The terrain, with hot springs and permafrost, and conditions like low oxygen levels and extreme temperature variations make it ideal for simulation research.
In the cold, thin air from Ladakhwhere ancient monasteries dot the landscape and prayer flags flutter on rugged mountains, space explorers see an environment that mimics the environment. Mars and the moon. And India’s golden opportunity is not yet over.
At an elevation of 3,500m to 5,700m above sea level, this Himalayan desert represents the conditions researchers believe existed on Mars billions of years ago. The conditions are also ideal to mimic those on the moon, making it the perfect setting for India to launch an analogue space mission – a simulated space mission carried out on Earth to study the challenges of space exploration.
The situation in Ladakh makes it particularly suitable for analog missions to the moon and Mars.
TOI reviewed five scientific studies authored by 40 researchers from 18 institutions across the world who said Ladakh’s harsh environment offers a unique opportunity to understand what life is like on other planets. While academics have been conducting research in Ladakh since 2016, efforts to involve Isro have been unsuccessful so far.
On Nov 1, Isro announced India’s first analog space mission in Leh – a collaboration between Human Space Flight Center (HSFC), Aaka Space Studio, University of Ladakh, and IIT Bombay. Isro, which is accelerating its space programme, including plans for a space station by 2035 and a human landing on the moon by 2040, is also discussing larger analogue research projects with various groups – which it believes should be done earlier.
Global Competition
At the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) facility in Mauna Loa volcano, crew members spend months in isolation, testing space food systems and team dynamics, while dealing with 20-minute communication delays astronauts will face on Mars.
Russia’s MARS500 project made headlines with its 520-day simulation, testing the psychological limits of longer space missions. The Mars Desert Research Station in Utah is a test site for EVA (extra-vehicular activity) procedures and geological surveys, while Poland’s LUNARES Research Station focuses on lunar mission preparations.
With more than 30 analogue stations active internationally, there is not much India, because of its space ambitions. “We are not only missing research opportunities but also the possibility of international collaboration and the opportunity to contribute to the human understanding of how life can exist outside of Earth,” said the researcher on condition of anonymity.
Baby Steps
Speaking about the Leh mission, founder Aaka Aastha Jhala told TOI, “Our mission aims to take advantage of Ladakh’s unique environmental characteristics. The altitude of the region provides only 40% of the oxygen at sea level, while the extreme temperature variations (from 15°C to -10° C) simulate the challenging conditions that astronauts might encounter on Mars or the moon.
According to an announcement on Nov 12, Bengaluru-based space research platform Protoplanet and Isro’s HSFC have started formal discussions for collaborative research in habitat design, analogue studies, microgravity and astrobiology. Protoplanet also announced Space-ward Bound India 2025, a scientific expedition to Ladakh. This 12-day field program aims to advance space exploration research while training the next generation of space scientists.
What Studies Show
Research conducted in Ladakh seen by TOI shows scientists have tested the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Mission Habit Capability: Brines, Irradiance and Temperature (HABIT), which studies the interaction between the atmospheric water cycle and soil salt. Other microbiological research in the area has led to the creation of a microbial repository, while geological mapping has revealed important data on subsurface permafrost.
The study of dust devils in the Tso Kar lake in Ladakh led to a hypothesis about how saltladen winds could send microbes into the cloud layers of Mars and Venus.
These findings, among others, have helped researchers build a case for India to invest in a permanent analogue research station in Ladakh.
Why Ladakh
In addition to searching for early signs of life on Earth, the analog research station will support scientific and technological operations for future Mars and lunar missions. “Ladakh has some geochemical and geological features that are similar to Mars. And one of the important hypotheses is the terrestrial origin of life in the relevant geochemical environment on Earth,” he said. Prof. Sudha Rajamani from IISER-Pune’s Chemical Origins of Life lab.
according to Siddharth Pandeywhich has been part of four out of five studies TOI reviewed, “Ladakh was similar to Mars 2 billion years ago, when it was warmer and wetter”. These places offer everything from receding glaciers and hypersaline lakes to permafrost and hot springs at elevations that provide atmospheric pressure, UV radiation, and oxygen levels similar to what would have been on ancient Mars, he added.
The combination of extreme conditions of Ladakh in close proximity makes it worth it. Geological youth from Earth’s perspective means that they are undergoing surface processing that will be seen on Mars, while the permanently frozen soil around the lakes and clay deposits are excellent biological preservers – exactly what the rovers are looking for on the Red Planet.
Setting up and maintaining an analog station requires a significant investment – full-time staff and constant exposure to sunlight, wind, salt, and dust. But the yield potential is quite large.
Such research could have Earth-based applications. Studies on extreme environmental microorganisms can lead to breakthroughs in biotechnology, while research on closed-loop life support systems can develop sustainable living technologies.
