Latest news with #HOPE
India Today
4 days ago
- Science
- India Today
Inside Ladakh's ‘Moon & Mars' pod: India's HOPE mission explained
A dome-shaped habitat in Ladakh's Tso Kar Valley could shape the future of human space travel. As part of the HOPE (Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration) mission, Protoplanet and ISRO simulated life on the Moon and Mars, testing astronaut endurance in extreme conditions. From spacewalk-style EVAs to cutting-edge waste management, the 10-day mission studied how isolation, low oxygen, and harsh environments affect the human body and mind — paving the way for India's future space missions, including Gaganyaan in 2027. #Ladakh #HOPE #Moon #Mars #IndiaNews #GoodNews
India Today
11-08-2025
- Science
- India Today
Welcome back to Earth: Two astronauts complete Hope Mars analog mission
Two Indian analog astronauts, Rahul Mogalapalli and Yaman Akot, stepped out on Monday after spending 10 days in strict isolation inside the Himslayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (Hope) habitat, nestled in the rugged terrain of Tso Kar, approximately 150 km from Leh, Ladakh. Their mission, aimed at simulating the stresses and routines of lunar and Martian exploration, marks a major milestone for India's human spaceflight INSIGHTS FROM THE ANALOG ASTRONAUTSSpeaking to which received exclusive access to the remote habitat, the astronauts reflected on their journey, describing it as a challenging yet transformative experience. 'The ten days were a real learning curve,' said Rahul. 'We had to ration food, water, and even internet bandwidth. Maintaining communication and staying disciplined was tough, but if given a chance, I'd do it again.' Both crew members emphasised the unique psychological hurdles of extended confinement, pointing to the value such analog missions bring to India's future space exploration plans. HOPE MISSION: PIONEERING INDIA'S SPACE FUTUREThe Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE) mission, developed by Bengaluru-based Protoplanet in collaboration with ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), is India's maiden attempt to mimic extraterrestrial living conditions. The 8-meter habitat module and a 5-meter utility module, named Phobos and Deimos after Mars' moons, were designed to replicate the challenges of long-duration space travel. The region's extreme environment, with drastic temperature swings from 35C to -25C, provided the ideal Mars-like conditions for rigorous Hope analog experiment is crucial groundwork for India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission, which will send astronauts into space and eventually to the Moon by 2040. The data and protocols forged here, covering mission planning, health monitoring, and environmental adaptation, are directly applicable to future crewed missions. Rahul and Yaman undertook biomedical experiments, collecting urine, breath, and blood samples. These will be analysed by ISRO scientists to understand genetic, physiological, and psychological changes induced by isolation and harsh conditions. BUILDING FOR THE FUTUREDr Siddharth Pandey, founder and director of Protoplanet, emphasised the mission's importance as a learning curve not only for the astronauts but for his team as well. He revealed plans to expand the habitat to accommodate up to six analog astronauts and expressed hope that Gaganyaan's astronaut corps will participate in future analog the maiden mission concluded, Phobos and Deimos will operate as automated weather stations, gathering invaluable data for upcoming analog missions while Protoplanet gears up to upgrade the facility ahead of the next simulation, planned for April 2026.A GIANT LEAP FOR INDIA'S SPACE EXPLORATIONBy successfully simulating lunar and Martian conditions, the HOPE analog mission unfolds a new chapter in India's journey to establish a human presence beyond Earth. As the Gaganyaan program eyes a launch in 2027, this Ladakh outpost stands as a rehearsal for a future when Indian astronauts walk on the Moon and, someday, Mars.- Ends
News18
10-08-2025
- Science
- News18
Two researchers to emerge from 10-day analogue space mission in Ladakh
New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Two researchers are set to emerge from a 10-day isolation on Monday at the human outer space exploration (HOPE) outpost in Ladakh that simulates living conditions on the Moon and Mars to help better understand the physiological and psychological aspects of long-duration space travel. For the first experiment, two researchers — Rahul Mogalapalli and Yaman Akot — started their isolation mission on August 1 at the HOPE analogue site located on the banks of the Tso Kar lake, about 160 km from Leh. 'The aim of the mission was to assess human adaptability and resilience in conditions simulating deep space environments," Siddharth Pandey, the director of Protoplanet, a company involved in space science popularisation, told PTI. He said the insights gained from these studies will be instrumental in developing robust protocols and technologies for sustained human presence beyond Earth. 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. HOPE comprises a specially designed eight-meter diameter habitat module for crew living and a five-meter diameter utility module for operations and support systems, which are interconnected for seamless workflow. 