ISRO Chairman S Somanath said four Indian Air Force pilots have been selected for the mission and are undergoing training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.
Gaganyaan Mission
The Bengaluru-based space agency plans to launch a crew of two to three Indian astronauts into Low Earth Orbit for up to three days and return them safely to a pre-defined location in Indian waters as part of the Gaganyaan programme, an article in Manorama Yearbook 2024 thus with reference to the Isro chairman.
“Looking ahead, ISRO aims to take the next step in space exploration with the Gaganyaan programme, which aims to launch a crew of 2 to 3 Indian astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for up to three days before safely landing are returned to a predefined location. in Indian waters,” the article quoted Somanath.
Prior to the manned mission, the space agency plans to fly two identical unmanned missions (G1 and G2) in addition to the Integrated Air Drop Test, Pad Abort Test and Test Vehicle flights.
ISRO is also developing critical technologies such as a Human Classified Launch Vehicle (capable of carrying humans safely) (HLVM3), an Orbital Module comprising a Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM), besides life support systems for the Gaganyaan mission .
The Crew Module is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment in space for the crew and is designed for safe reentry. Safety measures also include a Crew Escape System (CES) for emergencies.
Gaganyaan test flight
ISRO launched the first developmental flight of Test Vehicle (TV-D1) on October 21, 2023. The test vehicle successfully demonstrated in-flight abort of the Crew Escape System, followed by separation of the Crew Module. The Crew Module was safely recovered in the Bay of Bengal by the Indian Navy.
“The success of this test flight was crucial for subsequent unmanned missions and the ultimate human space mission, expected to launch in 2025,” Somanath said.
Other upcoming missions
Referring to some ambitious ongoing and upcoming missions, Somanath said that ISRO is currently working on the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) programme, the X-ray astronomy mission XPOSAT (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), the Space Docking Experiment, and LOX methane engine.
“Together, these transformative initiatives define a new space saga in India's pursuit of space exploration, advancing scientific advancements and ever-expanding cosmic horizons.”
He further said that SSLV, a three-stage launch vehicle, can launch a 500 kg satellite into a flat orbit of 500 km and can host multiple satellites.
Bharatiya-Antariksha station
Somanath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set ambitious goals such as commissioning the 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and embarking on interplanetary exploration, with a Venus Orbiter mission and a Mars lander, to expand India's presence on to further strengthen the world. space stage.
Solar energy research mission
The ISRO chairman further said that India's first solar-powered exploration mission, Aditya L1, is also an important mission of the space agency. The Aditya mission aims to study the Sun from the unique vantage point of Lagrange Point 1, and showcase the country's prowess in both lunar and solar research.
The spacecraft, launched on September 2, is on its intended path towards Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), about 1.5 million km from Earth, where it will be placed in Halo orbit in January 2024, it added the ISRO chairman added.
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Published: Dec 12, 2023 6:36 PM IST