ISRO Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) begins Mission Mitra high-altitude astronaut test in Ladakh

Key facts

• Mission Mitra, run by ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), is a high-altitude test in Ladakh that simulates deep-space harshness through freezing temperatures, low oxygen and isolation.
• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and P Balakrishnan Nair, along with two other Gaganyaan astronauts, arrived in Leh this week for acclimatisation before the exercise.
• The programme name stands for Mapping of Interoperable Traits & Reliability Assessment and focuses on psychological and behavioural strengths rather than technology drills.
• Scientists, engineers, doctors and psychologists support the crew during the rugged simulation that tracks stress resilience to cold, hypoxia and isolation in real time.
• Delayed communications between Ladakh crews and support teams replicate deep-space limits and aim to boost future missions with longer orbits.