Leaves flutter in space: ISRO’s experiment reaches milestone

Context: A batch of cowpea seeds which were taken into orbit by an Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) mission and which recently sprouted has unveiled their
first leaves. The CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies)
payload, developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), is envisioned as
a multi-phase platform to develop and evolve the ISRO’s capabilities for
growing and sustaining flora in extraterrestrial environments. In addition to
that the Indian Space Research Organisation on Monday said the docking of two SpaDeX
satellites, scheduled for January 7, has been postponed to January 9.

Key points

·       Overview: The space
agency sent eight cowpea seeds as part of the Compact Research Module for
Orbital Plant Studies experiment conducted by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
to study plant growth in microgravity conditions.

·       Cowpea: Cowpea (Vigna
unguiculata) is an annual plant within the pea family (Fabaceae). It is also
known as a black-eyed pea, southern pea, etc.

·       Aspects
of the Experiment: Purpose - The main aim of the CROPS
experiment is to study how plants grow in space, especially in microgravity (a
condition where gravity is very weak, like in space). This research is
important for long space missions, like those to the Moon or Mars, where growing
food will be necessary.

Plant Used - Cowpea seeds
were chosen because they grow quickly and can adapt to different conditions,
making them a good choice for space farming.

Environment - The experiment
was conducted in a closed-box environment with active temperature control to
create stable conditions that mimic future space travel.

·       Findings: Seed
Germination - The cowpea seeds began to germinate within 4 days after
launch, showing that plants can grow in space.

Leaves Expected
Soon - According to ISRO, the leaves of the plants should appear soon, meaning
the plants are growing well in space.

·       Scientific
Importance: Microgravity and Plant Growth - In microgravity, plants do not
grow like they do on Earth. They do not have gravity to guide their growth,
which affects things like how they get water and nutrients. Understanding how
plants grow in this condition is very important for space farming.

Space Farming - This research
is critical for future space missions where astronauts will need to grow their
own food. The ability to grow plants in space is essential for long missions to
places like Mars or the Moon.

Automated System
-
The experiment uses a fully automated system, meaning the environment is
controlled and data is collected without human intervention. This is important
for future space stations or missions where humans may not be able to monitor
plants every day.

Temperature
Control and Monitoring - The system closely watches and controls key factors
like temperature, humidity, and soil moisture to keep the plants alive and
growing.

·       Conclusion: ISRO’s
successful experiment of cowpea seed germination in space shows that plants can
grow in microgravity. This is a significant step toward ensuring food security
for astronauts on long missions. The CROPS experiment is part of ISRO’s ongoing
effort to develop the technology to grow plants in space and support life
during future space missions.