{"id":44419,"date":"2025-01-07T02:23:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-06T20:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=44419"},"modified":"2025-05-06T11:12:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T05:42:35","slug":"isros-breakthrough-in-space-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/isros-breakthrough-in-space-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"ISRO&#8217;s Breakthrough in Space Agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What\u2019s in Today\u2019s Article?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Key Highlights of the ISRO\u2019s CROPS Mission<\/li>\n<li>What is the POEM-4 Platform?<\/li>\n<li>What is the SpaDeX Mission?<\/li>\n<li>Conclusion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Why in News?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in space agriculture with its Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (<strong>CROPS<\/strong>) aboard the PSLV-C60 mission.<\/li>\n<li>The successful germination of cowpea seeds in space marks <strong>a major step in understanding plant biology in microgravity conditions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Key Highlights of the ISRO\u2019s CROPS Mission:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>About: <\/strong>The CROPS payload, developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (<strong>VSSC<\/strong>), is envisioned as a multi-phase platform to develop and evolve ISRO\u2019s capabilities for growing and sustaining flora in extra-terrestrial environments.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Successful germination in space:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Launch details:<\/strong> The CROPS experiment was launched on December 30, 2024, aboard ISRO&#8217;s PSLV-C60 mission.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Experiment setup:<\/strong> Cowpea seeds were housed in the <strong>POEM-4 platform<\/strong>, which repurposes the PSLV rocket\u2019s fourth stage for scientific research.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Results:<\/strong> Within four days of launch, eight cowpea seeds sprouted their first leaves, demonstrating plant growth potential in space.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Significance of the CROPS experiment:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Understanding microgravity effects:<\/strong> The experiment provides crucial insights into how plants adapt and grow in the unique environment of space.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Supporting deep space exploration:<\/strong> Insights from the CROPS experiment are essential for long-duration missions, such as those to Mars, by helping develop sustainable life support systems.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Contributions to astrobotany:<\/strong> The successful sprouting of seeds enhances global research on growing food in extraterrestrial environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Broader implications: <\/strong>(POEM-4 and collaborative research)\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Payload diversity:<\/strong> The POEM-4 module carries 24 payloads, including experiments from ISRO and academic institutions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Public-private collaboration: <\/strong>The mission underscores the importance of cooperation between government and private entities to advance space science.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Future applications:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ensuring food security in space:<\/strong> The data from this experiment could pave the way for sustainable agricultural systems in space, ensuring food availability for astronauts on extended missions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deep space mission readiness:<\/strong> Research like CROPS is instrumental for humanity\u2019s ambitious goals of Mars colonization and beyond.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What is the POEM-4 Platform?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>About:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Also known as PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM)-4, it is a space research platform that uses the spent fourth stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) to <strong>conduct experiments in microgravity.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>It is part of the <strong>ISRO SpaDeX Mission<\/strong>, and is the fourth deployment of the POEM platform. It has <strong>a capacity that is three times greater than the previous POEM-3 platform<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Other facts:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Experiments: <\/strong>Includes experiments on robotics, sensors, space science, and proof-of-concept technologies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Benefits: <\/strong>Helps validate technologies for future missions, and provides data for space medicine and Earth applications.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Payloads:<\/strong> 24 payloads from ISRO, start-ups, and educational institutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Some of the payloads on the POEM-4 platform include:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Walking Robotic Arm (RRM-TD): <\/strong>A robotic manipulator that can move in an inchworm-like motion for inspection and servicing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Debris Capture Robotic Manipulator: <\/strong>A VSSC innovation that can capture and manipulate debris to help with space clean-up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gradient Control Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA): <\/strong>An IISU payload that uses reaction wheels to improve the POEM platform&#8217;s attitude stabilization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What is the SpaDeX Mission?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>SpaDeX mission is <strong>a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking<\/strong> using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV.<\/li>\n<li>This technology is essential for India\u2019s space ambitions such as Indian on Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), etc.<\/li>\n<li>In-space docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives.<\/li>\n<li>Through this mission, India is marching towards becoming the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>ISRO\u2019s CROPS experiment represents <strong>a significant leap in space research<\/strong>, demonstrating India&#8217;s capability in astrobotany and its commitment to addressing the challenges of long-term space exploration.<\/li>\n<li>The successful germination of cowpea seeds aboard the PSLV-C60 mission sets the stage for further advancements in <strong>sustainable space agriculture and deep-space missions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q.1. What are the effects of microgravity in space?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Microgravity refers to the condition where gravity seems to be very small. In microgravity, astronauts can float in their spacecraft \u2013 or outside, on a spacewalk.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Q.2. What is the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS)?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The BAS is India&#8217;s first modular space station, which will be operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The station will be used for scientific research, including life sciences, medicine, and space technology.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/cowpea-sprouts-unveil-first-leaves-in-space-isro-shares-images\/article69067636.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/bengaluru\/isro-marks-milestone-as-first-leaves-sprout-in-space\/articleshow\/116993356.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ToI<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.isro.gov.in\/mission_SpaDeX.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ISRO<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ISRO has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in space agriculture with its Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS) aboard the PSLV-C60 mission<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":44420,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-44419","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44419\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}