Sat Jan 04 19:15:43 IST 2025: ## Indian Space Agency Achieves Milestone: Cowpea Seeds Germinate in Space
**Bengaluru, India** – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a significant breakthrough in its space exploration efforts. For the first time, life has successfully sprouted on an Indian spacecraft. Cowpea seeds aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C60’s Orbital Experiment Module (POEM), also known as the Bharatiya Space Lab, have germinated in the near-zero gravity environment of space. Leaves are expected to develop shortly.
The experiment, part of the SpaDeX space docking experiment launched on December 30, 2024, is a key step towards India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human space mission and the planned Bharatiya Antariksha Station. ISRO Chairman Dr. S Somanath lauded the success, highlighting the experiment’s crucial role in understanding how life functions in space and validating the environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) on board the Indian orbital module.
The successful germination of cowpea seeds, a maiden attempt for ISRO, was achieved by a 15-member team from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The team chose cowpea due to its rapid germination and growth characteristics. The challenge lay in overcoming the disorientation seedlings experience in microgravity.
Dr. Somanath emphasized the significance of this seemingly simple yet complex achievement, noting that such life-support technology is not readily shared internationally. This success paves the way for advancements in life support systems crucial for long-duration space missions. The POEM module also houses experiments involving gut bacteria and spinach cells, furthering ISRO’s biological research in space.
First Piper 