In a historic achievement, 20 fruit flies developed by UAS-Dharwad have been selected for Mission Gaganyaan 2025—India’s ambitious human spaceflight mission.
Why Fruit Flies?
- These tiny creatures hold 77% gene similarity to humans, making them an invaluable model for scientific research.
- Their participation in Gaganyaan is a giant leap for astronaut health!
Key Challenge Addressed:
- One of the critical challenges of long-duration space travel is the increased risk of kidney stone formation due to factors like:
- Bone loss
- Urine acidity
- Dehydration
Scientific Goal:
- By studying how kidney stones develop in space using fruit flies, scientists can unlock groundbreaking insights into astronaut health and develop lifesaving countermeasures.
Collaborative Effort:
- This experiment, a collaboration between UAS-Dharwad and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, was chosen after rigorous competition among 75 agricultural science universities across India.
Future Implications:
- The findings could also pave the way for future space missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
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