The cowpea seeds are housed in a closed-box system with active thermal control, where passive measurements — such as camera imaging, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, temperature, relative humidity, and soil moisture — are being monitored.

The space agency sent eight cowpea seeds as part of the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS) experiment conducted by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) to study plant growth in microgravity conditions.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has reached a major milestone by successfully germinating cowpea seeds in microgravity in just four days. The experiment was conducted as part of the PSLV-C60 POEM-4 mission with the help of the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS).

ISRO conducts CROPS experiment to study plant growth in space, alongside India's first space robotic arm demonstration.

ISRO on Saturday said the cowpea seeds it had sent to space onboard the PSLV-C60 POEM-4 platform have germinated under microgravity conditions within four days of the launch of the mission.

The cowpea seeds were sent on the PS-4 Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4) mission on December 30 and have germinated in the near zero-gravity conditions in just four days and enclosed the surroundings

Isro successfully germinates cowpea seeds in microgravity during the PSLV-C60 POEM-4 mission, marking significant progress in space agriculture. Utili

The CROPS payload, launched as part of the POEM-4 mission, is envisioned as a multi-phase platform to develop and evolve ISRO’s capabilities for growing and sustaining flora in extraterrestrial environments. The experiment involves growing eight cowpea seeds in a closed-box environment with active thermal control.