Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
In Ladakh’s thin air and rugged terrain, scientists see a mirror to Mars and the Moon. Its extreme environment offers India a golden chance to prepare for interplanetary exploration.
On November 1, ISRO announced its maiden analogue mission in Leh. Collaborating with Aaka Space Studio, the University of Ladakh, and IIT Bombay, the mission marks India’s entry into Earth-based space simulations.
With over 30 analogue stations worldwide, India has lagged behind global players like the US and Russia. Experts call this delay a missed opportunity for research and international collaboration.
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“Ladakh’s high altitude provides 40% of sea-level oxygen and extreme temperatures that simulate Mars,” Aaka Space Studio’s Aastha Jhala was quoted in a TOI report. Its conditions are ideal for training astronauts for Moon and Mars missions.
Bengaluru-based Protoplanet and ISRO are in talks for joint studies on habitat design, microgravity, and astrobiology. Protoplanet has also announced Spaceward Bound India 2025, a 12-day Ladakh expedition to train future scientists.
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Studies in Ladakh have tested instruments like the European Space Agency’s HABIT and explored microbial life. Dust devil studies over Tso Kar Lake offer clues to how microbes might travel on Mars and Venus.
Ladakh resembles Mars 2 billion years ago when it was warmer and wetter. With receding glaciers, permafrost, and hypersaline lakes, it mimics ancient Martian conditions.
Ladakh’s ability to simulate life’s terrestrial origins, making it vital for future Mars and Moon missions. Its permafrost and clay deposits hold parallels to Red Planet explorations.
The investment in Ladakh’s analogue station could yield breakthroughs in biotechnology and sustainable living systems. Researchers believe it could shape both space exploration and Earth’s future resilience.