Isro, Bengaluru firm start 10-day analogue mission in Ladakh from today
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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.
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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.
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