BENGALURU: Reiterating that India is eyeing more than just landing a probe on Moon or sending astronauts only to low earth orbit (LEO), the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is looking at technologies for inflatable habitats, in-situ 3D manufacturing for space and among the 18 experiments from which it will choose to send as part of Gaganyaan . It is also looking for proposals in the field on human psychology for long-term missions.“The human space programme requires innovations and creative technologies for space explorations which will lead to widening of scientific knowledge, economic growth, value addition to the quality of life of a common man and thus national development. There is a need to build capabilities to derive scientific benefits from the programme,” Isro said, as part of its announcement of opportunities (AO) that will let national institutes and labs to send experiment proposals.TOI was the first to report, as early as in January 2019, that Isro may be looking beyond just sending astronauts to LEO, and that it was planning on a space station and eventually even sending humans to Moon. “Gaganyaan is only the beginning, we’re not going to stop there. We’ll continue this programme with plans to send people to the Space Station and to Moon. Work on this will happen parallel to Gaganyaan,” Sivan had said.The kinds of experiments Isro is looking to carry on Ganganyaan is in line with these plans. At present though, the space agency’s priority is to launch the Gaganyaan mission by 2022 as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and four astronaut-elects picked by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) are currently in Russia for training.The AO call by Isro is looking at technologies that can establish long term research as well as plan for necessary facilities, human resource developments for optimal utilisations of experimental applications and technological developments for societal usage. All national research/academic institutions can send in the proposals to the space agency and the last date for submission is July 15.Among other key areas in which Isro is looking for experiments are space food and related technologies, debris management and mitigation, space bioengineering, bioastronautics and so on (see full list in below).-------Areas of Experiments:1. Radiation Hazards Characterisation and Mitigation Techniques2. Space Food and Related Technologies3. Inflatable Habitats Technology4. Human Robotic Interfaces5. Thermal Protection Systems6. Environmental Control And Life Support Systems7. Green Propulsion 8. Advanced Materials9. Debris Management And Mitigation10. Energy Harness And Storage11. In-situ 3D Manufacturing Technologies For Space12. Fluid Technology and Management13. Space Bioengineering14. Bioastronautics15. Simulated Gravity Technologies16. Human Psychology For Long Term Missions17. Space Medicine And Diagnosis18. Any Other Relevant Technology Related To Human Space Program