Leh: At 14,000 feet above sea level in Ladakh, two young scientists have begun living in complete isolation to simulate what life might be like on the Moon or Mars.
The 10-day analogue space mission kicked off on Friday at Tso Kar, inside a special research base called the Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE).
The project is being conducted by Isro’s Human Space Flight Centre in collaboration with Bengaluru-based firm Protoplanet, which set up the HOPE station. It was inaugurated on Thursday by Isro chairman V Narayanan.
The mission crew includes Rahul Mogalapalli, a PhD researcher at Purdue University, and Yaman Akot, a planetary science graduate from the University of Aberdeen.
They were chosen from 135 applicants after rigorous medical and psychological tests, along with training at lower altitudes.
The barren, high-altitude terrain of Tso Kar resembles conditions on the Moon and Mars, making it ideal for such experiments.
Scientists will monitor how extreme isolation and thin air affect the body and mind. Blood, stool, and urine samples will be studied to track genetic, metabolic, and psychological changes.
Sleep cycles, moods, decision-making, and social interactions will also be observed closely.
The mission, supported by the Mars Society and Mars Society Australia, is part of India’s long-term goal to send astronauts on deep-space missions under the Gaganyaan programme.
Mahindra has provided logistics and mobility support for this pioneering effort.
The HOPE base is a modular, semi-permanent facility that can be dismantled and reused for future missions.
Officials say more such analogue simulations are planned across the Himalayas to test habitats, mobility systems, and life-support technologies for future crewed missions.
