BENGALURU: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has kicked off it first analog space mission in Leh to simulate life in an interplanetary habitat to tackle the challenges of a base station beyond Earth.
This is part of India’s preparation to send a human to the Moon. The month-long mission, which commenced mid-October, is part of the country’s plans to set up lunar habitats, which in turn could provide a base to launch further inter-planetary missions.
ISRO on Friday announced on ‘X’ that the mission is a collaborative effort by Human Spaceflight Centre, ISRO, AAKA Space Studio, University of Ladakh, IIT Bombay, and supported by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
Leh has been chosen as the location because the geographical features of Ladakh closely resemble the Lunar and Martian landscapes and pose an ideal training ground for scientific missions aimed at exploring planets.
The primary objectives of the analog mission, therefore, include replicating the harsh conditions prevailing on Moon and Mars to study human endurance, psychological impacts, and health in isolation. This is crucial for preparing for actual space missions like the Gaganyaan programme and potential Lunar or Martian habitats.
It would also prove to be an ideal location to test designs of different types of habitats for humans to endure the harsh conditions, and to showcase the country’s innovation in creating sustainable living spaces for space