Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Cowpea seeds germinated aboard ISRO’s Bharatiya Space Lab, marking India’s first successful plant growth in space.
The seeds were part of ISRO’s POEM experiment onboard the PSLV-C60, launched on December 30, 2024.
ISRO Chairman Dr. S Somanath linked the experiment to upcoming human missions like Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station.
Microgravity posed hurdles as seedlings lose orientation, but ISRO’s experiment proved plants could adapt.
Cowpea seeds were chosen for their ability to germinate and sprout leaves in under a week.
This small success could provide critical insights for life support systems on future Indian space stations.
The experiment was conducted using the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS).
POEM is also testing the growth of gut bacteria and spinach cells in microgravity for future biological research.
This breakthrough puts India among global leaders exploring life sustainability beyond Earth.