Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:54pm on 30 Jan 2026,Friday Science
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's first ISS astronaut, has published his debut peer-reviewed research paper in US-based journal PLOS One. The study, conducted at IISc Bengaluru's Mechanical Engineering Department where he pursues his Master's degree, explores using bacteria for Martian construction despite toxic perchlorate soil. The research addresses future Mars colonization challenges, investigating whether microbes can survive perchlorate-rich regolith to enable "living construction" without transporting Earth materials. Shukla's advisor, IISc Professor Aloke Kumar, guided the work. During his 20-day Axiom-4 ISS mission, Shukla performed seven basic experiments. This publication in a prestigious open-access journal marks a significant achievement, potentially informing more sophisticated microgravity experiments for India's Gaganyaan program. (PC: X)
