​India Selects 4 Pilots for its 1st Manned Space Mission, Gaganyaan

India announced the names of four Indian pilots for the Gaganyaan mission to space on 27 February 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced their names during his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.

Four 'Gaganvir' of India:

• The Gaganyaan mission represents a significant milestone in India's human spaceflight programme led by ISRO. The Gaganyaan mission marks India's inaugural manned spaceflight endeavor. These four Indian pilots are as follows:
  • Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair (Kerala)
  • Group Captain Ajit Krishnan
  • Group Captain Angad Pratap
  • Wing Commander Subhanshu Shukla
• Congratulating these four pilots who want to become astronauts, PM Modi has called them the pride of India.
• Gaganyaan mission is India's first manned space mission. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) aims to launch in 2024-2025.

India will have its own space station in space in 2035:

• On this occasion, PM Modi said that India will have its own space station in space in the year 2035. Indian astronauts will land on the surface of the moon in their rocket.

Space infrastructure projects inaugurated:

• PM Modi inaugurated three significant space infrastructure projects totaling approximately ₹1,800 crore. These three projects include:
  • 'PSLV Integration Facility' at Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota
  • 'Semi-Cryogenics Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility' at ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri
  • 'Trisonic Wind Tunnel' at VSSC

Benefits of space infrastructure projects:

• The PSLV Integration Facility at the Satish Dhawan Space Center will help increase the frequency of PSLV launches from six to 15 per year.
• This facility accommodates SSLV and small private launch vehicles.

The four 'Gaganveers' were given rigorous training in Russia:

• The fact that the astronauts were trained in Russia for the Gaganyaan space mission indicates that it was a very rigorous training. The astronauts were prepared for every situation. Russia's astronaut training is world-famous for this type of training.
• The astronauts were given rigorous training, both physical and mental. This is necessary to increase the ability to live and work in space. This training strengthens physical balance and endurance in zero gravity conditions.
• During training, astronauts are made to experience zero-gravity in special aircraft so that they can understand the effects of lack of gravity in space.
• In this, astronauts are prepared for various mission scenarios, such as launch, docking and spacewalk. This training prepares them mentally for the actual mission.
• Along with physical and mental training, the astronauts of Gaganyaan mission have also been given technical and scientific training. Astronauts are trained to operate spacecraft, repair spacecraft, and conduct scientific experiments.
• This training prepares astronauts to face emergency situations in space. Such as prepares to face fire fighting, emergency evacuation, and use of life saving systems, etc.

About Gaganyaan Mission:

• Under this mission, 4 crew members are to be delivered to an orbit of 400 kilometers.
• These 4 crew will remain on the mission for three days after which they have to be brought back safely to Earth.
• ISRO had tested this mission last year. Recently ISRO tested its cryogenic engine. Human Space Flight Center (HSFC) has a special contribution in this mission.
• After the success of Chandrayaan 3 and Aditya L-1, this Gaganyaan mission will take ISRO to greater heights. When PM Modi announced India's first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, in 2018.

When will Gaganyaan mission be launched?

• ISRO's Gaganyaan mission will be launched next year by 2025. However, its initial phases can be completed this year i.e. by 2024.
• This involves sending two unmanned missions into space. Only when these missions are successful will astronauts be sent to space.