India has taken a historic step towards its spacefaring future by unveiling four courageous Indian Air Force pilots who will embark on the country's maiden human spaceflight, the Gaganyaan mission. Scheduled for 2025, this groundbreaking mission aims to put India on the map as the fourth nation to independently launch humans into space.
The Gaganyaan Mission: A Bold Vision
The Gaganyaan ("Sky Vehicle") mission is a testament to India's ambition in space exploration. The mission's goal is to send a three-person crew into a 400km low Earth orbit for a three-day stay and bring them safely back to Earth. This bold endeavor has been meticulously planned by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), with a series of critical tests paving the way. One such milestone was a successful crew escape system test in October, assuring the safety of astronauts in case of a launch malfunction.
Meet India's Spaceflight Pioneers
At a recent ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the nation to its first-ever astronauts:
- Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair
- Group Captain Ajit Krishnan
- Group Captain Angad Pratap
- Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla
These Indian Air Force pilots have endured a rigorous selection process, including extensive physical and psychological evaluations. Following 13 months of training in Russia, they now continue their intensive training program at home. They embody the spirit of the nation, described by Prime Minister Modi as "dreamers, adventurers, and valiant men" ready to represent 1.4 billion Indians in space.
When will ISRO launch Gaganyaan Mission?
Union Minister of State (Mos) for Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday informed that the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will launch the Gaganyaan mission in 2025.
Stating that 2024 is "very important" for the 'Gaganyaan', Singh said that multiple tests will be carried out to achieve the objectives of the mission.
"We are going to the final launch in 2025. This year is very important because the test flights will be done this year. It is important and exciting to send a human being into space, but it is equally important to get the human being back safe and sound. We have a crew module and an operation module and the test flights would ensure that all these functions happen as we have envisaged," Singh told reporters in Jammu.
He further informed that the last flight before the actual mission will carry a female robo 'Voyo Mitra', which will simulate the activities of astronauts.
"The last flight before the action flight would be carrying a female robo named 'Voyo Mitra'. She would perform all those activities that a human astronaut would perform. It's going to be a whole-government approach. Around the same time when we have an Indian going into space in 2025, we will also have an Indian going into the sea bed. In 2025, we will go to the lowest seabed, and that's going to generate a blue economy," he said.
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