ISRO Gaganyaan: 4 astronauts to begin 11-month training in Russia this month
ISRO Gaganyaan: The four shortlisted astronauts for ISRO's Gaganyaan project will start their 11-month training in Russia this month, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. According to the Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space, Singh, the training is likely to start in the third week of January.
As per a PIB report, all the four selected astronauts are men. However, the identities of ISRO's Gaganyaan astronaut cannot be revealed now.
After getting 11-month training in Russia, the astronauts will receive module-specific training in India.
"After 11 months of training in Russia, the astronauts will receive module-specific training in India. In that, they will be trained in crew and service module designed by ISRO, learn to operate it, work around it and do simulations," the statement read.
India’s heaviest launch vehicle “Bahubali” GSLV Mark III will the carry astronauts to space. The crew module design was completed in May 2019. It is equipped with life support, environmental control systems, emergency mission abort, emergency escape that can be done at the first stage or second stage of the rocket burn.
Earlier ISRO chief Dr. K Sivan said, "We've made good progress in the mission. The process of Astronaut selection for the mission is completed." ISRO has signed MoUs with DRDO, Indian Air Force and Russian space agency.
The Union Cabinet had sanctioned Rs 10,000-crore for ISRO's ambitious Gaganyaan project, following the announcement made by PM Narendra Modi on Independence Day last year.
India's first manned space mission, which is expected to be launched in 2022, will coincide with the 75th year of India’s Independence. Despite Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go into space in 1984 but the spacecraft in which he went was not Indian. Gaganyaan will be the first-ever human space mission conceived and developed in India. It is a distinct illustration of the Prime Minister’s "Make in India" vision.
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