ISRO's New Bioastronautics Programme Eyes Moon, Space Station Missions

India has taken a significant step towards strengthening its human spaceflight capabilities, with the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) and the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) joining hands to advance research and training in Space Medicine and Bioastronautics . The collaboration is expected to play a crucial role in supporting India's ambitious Gaganyaan mission and future long-duration human space exploration programmes.

The partnership began with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on April 24, 2025 , to undertake joint research in Space Medicine. This was followed by the inauguration of the Centre for Space Medicine Research at SCTIMST by ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan on November 26, 2025 . The collaboration entered a new phase after an Implementing Agreement was signed at ISRO Headquarters in Bengaluru on June 25, 2026 , paving the way for India's first Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme in Bioastronautics .

The two-year fellowship, commencing with the July 2026 academic session , will admit two fellows every year . Candidates with postgraduate medical degrees, super-speciality qualifications and relevant PhDs are eligible. Fellows will receive specialised training and conduct research jointly at SCTIMST and HSFC.

Bioastronautics is an interdisciplinary field that studies how the human body responds to space conditions. It combines medicine, biology, physiology, biomedical engineering, psychology and aerospace science to understand the effects of microgravity, cosmic radiation, isolation and confined environments on astronauts. The research aims to develop technologies such as wearable health-monitoring systems, advanced medical devices, radiation protection, AI-enabled diagnostics, life-support systems and specialised exercise and nutrition protocols to safeguard astronauts during space missions.

The initiative comes as ISRO expands its human spaceflight roadmap beyond Gaganyaan to include the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and a crewed Moon mission by 2040 . Experts say such missions require specialised knowledge in astronaut health, making Bioastronautics as important as rocket engineering.

Speaking on the occasion, V. Narayanan underscored the need for advanced research and capacity building in Space Medicine, while SCTIMST President Kris Gopalakrishnan said the collaboration would accelerate indigenous biomedical innovations for future human space missions.

Beyond space exploration, the research is expected to benefit healthcare on Earth through advances in telemedicine, portable diagnostics, rehabilitation technologies, wearable medical devices and biomedical engineering. Although no separate budget has been announced for the collaboration, it forms part of India's broader human spaceflight programme, which has received investments exceeding ₹21,000 crore , reinforcing the country's long-term vision of becoming a leading human spacefaring nation.