Why in the news?

• India's ambitious space program has taken another significant step with the launch of its first analog space mission in Leh, Ladakh. This groundbreaking initiative aims to simulate the conditions of interplanetary missions, particularly those to the Moon and Mars.

About the Mission

• Analog Space Mission: A simulated space mission on Earth.
• Goal: To replicate the challenges and conditions of interplanetary missions, particularly those to the Moon and Mars.
• Location: Leh, Ladakh, India.
• Duration: One month.
• Habitat: A compact, inflatable habitat named Hab-1.
• Purpose:
  • Test life-support systems in extreme conditions.
  • Study human psychology and physiology in isolation.
  • Develop strategies for long-duration space missions.