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. The HOPE station is owned and operated by Protoplanet, with contributions from The Mars Society (US and Australia), ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre, and permissions from the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. Experiments from partner institutions such as the Indian Institute for Space Science and Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, and the Institute for Aerospace Medicine were carried out during the 10-day isolation period. Investigators from these institutes will examine epigenetic, genomic, physiological and psychological responses of two analogue mission crew members and validate health-monitoring protocols, planetary surface operations, and refine sample collection and microbial analysis techniques. The data generated through these analogue missions organised by the Human Space Flight Centre of the ISRO will form the basis for the design of protocols and infrastructure for future Indian human exploration missions by providing key insights into technology performance, crew workflows, and environmental adaptation, ISRO said in a statement. India plans to launch astronauts to space as part of the Gaganyaan project in 2027 and land an Indian on the moon by 2040. Scientists from ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre and representatives from the Ladakh government are expected to attend the function on Monday at the Tso Kar Valley site. PTI SKU NSD NSD view comments First Published: August 10, 2025, 20:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Data Analyses from Groundbreaking Pivotal Bridge to HOPE Clinical Trial Demonstrate Statistically Significant Clinical, Economic and Immunomodulatory Advantages in Liver Transplantation
Presentations showcased at World Transplant Congress in San Francisco demonstrate HOPE reduces the cost of liver transplantation by shortening the index hospitalization and decreasing late complications HOPE was associated with significantly less severe organ rejection and a significantly lower risk of steroid resistant organ rejection CHICAGO, Aug. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the unveiling of 12-month follow-up results from the pivotal Bridge to HOPE trial during the World Transplant Congress (WTC) 2025 Plenary Session, additional analyses of the data demonstrate that Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion (HOPE), in conjunction with the VitaSmartTM Perfusion System, can provide significant cost-savings for hospital systems without compromising quality of care, and reduce the severity of organ rejection, including steroid resistant rejection. The results of these analyses were presented in oral abstract sessions by David Axelrod, MD, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, OH ("Economic Assessment of Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion in Liver Transplantation") and David J. Reich, MD, FACS, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA ("Decreased Rejection Severity with Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion: Sub Analysis from a Pivotal Multicenter Trial of HOPE for Liver Transplantation"). The data were part of the 12-month follow-up study of the Bridge to Life Ltd. Bridge to Hope clinical trial (HOPE with VitaSmartTM Machine Perfusion System). "Building on the 12‑month follow‑up Bridge to HOPE clinical trial data presented in the Plenary Session, these additional analyses further strengthen the evidence for the value that HOPE used with the VitaSmart™ Perfusion System brings to the transplant community," said Don Webber, CEO and President of Bridge to Life Ltd., sponsor of the Bridge to HOPE clinical trial. "Bridge to Life is committed to partnering with Transplant Centers, Organ Procurement Organizations, and Hospitals to lower total cost of care while delivering the highest‑quality patient outcomes—by shortening hospital stays and reducing post‑transplant complications, including the risk of severe and steroid‑resistant rejection. Our broad presence at WTC 2025 underscores our leadership in advancing transplant science." In the economic analysis, compared with standard static cold storage (SCS), liver transplantation using HOPE reduced initial post-liver transplantation hospital length of stay (10.8 vs. 12.9 days), costs associated with biliary complications (20.2% vs. 24.6%), re-transplants (1.8% vs. 4.5%), and death (2.8% vs. 3.6%). Further, HOPE reduced one-year post-transplant costs by an average of $28,565, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data. Researchers concluded that HOPE for a minimum 1.5 hours at the recipient hospital reduced the cost of liver transplantation by shortening the index hospitalization and decreasing late complications. Additional financial benefits may include increased organ utilization, reduced staff overtime, and fewer high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) transplants. In the review of the organ rejection data, moderate/severe biopsy-proven organ rejection was less common in HOPE than SCS (32% v 67%, p=.033). Ten patients developed steroid resistant organ rejection: one in the HOPE cohort and nine in the SCS group (4% v 43%, p=.003). Researchers concluded that while the prevalence of organ rejection was similar in HOPE and SCS, HOPE was associated with significantly less severe organ rejection and a significantly lower risk of steroid resistant organ rejection. These results highlight the immunomodulatory benefits of HOPE and warrant further research. About Bridge to Life™ LtdBridge to Life™ Ltd is a market leader in organ preservation solutions, offering premier products such as Belzer UW®, EasiSlush® and the VitaSmart™1 Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion System. With a strong focus on product quality, innovation and accessibility, the company serves and partners with leading Transplant Centers and Organ Procurement Organizations globally. 