A partnership aimed at strengthening India’s human spaceflight program while advancing healthcare innovations for space and everyday life
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, and the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), Department of Science & Technology (DST), have signed a Framework Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the field of Space Medicine. This partnership marks an important step towards advancing research and technology that will support India’s human spaceflight missions and improve healthcare both in space and on Earth.
The MoU supports ISRO’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program by enabling joint efforts in studying how space affects human health, including physiological and behavioral changes, radiation effects, biomedical support systems, telemedicine, and the development of medical devices and kits for astronauts. This collaboration will also promote research opportunities in space medicine and help develop new technologies that can benefit national priorities.
Dr. V Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, said, “Keeping astronauts healthy and safe in space is key to the success of long missions like Gaganyaan. The Bharatiya Antariksh Station will provide a unique platform to study human health in space and develop new technologies. This partnership will also inspire young people to pursue careers in science and technology, helping India lead in space research and innovation.”
Dr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, President of SCTIMST, expressed hope that the collaboration would strengthen ties between academia and industry to develop new medical devices.
Dr. Sunil Kumar, Additional Secretary and Head of the AI Division at DST, added, “Research in Space Medicine will help us better understand how the human body adapts to space and lead to new medical tools that can improve healthcare on Earth.”
Dr. Sanjay Behari, Director of SCTIMST, said, “We look forward to working with ISRO to build specialized labs and develop biomedical devices for space missions. These innovations will also improve healthcare technologies for people on Earth.”
The MoU was signed by Dr. Sanjay Behari, Director of SCTIMST, and Shri Ganesh Pillai, Scientific Secretary of ISRO, in the presence of senior officials from ISRO, SCTIMST, and DST. The signing ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Dr. V Narayanan (Chairman, ISRO), Shri Kris Gopalakrishnan (President, SCTIMST), Shri Sunil Kumar (Additional Secretary, DST), Prof. Manikandan (Deputy Director, SCTIMST), and directors from various ISRO centers.
This partnership will accelerate India’s capabilities in space medicine, supporting the national human spaceflight program and promoting innovations that benefit both space exploration and healthcare on Earth.
