•ISRO-DBT Agreement: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have inked an agreement to design and conduct experiments, which will then be integrated into BAS.
•Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS): BAS is India’s proposed indigenous space station, projected to be operational between 2028-2035.
•Key Experiments: These will include how weightlessness affects muscle loss, algae as nutrients and for food preservation, algae for jet fuel production, and radiation’s health impact on astronauts.
•Gaganyaan Mission: It is India’s first crewed space mission (2025-2026), with three uncrewed test flights beforehand; some biology experiments may be included in these test flights.
•BIOE3 Policy: Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment (BIOE3) policy of DBT aims to boost bio-manufacturing.
•Space Bio-Manufacturing: It is part of BIOE3 policy with focus on human health research, novel pharmaceuticals, biotherapeutics, regenerative medicine, bio-based waste management, and support for startups.