The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched an analogue mission in Leh aimed at simulating life outside Earth. ISRO announced the launch of this mission through a post on November 1, 2024, which said, "India's first analogue space mission kicks off in Leh, A collaborative effort by Human Spaceflight Centre, ISRO, AAKA Space Studio, University of Ladakh, IIT Bombay, and supported by Ladakh Autonomous Gill Development Council, this mission will simulate life in an interplanetary habitat to tackle the challenges of a base station beyond Earth."

ISRO's Gaganyaan manned mission is set for 2026, with the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission planned for 2028 and a joint Chandrayaan-5 mission with Japan to follow.

This novel initiative, is part of ISRO's efforts to explore the challenges associated with living in extra-terrestrial environments, particularly those akin to conditions on the Moon and Mars. By conducting experiments in Leh, which has geographical and climatic features that resemble the harsh conditions of space. ISRO aims to gather valuable data that can inform future space missions and enhance understanding how humans can sustain life beyond planet Earth. The analogue mission will involve a series of controlled experiments and activities designed to mimic the experience of living on other celestial bodies. This includes testing life support systems, studying human behaviour in isolated conditions, and evaluating the psychological and physiological effects of long-duration missions.

Ladakh is a cold desert and the climate is a mix of desert and arctic regions. The temperature in the region may range from 3 to 35 °C in summers and -20 to -35 °C in winters. The region experiences heavy snowfall during winter. According to NASA, analogue missions are field tests in locations that are similar to extreme space environments. NASA said, "NASA engineers and scientists work with government agencies, academia, and industry to gather requirements for testing in harsh environments before they are used in space."

Participants in the ISRO mission will engage in multiple activities like evaluating the habitat design, resource management studies, and psychological assessments of isolation effects on crew members. The insights gained from this mission are expected to inform future designs of habitats for both lunar and Martian environments. This initiative is part of India's broader ambition to enhance its capabilities in human spaceflight and interplanetary exploration, including the Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space.

A WEF report projects the global space economy to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035, driven by advances in space technologies and reduced costs of access.

DR. S. SOMANATH, CHAIRMAN, ISRO DELIVERING A LECTURE ON 'INDIAN SPACE ODYSSEY' AT THE SARDAR PATEL MEMORIAL LECTURE 2024.

According to news reports of October 28, 2024, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, speaking at the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture, expressed confidence in transforming the Bhartiya Antariksh Station (BAS) into a launch point for lunar exploration, while outlining India's ambitious plans for future space missions and emphasising the significant advancements made in lander technology and the potential for human lunar missions.

India plans to establish the BAS by 2035. This initiative aims to bolster India's capabilities in space exploration and contribute significantly to the global space economy, which ISRO aims to increase from its current two per cent share to 10 per cent. ISRO has made significant improvements in lander technology, which is crucial for lunar missions. This expertise positions India to potentially launch missions to the Moon from its own space station. Plans include not only lunar exploration but also missions to Venus to study its orbit, surface, and subsurface conditions, following successful missions to the Moon and Mars.

Somanath highlighted improvements in satellite propulsion technologies, specifically mentioning the upcoming launch of India's first home-grown electric propulsion satellite, which will reduce satellite weight and enhance performance. India's 'Space Vision 2047' aims to enhance the country's capabilities in space exploration and technology.

ISRO's Gaganyaan manned mission is expected to launch in 2026 and the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission is slated for 2028. Thereafter, a joint mission with Japan, referred to as Chandrayaan-5, will follow after 2028, with a heavier rover weighing approximately 350 kg, aimed at enhancing scientific research on the Moon.

BAS will have five modules connected via the 'Common Berthing Mechanism'. The entire station will have dimensions of 27m × 20m, it will have a maximum short duration crew capacity of six astronauts and a nominal crew size of three-four astronauts. BAS will orbit between 400-450 km with an inclination of 51.6° making it accessible to American, Russian, Japanese as well as European Space Agency (ESA) spaceports. The establishment of the Bhartiya Antariksha Station is poised to enhance India's presence in space research and exploration significantly as it will provide a unique platform for conducting scientific experiments in microgravity and foster advancements in space technology, potentially leading to economic activities based on lunar resources.

ISRO is advancing lander technology for lunar missions and plans interplanetary explorations, including missions to Venus to study its orbit, surface, and subsurface conditions.

An interesting development is that ESA's Proba-3 satellites were scheduled to be flown to India in the first week of November 2024, ahead of a new launch date set for December 4 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. This will be the first ESA mission launched from India since the original Proba-1 Earth-observing mission in 2001. According to Damien Galano, ESA's mission manager. "This ambitious ESA mission has been many years in the making, because it is seeking to do something in space that has previously been impossible."

PROBA-3'S CORONAGRAPH SPACECRAFT SEEN UNDERGOING ITS 'FIT CHECK' TO FLY IT INTO ORBIT ON 4 DECEMBER.

The Proba-3 satellites will be capable of providing sustained views of the Sun's faint corona, which is otherwise only observable during brief solar eclipses on Earth. To achieve this, the two spacecraft must keep their shadow precisely aligned, requiring autonomous formation flight with an accuracy of about one millimetre. The launch of Proba-3 satellites will be aboard ISRO's PSLV-XL rocket, which has the capability to lift the 550-kg combined payload into a highly elliptical orbit, extending up to 60,000 km from Earth and dropping as close as 600 km. The high-altitude orbit is crucial for minimising Earth's gravitational influence and reducing propellant use during their precise formation flying.

Proba-3 mission's industrial team includes partners from 14 ESA Member States and Canada. Mission control for Proba-3 will be operated from ESA's ESEC (European Space Security and Education Centre) in Redu, Belgium, which is currently undergoing extensive pre-launch simulations and training.

A report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) released on April 8, 2024 has projected that the global space economy will be worth $1.8 trillion by the year 2035, almost rivaling the size of the world semiconductor industry. The report titled 'Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth', authored by the WEF and consulting firm McKinsey & Co, states that the growth will be prompted by the ubiquity of space technologies, such as navigation satellites, lower costs, and easier access to these technologies.