Could this be what our home on the Moon or Mars would look like?

Could this egg-shaped structure be the future home of Indian astronauts in space?

Hab-1, short for Habitat-1, is Indian space agency Isro’s first “analogue mission”, which means simulation of space conditions to prepare astronauts for real space missions. It was recently tested for three weeks in the high Himalayan mountains of Ladakh.

Space architect Aastha Kacha-Jhala, of Gujarat-based firm Aaka, told the BBC that these simulations help identify and address problems that astronauts and equipment might face before space missions.

Constructed of space-grade Teflon and insulated with heavy-duty foam, the Hab-1 has a bed, a stowaway tray that can be pulled out and used as a workstation, storage space to hold supplies and emergency kits, a kitchen for heat meals and a bath. A simulation astronaut spent three weeks sheltering in place at the facility.

“Hab-1 was designed keeping in mind that space is going to be very limited on the Moon or Mars,” says Kacha-Jhala. “The astronaut will also have very little water, so we designed a dry toilet. We also implemented a system for proper waste disposal and made sure the habitat remained odor-free.”

It is now in talks with Isro to build India’s first permanent simulation space facility in Ladakh.

The mission comes as India prepares to send its first astronauts into space.

Isro’s Gaganyaan mission plans to place three astronauts in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometers (248 miles) for three days. If all goes as planned, the mission will launch next year. India also plans to establish its first space station by 2035 and send a man to the Moon by 2040.

NASA, the European Space Agency, Russia, China and other countries and private companies with space programs carry out dozens of simulation missions and currently two of the four Indian astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan mission are being trained at NASA.

“Once we have our own simulation mission, we will not have to depend on foreign space agencies to train our astronauts,” says Professor Subrat Sharma, dean of research studies at the University of Ladakh, who collaborated on the project. .

Ladakh, he told the BBC, was chosen for the experiment because “from a geographical perspective, its rocky, arid landscape and soil have similarities to the material and rocks found on Mars and some parts of the lunar terrain, making it ideal.” for space research”. “.

The university is analyzing soil samples collected during the mission to see if astronauts will be able to use locally sourced materials to build homes in space.

The Himalayan region on the India-China border lies at an elevation of 3,500 meters (11,483 ft) and has extreme weather conditions and thin air. In one day, the temperature here can go from a maximum of 20 ° C to a minimum of -18 ° C.

It’s no match for Mars (where temperatures can dip below -153°C) or the Moon (where -250°C is the norm in some deep craters), but it’s still a test of human endurance. And as Professor Sharma says, “Since you can’t go to space for testing every time, you need these facilities where you can create space-like conditions.”

Furthermore, he adds, Ladakh is a region of India where the arid land stretches for miles and miles, “giving you the feeling of being alone on the planet.”

And that’s how the astronaut in the simulator felt, who spent three weeks confined in the capsule in the freezing desert.

“I was isolated from the human environment. Every movement I made was programmed, when to wake up, what to do, when and when to sleep? A camera monitored my every movement 24/7 and sent data about my activities and health to the administrative office,” the 24-year-old, who did not want to be identified, told me.

“The first few days,” he said, “were great, but then it started to feel repetitive and it started to get to me. It started to affect my daily performance. My sleep schedule was affected a little bit and my concentration deteriorated.”

The simulation astronaut used biometric devices to monitor his sleeping pattern, heart rate and stress levels. His blood and saliva were tested daily to see how he was coping.

Scientists say simulating psychological factors to see how they would affect humans in space is one of the most important parts of the mission.

As space agencies around the world aim to send astronauts to the Moon and establish permanent bases there in the coming years, simulation missions are expected to play a crucial role in research and training.

In April, a team of scientists and engineers began testing in Oregon to prepare for NASA satellites. robot dog – Lassie – walk on the surface of the Moon. In July, four volunteers emerged after spending a year in an “analog” facility, purpose-built in Texas to simulate life on mars.

And according to Economist magazine, NASA hopes to 3D print a base using only materials found on the surface of the Moon, while China and Russia are collaborating on their own plans.⁠

India does not want to be left behind. Professor Sharma says that once the data collected in Ladakh is analysed, “it will help us develop medical technology to address the needs of our astronauts when they face a problem in space.”

“We need to know how our bodies will function on the Moon, where days and nights are much longer than on Earth, or in space, where there is not enough oxygen,” he says.

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