‘Station' in Ladakh begins research to simulate life on Moon, Mars
HOPE is intended to be a research station where selected 'crew' — beginning August 1 — will take turns inhabiting the station as part of a 10-day 'isolation mission.' 'They will undergo extensive physiological and psychological studies to assess human adaptability and resilience in conditions simulating deep space environments. The insights gained from these studies will be instrumental in developing robust protocols and technologies for sustained human presence beyond Earth,' according to Protoplanet.
The high-altitude and cold desert-like conditions here serve as an 'exceptional analogue site, closely mimicking the geological and environmental conditions found on the Moon and Mars', the statement noted. Tso Kar was studied for this purpose for at least nine years.
Àmong the company's collaborators is the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). 'ISRO funded a portion of the station's development as well as advised on the criteria for selecting candidates,' Siddharth Pandey, director, Protoplanet, told The Hindu.
For the first experiment, two personnel – Rahul Mogalapalli and Yaman Akot – will spend time in the station and conduct experiments on psychology, physiology and epigenetics research. They are both scientists with degrees in aerospace engineering and planetary science.
Similar to HOPE, there are research stations such as the Mars Desert Station (United States), Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station in Canada and BIOS-3 in Russia which look to simulate the challenges that astronauts might face in adapting to alien worlds.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that he expects India will have its own Bharatiya Antariksh Station — akin to the International Space Station — by 2035 and a manned Moon mission by 2040. The United States' National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) has indicated the possibility of a manned mission to Mars 'in the 2030s'.
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