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The Print
01-08-2025
- Science
- The Print
‘Mars' in Ladakh—2 scientists enter space bubble to test human endurance for interplanetary missions
Bengaluru-based space tech company Protoplanet, along with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has developed the analogue station, called the Human Outer Planet Exploration (HOPE) station, with the aim of conducting 'critical research for future crewed interplanetary journeys', according to a statement by the firm. New Delhi: Aerospace engineer Rahul Mogalapalli and astrobiologist Yaman Akot have started a unique isolation mission in Ladakh's Tso Kar. The duo will spend the next 10 days in a first-of-its-kind space analogue site, which will test their physical and psychological endurance in interplanetary conditions. The site at Tso Kar, located at an altitude of over 14,500 feet, was chosen because of its terrain and environment, which closely mimics conditions on the Moon and Mars. 'The coming together of this site has taken over nine years of work,' the Bengaluru-based company said. An analogue research station is a site with conditions closest to a planet or planetary body with regard to the topography, environment, etc. These stations usually act as testing grounds for relevant technologies, help advance technology readiness levels (TRL) and engineering integration, and facilitate human studies, crew training and research around geological, geomorphological, habitability, and life detection. The similarity in conditions helps scientists replicate interplanetary mission experiments and train astronauts under specific conditions. Currently, there are 33 analogue research stations in the world. Some of the prominent ones are the BIOS-3 in Russia, which is a closed-loop biodome located at the Institute of Biophysics; HERA at the US' Johnson Space Centre, a two-storey, four-port habitat; SHEE in Europe, a self-deployable portable habitat for extreme conditions; and the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in the US' Utah, a private property developed for research with multiple observatories and an analogue habitat. Utah in the US is home to several Mars analogue sites, primarily because of its dry, arid terrain. In these centres, scientists get the opportunity to replicate conditions similar to the Red Planet, where technology is tested and crew members are trained in the 'closest conditions possible'. Also Read: ISRO, NASA's sharped-eyed NISAR satellite reaches orbit, countdown to science phase begins The pilot crew Mogalapalli and Akot are the first batch of scientists to undertake HOPE's pilot mission. They were selected from a pool of 135 applicants who had volunteered for the project. During their 10-day stay, they will be tested in isolated conditions designed to test and refine astronaut training for long-duration interplanetary missions. The outcome of their experience will be used to refine protocols for human spaceflights. To prepare for the pilot, both crew members had to undergo training in confined habitat simulations. They were also put through medical tests and check-ups to ensure they were medically fit to carry out the mission. Before the final mission, the duo were also part of a 15-day pre-mission endurance training. A senior ISRO official told ThePrint that such sites will be essential in advancing India's human spaceflight ambitions. 'We will be encouraging more private players to enter the field and develop infrastructure that can be used for advancing India's space missions. If you see, this is the same model that is followed by the US.' (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: How NASA's 10-minute flight to study the Sun may help unlock the mysteries of solar astrophysics
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Isro, Bengaluru firm start 10-day analogue mission in Ladakh from today
BENGALURU: On a cold, wind-brushed outpost at 14,000 feet in Ladakh, two hand-picked analogue crew will begin living in isolation to simulate the physiological and psychological effects of a space mission starting Friday (August 1). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The analogue mission is being conducted by Isro at a facility — Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE) — established at Tso Kar, Ladakh, by Bengaluru-based firm Protoplanet . It was formally inaugurated by Isro chairman V Narayanan on Thursday. The two analogue crew, Rahul Mogalapalli, a PhD researcher at Purdue University, and Yaman Akot, a planetary science graduate from the University of Aberdeen, were selected from 135 applicants based on Isro guidelines. The high-altitude site, selected for its terrain similarities to the Moon and Mars, will be the setting for a 10-day human isolation experiment, designed to test and refine protocols for long-duration spaceflight. Protoplanet's initiative has backing from the Mars Society and Mars Society Australia, which have pioneered similar analogue stations in Arctic and desert regions. The station was established in collaboration with multiple institutions, with Mahindra providing ground logistics and mobility support for this inaugural mission. Both candidates have prior experience in confined habitat simulations and underwent comprehensive medical, psychological, and physical fitness assessments before being shortlisted. A 15-day pre-mission training phase was completed at lower altitudes before deployment to HOPE. The core of the study involves monitoring genetic and psychosocial changes under high-altitude stress. Scientists will track biological markers before, during, and after the mission, collecting blood, stool, and urine samples to understand what are known as 'omics' responses. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These include genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics markers triggered by high-altitude stress, confinement, and group dynamics. Isro will also monitor psychological stress indicators such as sleep cycles, decision-making ability, mood variations, and social interaction under prolonged confinement. The aim is to better understand how such extreme environments influence human behaviour and biology over time. The effort is part of Isro's broader and long-term ambitions for lunar and planetary crewed missions. Though the current mission is led by Isro's Human Space Flight Centre, Protoplanet will continue to operate the HOPE station for future missions, inviting private firms, academic institutions, and sector experts to participate in joint studies. The semi-permanent structure is modular and dismantlable, allowing it to be reused and adapted for different mission formats. Officials said more detailed analogue simulations in other parts of the Himalayas and elsewhere in India are being planned. These are expected to test other critical aspects of future crewed missions, including surface mobility, habitat design, and life support systems. Further results from the ongoing mission and future phases are expected to be announced later in the year.
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
‘Station' in Ladakh begins research to simulate life on Moon, Mars
To prepare for possible manned space missions to the Moon and potentially Mars, Protoplanet, a Bengaluru-based company involved in space science popularisation, launched human outer planet exploration (HOPE) in Tso Kar, Ladakh, according to a statement from the company. 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'.
