On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed the identities of four pilots preparing for the nation's historic 'Gaganyaan' human space travel program. Wing Commander S Shukla, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Group Captain P Balakrishnan Nair are the pilots.
All four are test pilots in the Indian Air Force (IAF) from the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru, and they were all shortlisted four years ago.
As he congratulated every one of the incoming astronauts, Prime Minister Modi remarked that their names would be inscribed as part of the 21st century and acknowledged their four years of intense preparation. He noted that while yoga maintains a healthy body and mind, which is vital, it would also be a significant part of their training.
One of the four astronauts who will take part in India's first crewed space flights is Angad Prathap, a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force.
The Indian Air Force-affiliated Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) added Prathap to its roster of candidates for astronauts in 2019. Afterwards, ISRO and IAM shortlisted him for the final four. In 2020, he and three other chosen Vyomanauts travelled to Russia for basic training. In 2021, basic training was finished. went back to India and trained at Bangalore's Astronaut Training Facility.
At ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, on February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the formal announcement of his inclusion in the astronaut team. This was the first time his name had been made public as a member of the astronaut crew for India's first space voyage.
Also Read: Who is Ajit Krishnan, the Astronaut selected for Gaganyaan Mission?
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