India’s growing ambitions in space exploration are taking another important step as Aaka Space prepares to launch the country’s first underwater astronaut training mission later this year.
The Indian space startup is developing an underwater habitat designed to simulate spacelike conditions, including microgravity-like environments and confined living spaces. The mission aims to help astronauts prepare for long-duration space travel and future human spaceflight operations.
The initiative is aligned with India’s broader space goals, including ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission and future plans to establish an Indian space station.
Underwater training allows astronauts to safely practice critical activities such as spacewalks, equipment handling, and operating in challenging environments. The setup is expected to recreate both the operational and psychological conditions astronauts may face during extended missions in space.
Aaka Space has previously worked on projects such as the Ladakh Human Analogue Mission, where the company simulated extraterrestrial-like operational and psychological environments for research and training purposes.
Founder Aastha Jhala said the program combines science, psychology, and design to better understand how humans adapt to extreme environments. The mission will also study factors such as stress management, sleep cycles, teamwork, and human behavior in isolated conditions, which are considered essential for future space missions.
The company believes the underwater mission will help strengthen India’s preparation for advanced human space exploration and long-duration space habitation.
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