ISRO and DBT sign agreement for space station biotechnology experiments.

• ISRO and DBT to design and conduct experiments for BAS, India’s proposed indigenous space station.
• Experiments include exploring weightlessness’s impact on space-based muscle loss, suitable algae for food preservation, and potential use of algae for jet fuel.
• The Gaganyaan mission, India’s first crewed space mission, is set to launch in 2025-2026.
• ISRO’s primary plan is for BAS, with potential inclusion of some biology missions in uncrewed test missions.
• The collaboration aligns with the BIOE3 policy by DBT, aiming to stimulate ‘bio-manufacturing’ in India.