ISRO is gearing up for its inaugural human mission, Gaganyaan, which is expected to launch in the next couple of years. In an interview with NDTV, ISRO Chairman expressed pride in the potential to send the Prime Minister to space in an Indian spacecraft launched from Indian soil. He acknowledged that while the Prime Minister has many other crucial responsibilities, developing a human spaceflight program remains a key objective. This mission aims to enhance the Gaganyaan space program, especially the astronaut training program for the International Space Station (ISS). The experience gained will be crucial in building India’s capacity in human spaceflight.
The first Gaganyaan crewed flight is expected to last one day in space, with the astronaut completing 16 orbits of Earth. Dr. Somnath emphasized that this mission would test the environmental life support and control systems.
Regarding the timeline for India’s first human space mission, Dr. S Somnath mentioned that Gaganyaan is at a critical stage this year, with three significant missions planned. The first mission is an unmanned flight to orbit and return, the second will test equipment and algorithms, and the third will examine the launch pad scenario. The first test flight of the Gaganyaan mission is scheduled for the end of next year, contingent on progress.
Earlier this year, four astronaut candidates from the Indian Air Force were introduced. These officers, described as “adventurers and valiant men preparing to go into space,” include Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla.
