India's Giant Leap: The Gaganyaan Mission

Introduction

The identities of the four astronauts that will travel to low-Earth orbit as part of the Gaganyaan Mission of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) were revealed by the prime minister. The Gaganyaan mission aims to prove that ISRO is capable of sending a human crew into a 400-kilometer orbit and returning them safely to Earth.

The Gaganyaan Programme will set you back about Rs 9023 crore in total.

LVM-3, another name for GSLV Mk III, will serve as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission.

It has been redesignated as Human Rated LVM-3 after being reconfigured to satisfy the demand for human safety. Russia will provide training for the astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan mission.

During training, they will become accustomed to flying in a weightless environment.

Three flights are scheduled to be sent into orbit under the Gaganyaan schedule. One human spaceflight and two unmanned flights are planned. Three Indian astronauts, one of them a woman, will be stationed in the Gaganyaan system module, also known as the Orbital Module. It will spend five to seven days travelling in a low-Earth orbit 300–400 kilometres above the planet.

Training Centre

A training contract was signed in June 2019 between the Russian government-owned Glavkosmos and the Human Space Flight Centre of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The contract includes Russian support for applicant selection, medical screening, and space training.

The candidates will receive in-depth training in short-term weightlessness aboard the Il-76MDK aircraft in addition to studying the systems of the Soyuz manned spacecraft in detail. A spacecraft from Russia is called Soyuz. Supplies and passengers are transported to and from the space station by the Soyuz. A military transport aircraft called the Il-76MDK was created specifically for trainee astronaut and space tourist parabolic flights.

Names of Four Astronauts

The Prime Minister announced while in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. It will be India's first space voyage with a crew. The quartet of space travellers are:-

• Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair.

• Group Captain Ajit Krishnan

• Group Captain Angad Pratap

• Wing Commander Subhanshu Shukla

Indian Agencies Collaborating for Gaganyaan Mission

• Indian Armed Forces

• Defence Research Development organisation

• Indian maritime agencies - Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Shipping Corporation of India, National Institute of Oceanography, National Institute of Ocean Technology.

• Indian Meteorological Department

• CSIR Labs

• Academic institutes

• Industry partners

Significance of the Gaganyan Mission

• The advancement of a long-term, reasonably priced human and robotic exploration mission to investigate the solar system and beyond.

• Advanced technological capacity to carry out scientific research, sample return missions, and human space travel.

• Potential for future active participation in international space station development and national interest-based scientific experimentation.

• Establish a comprehensive framework for a broader collaboration between academia and industry to undertake development initiatives for national advancement.

• Plenty of room for the creation of jobs and the development of human resources in R&D and advanced research.

• An exceptional chance to motivate and enthuse Indian young and guide a large number of students toward professions in science and technology—demanding positions that foster knowledge, creativity, and innovation.

• The program's sharing of difficult but peaceful objectives would improve international relations and world security. Maintaining a strong human spaceflight program can be used as a powerful tool for foreign policy.

Conclusion

To sum up, even though the Gaganyaan mission may not have much of an impact on the world stage, its accomplishments are a major source of inspiration for the scientific community in India. Beyond only satisfying national pride, success in this project might spur the development of a booming space tourism industry in the nation. India can establish a name for itself in the international space exploration arena, promote economic progress, and encourage aspirational thinking in the next generation by showcasing its technological capabilities and encouraging innovation.

References

• ISRO:- https://www.isro.gov.in/FAQ_Gaganyaan.html#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20goals%2Fobjectives,programme%20in%20the%20long%20run.
• Hindustan Times:- https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-names-4-astronauts-for-gaganyaan-mission-101709058039160.html#:~:text=The%20four%20astronauts%20%E2%80%93%20IAF's%20group,in%20Russian%20and%20Indian%20facilities.
• Mint:- https://www.livemint.com/news/india/pm-modi-in-kerala-pm-modi-four-pilots-astronauts-name-gaganyaan-mission-launch-date-isro-angad-pratap-space-mission-11709017709709.html
• The Economic Times:- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/gaganyaan-mission-pm-modi-reveals-4-astronaut-designates-selected-to-go-to-space-check-names-here/articleshow/108034933.cms?from=mdr
• The Indian Express:- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/gaganyaan-mission-pm-modi-reveals-4-astronaut-designates-selected-to-go-to-space-check-names-here/articleshow/108034933.cms?from=mdr