ISRO Launches India's First Analog Space Mission in Leh, Ladakh.
Science and Technology
India's first Mars and Moon analog mission launched in Leh, Ladakh, aims to simulate life in interplanetary habitat. The mission is a collaboration between ISRO, AAKA Space Studio Private Limited, University of Ladakh, IIT Bombay and LAHDC.
- Supports India's space exploration goals, esp. Gaganyaan program for sending astronauts to space.
- Other space agencies and private entities are conducting analog missions too. NASA's Analog Missions Project and AATC in Poland focus on human physiology, operational training, and tech testing in simulated extraterrestrial environments.
Main Points:- (i) Ladakh was chosen for its environmental similarities to Mars and Moon, with extreme temp shifts (15°C to -10°C), high altitude (3,500 meters), and low oxygen (40% of sea level).
(ii) Ideal for testing life support, thermal insulation, and rover mobility, with rocky, sandy soil resembling Martian and lunar regolith.
(iii) The mission includes a compact inflatable habitat, Hab-1, with facilities like a hydroponics farm, kitchen, and sanitation. It features airlocks, EVA zones, circadian lighting, and environment monitoring to simulate a self-sustaining habitat.
About Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
Chairman : Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
Headquarters : Bengaluru
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