The four pilots who are selected for the ambitious space mission have undergone one-year training course in Russia’s Zvyozdny Gorodok city during the pandemic and are now based in a unit of Isro getting familiar with the intricacies of the Gaganyaan mission.
Apart from announcing the pilots, PM Modi will also inaugurate three important space infrastructure projects worth about Rs 1,800 crore, PMO said in a statement on Monday.
Recently, India’s national space agency achieved a major milestone in its Gaganyaan mission after it received a human rating.
Pilots for Gaganyaan:
Out of the four pilots that will be selected for the Gaganyaan mission, one of them will be shortlisted for the International Space Station (ISS) mission that was agreed between Isro and Nasa, during the PM’s state visit to the US, the source informed ToI.
“This mission will be planned ahead of India’s human spaceflight mission so as to give the astronaut(s) enough opportunity to learn from the ISS mission to plan well for Gaganyaan,” the source said to ToI.
“Series of Gaganyaan tests have been planned before the final mission. Currently, Isro is working on three un-crewed missions — LVM3-G1 , LVM3-G2 and Vyommitra (humanoid) mission — that are independent of each other. One mission will be launched (by this year) based on the readiness of different subsystems and qualifications,” the source told TOI.
Big Boost to India’s space sector:
The projects include the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota; new ‘Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and stage Test facility’ at ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri; and ‘Trisonic Wind Tunnel’ at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram. These three projects providing world-class technical facilities for the space sector have been developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs. 1800 crore, the Prime Minister Office stated.
The PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota will help in boosting the frequency of PSLV launches from 6 to 15 per year. This state-of-the-art facility can also cater to the launches of SSLV and other small launch vehicles designed by private space companies.
The new ‘Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and stage Test facility’ at IPRC Mahendragiri will enable development of semi cryogenic engines and stages which will increase the payload capability of the present launch vehicles. The facility is equipped with liquid Oxygen and kerosene supply systems to test engines up to 200 tons of thrust, it added.
Wind tunnels are essential for aerodynamic testing for the characterization of rockets and aircraft during flight in the atmospheric regime.
The “Trisonic Wind Tunnel” at VSSC being inaugurated is a complex technological system that will serve our future technology development needs.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will also review the progress of the Gaganyaan Mission and bestow ‘astronaut wings’ to the astronaut-designates.
The Gaganyaan Mission is India’s first human space flight program for which extensive preparations are underway at various ISRO centers.
VV Rajesh, BJP Trivandrum District President, said that the PM will be coming to Thiruvananthapuram and will attend an official program in VSSC Thiruvananthapuram.
“After that, he will reach Trivandrum Central Stadium to address the Kerala padayatra validatory function. During this visit, we have not planned any meetings and the prime minister will be going to returning to Tamil Nadu,” he added.
This is the third time the Prime Minister will be visiting Kerala since January 2024.Related Embeds (0)
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