1VitaSmart™ is CE Marked and available for sale in several markets outside of the United States. VitaSmart™ is pending FDA approval in the United States. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Bridge to Life, Ltd. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Arab News
05-08-2025
- Arab News
US tip leads to arrest of Pakistani NGO chief in child smuggling case
KARACHI: Pakistani authorities have arrested the head of a Karachi-based non-governmental organization on charges of child smuggling and illegal overseas adoptions after a tip-off from the US Consulate, prompting rights activists to say the case exposed flaws in the country's child protection and law enforcement systems. Dr. Mubina Cassum Agboatwala, chairperson of Health-Oriented Preventive Education (HOPE), was taken into custody on Monday by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after a court dismissed her pre-arrest bail application. The FIA's Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) in Karachi registered a case against Agboatwala in July 2025 after receiving a complaint from the US Consulate in September 2023. The consulate had alerted authorities that HOPE had facilitated illegal adoptions of minors, mostly to families in the United States. 'While Pakistan has taken legislative steps with the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018, and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2018, the persistence of child trafficking reveals critical gaps in implementation and protection systems,' Pirbhu Satyani, a Sindh member of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child, told Arab News. According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the police, HOPE, registered as an NGO in 1997, was never authorized to operate as an orphanage or to arrange adoptions. The report alleges the NGO routinely handed over 'abandoned' children to foreign families the day after they were found, without informing police or social welfare officials. In many cases, adoptions were approved via court orders containing suspiciously identical narratives. The FIR names 23 children, including two reportedly adopted by Agboatwala herself, and stated the organization failed to present evidence proving the children were genuinely abandoned. It accuses HOPE of being engaged in 'the illegal business of trafficking of minors for their monetary benefits.' 'Children and families, particularly in rural and impoverished areas, are often unaware of their rights or unable to recognize trafficking,' Satyani said, adding that Pakistan lacked a centralized, child-specific database to track cases from rescue to rehabilitation. He also noted the scarcity of trauma-informed shelters and reintegration programs for rescued children. Legal expert Barrister Ali Tahir pointed to a systemic failure of enforcement despite an abundance of laws. 'Pakistan is an over-legislated country where some of the best and most modern laws have been made, but the implementation is almost non-existent,' he said. 'The root cause of this is insufficient training and lack of capacity in our enforcement agencies.' The HOPE case is not the first of its kind. In June last year, the FIA arrested Sarim Burney, head of the Sarim Burney Welfare Trust, on similar charges of smuggling a newborn to the US. In another case, a woman named Kiran Sohail was arrested for allegedly smuggling a child to Mozambique. Child rights activist Kashif Mirza said that while Pakistan has built a robust legal framework, enforcement remains a persistent challenge. 'Although these laws exist, there are still obstacles in effectively addressing human trafficking in Pakistan, such as difficulties with enforcement, identifying victims and bringing perpetrators to justice,' he said. He noted that Pakistan is currently ranked Tier 2 in the US State Department's 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, indicating that while efforts are underway, the country does not yet fully meet minimum standards for eliminating the problem. 'This means the country does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so,' he said, adding the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024 also emphasized the need for better implementation and faster justice. 'With the growing number of children identified as victims of trafficking, it is essential for national authorities to ensure that child protection mechanisms, including care facilities, are informed and prepared to identify and refer cases of child exploitation, while paying special attention to the vulnerabilities that children face regarding trafficking,' Mirza added.
