Could the egg-shaped Hab-1 structure be a future home for Indian astronauts in space? It is the Indian Space Research Organization’s (Isro) first-ever analog mission to simulate space conditions to prepare for real missions. Hab-1 recently completed a three-week test in the mountainous state of Ladakh.
Hab-1 was designed by architect Aastha Kacha-Jhala of Aaka. The project helps identify and solve possible problems for astronauts and equipment. The structure is made of space Teflon and insulated with foam. It is equipped with a sleeping area, a retractable desk, storage space, a kitchenette, and a toilet. The astronaut lived here for three weeks.
“Hab-1 takes into account the limited space and resources on the Moon or Mars,” explains Kacha-Jala. – We have designed a dry toilet, and a waste management system and ensured that the habitat remained odour-free”. Negotiations are now underway with Isro to build India’s first simulation space complex in Ladakh.
India’s space plans
The tests come amid preparations for the Gaganyaan mission, which is to send three astronauts into low Earth orbit for three days. The mission is scheduled to be launched next year. India plans to have its own space station by 2035 and to send a man to the Moon by 2040.
India is also seeking independence in astronaut training. As Prof Subrat Sharma of Ladakh University points out, in-house simulations will avoid dependence on other space agencies such as NASA. Ladakh was chosen because of the similarity of its barren, rocky landscape to that of Mars and the Moon.
Soil samples collected during the mission are being analyzed to determine if local materials can be used in the construction of space bases. The high-altitude region of Ladakh has extreme conditions, with temperatures varying from +20°C to -18°C in 24 hours. While not comparable to conditions on Mars or the Moon, the tests are helping to understand how humans can endure such environments.
The difficulties of surviving in a simulation
One of the simulation participants, a 24-year-old astronaut, shared his experience: “The first few days were great, but then the repetitiveness started to annoy me, affecting my productivity and sleep”. His condition was constantly monitored using biometric devices, blood and saliva tests. Scientists say psychological factors are critical to the success of space missions.
Simulation missions are expected to play a key role in future exploration and preparation for the colonization of other planets. NASA, ESA, China and other countries are actively working in this direction. For example, in July 2024, four volunteers spent a year in a Mars habitation simulator, and NASA plans to build lunar bases from local materials using 3D printing.
India aims to keep up. The data from Ladakh will help develop medical technology and understand how the human body will function under oxygen-deprived conditions on Mars. As Prof Sharma summarized, these experiments are an important step towards space exploration.
Earlier we reported that the Ukrainian Sergii Iakymov will take part in an experiment to simulate a flight to Mars.
Provided by BBC
