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RAS question

Mission MITRA, recently in news, has been launched by ISRO in collaboration with which Indian Air Force institution and at which location?

Correct answer: (C) Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM); Leh, Ladakh.

Mission MITRA was undertaken by ISRO in collaboration with the IAF-Institute of Aerospace Medicine at Leh, Ladakh.

  1. (A)

    DRDO Defence Bioengineering Lab; Wheeler Island, Odisha

  2. (B)

    Air Force Academy; Dundigal, Telangana

  3. (C)

    Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM); Leh, Ladakh

  4. (D)

    National Defence Academy; Khadakwasla, Maharashtra

Explanation

Mission MITRA, or Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment, is a first-of-its-kind team behavioural study linked to India’s human spaceflight work. ISRO’s official note says the mission was undertaken at Leh, Ladakh, from 2 to 9 April 2026, where the altitude is approximately 3,500 metres. The site matters because Leh provides hypoxia, low temperature and isolation, making it a natural analogue for spaceflight operations. The study, designed by ISRO and the IAF-Institute of Aerospace Medicine, examines physiological, psychological and operational dynamics of crew and ground teams under high-altitude stress, with the understanding intended to support the Gaganyaan programme.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) DRDO Defence Bioengineering Lab and Wheeler Island are not named in the ISRO note, which identifies the collaborator as the IAF-Institute of Aerospace Medicine and the site as Leh.
  • (B) The Air Force Academy at Dundigal is not the institution-location pair for Mission MITRA; the official account places the study at Leh with IAF-Institute of Aerospace Medicine involvement.
  • (D) The National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla is unrelated to this specific ISRO study, which was conducted at Leh, Ladakh, with the IAF-Institute of Aerospace Medicine.

Concept

This tests current developments in Indian space technology, especially the human-spaceflight and Gaganyaan ecosystem. RAS often asks such questions because they link institutions, locations and applied science rather than only mission names.

Source

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