Indian Space Research has announced the 4 astronauts who will become part of its maiden space flight mission, Gaganyaan. The astronauts selected for the mission are pilots of the Indian Air Force. They will be sent to space in 2025. The shortlisted names were revealed during PM Modi's visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba in Kerala on February 27, 2024.
What Is Gaganyaan Mission? Know What Will Happen During the Abort Demo Test
Who are the four astronauts?
The four astronauts shortlisted for the Gaganyaan mission are Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. The four individuals are test pilots with the Indian Air Force (IAF) who work at the Bengaluru-based Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE).
Views from the #Indian astronauts' training programme during their time in Russia.
— ISRO InSight (@ISROSight) February 27, 2024
• Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair
• Group Captain Ajit Krishnan
• Group Captain Angad Prathap
• Wing Commander Shubhansku Shukla#Gaganyaan #ISRO pic.twitter.com/833zX4nLJG
According to officials, the shortlisted officers were chosen from a group of Air Force pilots and went through a rigorous physical and psychological evaluation process before being shortlisted.
After completing a demanding 13-month training programme in Russia, they are returning home to resume their demanding schedule. They were shown exercising in the gym, swimming, and practising yoga in a video that was played during an ISRO event in Thiruvananthapuram.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ISRO Chief S Somanath were also present at the event. They also bestowed a pin resembling golden wings on the four astronauts, calling them the pride of the nation.
Who Is Vyommitra? ISRO to Send a Robot on Its Gaganyaan Mission
What is the Gaganyaan Mission?
The Gaganyaan Mission is India's first manned space mission, aiming to send astronauts into space and orbit the Earth. The three-day-long mission will launch its crew to orbit of 400 kilometers before escorting them back to Indian waters. The mission is part of India's ambitious space programme and is expected to showcase the country's technological capabilities on a global scale. It is scheduled to launch in 2025 and will be a significant milestone for India's space exploration efforts. The estimated cost of the mission is somewhere around 90 billion rupees or $1.1 billion.
Additionally, a female humanoid, Vyommitra, will fly to space, ahead of the crewed flight. Vyommitra is designed to simulate human functions and will be equipped with artificial intelligence to interact with the crew during the mission. This will be India's first attempt at sending a humanoid robot into space.
ISRO has been carrying out multiple tests to ensure that the mission is successful and the astronauts are brought back safely to the ground. It was successfully tested in October 2023 to show that the crew could flee safely in the event of a spacecraft malfunction.
If the mission is successful, India will become the fourth nation in the world to send a human into space. So far, only the United States, the Soviet Union, and China have been successful.
In 2023, India created history by becoming the first nation to land a spacecraft on the South Pole of the Moon and the fourth to land on the lunar surface, with its Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation