A Bengaluru-based company has emerged as a crucial partner in Indian Space Research Organisation's recent high-altitude mission simulation near Leh, helping prepare for future human spaceflight programmes.
Protoplanet was responsible for building and operating the field infrastructure for Mission MITRA (Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment), which studied how small teams perform under isolation, stress and low-oxygen conditions.
Conducted at nearly 4,000 metres above sea level, the Ladakh site recreated challenges similar to long-duration space missions, including confinement, reduced oxygen and extreme weather.
The company reportedly set up compact living modules designed to limit movement and personal space, closely mirroring spacecraft environments.
To simulate future planetary missions, the site featured two separate camps that could not directly see each other, all coordinated through a central mission control setup.
This arrangement helped teams practise remote communication and delayed coordination — vital for lunar or Mars missions.
Participants were provided space-analogue meals supplied by Defence Research and Development Organisation along with freeze-dried rations.
Wearable devices and sensors monitored physical health, stress levels and decision-making abilities during tasks requiring focus and precision.
The exercise forms part of Isro's broader preparation for Gaganyaan and future deep-space programmes.
Experts note that understanding human behaviour in confined, stressful conditions can be just as important as engineering spacecraft systems.