missions, including Gaganyaan, lunar sample return, and the establishment of the Bhartiya Antriksh Station (BAS), India's ambitious space to space experts, the achievement signals maturity in critical technologies required for advanced missions.'The ability to dock and undock enables a modular approach to building complex space structures like a space station,' said Aloke Kumar, associate professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), who is also developing space bricks from lunar soil added that mastering docking technology is just one part of the puzzle. The other critical technology India must develop is advanced Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) to ensure human safety in orbit. These systems regulate oxygen levels, pressure, waste, fire suppression, and Aerospace, a Chennai-based startup working on satellite refuelling, said the success of SpaDeX boosts confidence in on-orbit servicing (OOS). The founder, Sakthikumar R, said that by repeating the experiment, ISRO is aiming to perfect the technique.'That's how you scale to larger modules and eventually to human spaceflight missions.' Sakthikumar highlighted that docking needs deep knowledge of guidance, navigation, and control systems for such said it had quite a few learnings from the first docking attempt on January 16. In this second experiment, the docking was performed fully autonomously from an inter-satellite distance of 15 meters, while the first involved a manual pause at 3 meters before final docking, it minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh on Monday said more experiments are scheduled over the next two weeks. Experts believe these could include repeatedly maintaining a structural lock, ensuring that the docked satellites can function as a single stable unit in orbit, a key requirement for in-space space agency on Monday announced the second docking of two satellites -- Chaser and Target -- under its SpaDeX demonstrated the docking for the second time on April 20, 2025, at 08:20 pm. "Subsequently, power transfer from SDX 02 to SDX 01 satellite as well as vice versa was also exercised and accomplished on 21st April, 2025,' the space agency said in a SpaDex mission was launched on December 30, 2024, onboard PSLV C60.
