New Delhi
IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is leading a major experiment to study muscle health in space—vital for astronauts on long missions and people with muscle loss on Earth. Shukla made history as the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Space’s Mission-4. Alongside astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary, he is involved in research on muscle and brain health.
NASA reported that Shukla worked in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox, studying muscle stem cell cultures to understand how to preserve muscle strength in microgravity. Muscle loss is a major challenge in space due to the absence of gravity, and Shukla’s experiment is testing whether supplements can delay or prevent this.
Speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ISS, Shukla explained that these findings may also benefit people on Earth, especially the elderly or those with muscle-wasting conditions. Axiom Space stated that this research could help prevent muscle atrophy in astronauts and offer treatments for age-related muscle loss or long-term immobility on Earth.
Shukla also created educational videos for Indian students, including one on how the digestive system functions in space. He contributed to NASA’s Astronaut Mental Health study by filming daily crew activities.
During the 14-day stay on the ISS, the Ax-4 team will conduct about 60 scientific and commercial experiments in microgravity. These projects represent 31 countries, with India contributing seven research studies through ISRO, highlighting its growing role in global space science.
