AHMEDABAD, JAN 18
In a first of its kind in the country, Ahmedabad-based AAKA Space Studio organises India’s First Earth-based Lunar Analog Expedition (LAE) to White Rann. Those who are 16 years and above having interest in space mission can take part in this expedition, announced Aastha Kacha, founder of AAKA Space Studio and an award-winning space architect, here on Tuesday.
Incidentally, this is India’s first space architecture firm which has taken the initiative to develop India’s first Space Architecture and Exploration Station. This firm is run by 6-women team.
Speaking with navjeevanexpress.com, Aastha said, “Right from the age of 13 I was fascinated by moon and Mars. After my +12, I did a project named MANGALM at NASA with flying colours. This ignited me to do pursue this mission. After doing a lot of research on moon and Mars, our studio was registered in Canada and later on in India. White Rann has Mars like soil and it was confirmed by NASA scientists after visiting the site. Further, this area is not inhabited by population. Hence we have chosen this area for setting up our project. LAE is a simulation of the moon-like environment on Earth!”
As a part of the Lunar Analog expedition, the all-women crew from our studio visited the Indus Valley Civilization as part of the mission to understand and create a future for space architecture. We not only explored the Valley but also stayed in the unique environment of the White Desert to observe and explore the traditional knowledge of Ancient Indian architecture and civilization advances, with the purpose to implement it in their future mission to send their habitat to the lunar surface, Aastha added.
- Gujarat’s Woman Entrepreneur develops India’s first Space Architecture and Exploration Station
- In White Rann, Kutch. the all-women crew carried out their tests and experiments to evaluate the efficiency and reliability of the habitat in an extreme environment before opening it to Scientists, researchers, and students
A long-term space exploration program upsurges the risk factor in consensus to ISRO Human Exploration. To mitigate these unforeseen risks, AAKA has come up with India’s First Earth-based Lunar Analog Expedition.
AAKA Space Studio designed and built NDAH-KALPANA 1, India’s first space habitat. Following extensive research, the Next-Gen Deployable Analog Habitat was created with the goal of having a minimalist design and comfortable space for astronauts on the lunar surface. The habitat structure provides protection in an extreme environment and resources in isolation. It has an area of 49 square feet and 119 square feet before and after deployment. It is a self-sustaining structure. The habitat is made up of an airlock, EVA storage, a bio lab, a galley, crew quarters, and a hygiene cabin. It has a high degree of flexibility and modularity, allowing it to be adapted to various mission needs and scenarios.
The team has developed this habitat in their in-house workshop space in Ahmedabad. On January 5, 2023, the habitat was permanently transported to White Rann, Kutch. There, the crew carried out their tests and experiments to evaluate the efficiency and reliability of the habitat in an extreme environment before opening it to Scientists, researchers, and students. The LAE’s first mission was a success, providing valuable insights into the lunar environment and confirming that government organizations and the space industry are capable of leading complex space missions.
In the expedition, the crew gained insight into subjects like space architecture, extraterrestrial 3D printing, ancient civilization, virtual reality for space, isolation challenges, technological and engineering challenges, stargazing, and hydroponics as well as got to experience extravehicular activities that mimic those of real-life astronauts. Also, they were able to take advantage of the numerous facilities provided inside the space habitat and now it is your turn!
Only those who are 16 years and above can take part in this expedition by registering online the company’s website www.aakaspacestudio.com. The duration of this expedition is 4 days and 5 nights and will cost Rs 39,999 per head. Only 12 persons will be allowed in a year. On successful completion of this expedition, all participants will be awarded Analog Astronaut Certificate.
The studio has so far trained over 200 students.
