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5d ago

ISRO’s HOPE Mission Advances Isolation Tests in Ladakh

Two scientists are live-isolated in an inflatable habitat at 4,530 metres, transmitting data on crew health, habitat performance, life-support systems to refine protocols for India’s upcoming crewed missions.

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The Human Outer Planet Exploration (HOPE) station in Ladakh's Tso Kar | Protoplanet
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Overview

  • The 10-day HOPE analogue mission launched July 31 and runs from August 1 to 10 at Tso Kar Valley, simulating lunar and Martian conditions at nearly 40% oxygen levels.
  • Aerospace engineer Rahul Mogalapalli and astrobiologist Yaman Akot were selected from a pool of 135 applicants to inhabit an inflatable habitat outfitted with hydroponics, sanitation and a self-sustaining kitchen.
  • Physiological, psychological and technical data gathered so far is transmitted to ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre and partners including IIT Bombay and private collaborator Protoplanet.
  • Early findings will inform training protocols, life-support designs and operational procedures ahead of India’s Gaganyaan crewed launch targeted for 2027.
  • Tso Kar Valley’s extreme isolation and Mars-like geology offer a critical test bed for refining systems on India’s roadmap to lunar missions by 2040.