Gaganyaan: Astronauts on mission likely to be pilots, crew module design to be finalised soon
K Sivan said the first unmanned mission for Gaganyaan has been planned for December 2020, the second unmanned mission for July 2021 and the final manned mission by December 2021.
The astronauts on the human space mission 'Gaganyaan' will mostly be pilots, hinted Indian Space Research Organisation scientists Friday.
"We are looking for people with sufficient flying experience," said an ISRO scientist requesting anonymity.
ISRO Chairman K Sivan said the Indian Air Force and other agencies will play a major role during the selection of astronauts for the human space mission project.
Another scientist said the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) too will play a major role in this endeavour.
Gaganyaan mission details
Addressing a press conference, Sivan said the first unmanned mission for 'Gaganyaan' has been planned for December 2020, the second unmanned mission for July 2021 and the final manned mission by December 2021.
The selection process will also start this year.
For #Gaganyaan Program we have already placed a management structure in @isro. First unmanned mission by Dec 2020, second unmanned mission by July 2021 and the real human space flight by Dec 2021: Chairman #ISRO, Dr K Sivan pic.twitter.com/JCiLO4adw0 PIB India (@PIB_India) January 18, 2019
Design for the crew module for Gaganyaan
The design for the crew module and crew service module for Gaganyaan is in the finalisation process, said a top official of the Indian space agency.
ISRO has already established a Human Space Flight Centre for Gaganyaan project.
Prime minister Narendra Modi had announced the project envisaging sending three humans to space by 2022.
"The design work relating to the proposed manned mission is underway and will be finalised soon," said Sivan.
ISRO had already flight tested its crew module and its recovery some years back. Last year, ISRO tested the crew escape system.
The test was over in 259 seconds, during which the crew escape system along with crew module soared skyward, then arced out over the Bay of Bengal and floated back to Earth under its parachutes about 2.9 km from Sriharikota.
The crew module reached an altitude of nearly 2.7 km under the power of its seven specifically designed quick acting solid motors to take away the crew module to a safe distance without exceeding the safe g-levels.
About Human Space Flight Centre
- Located at Bengaluru
- Hub for preparation og Gaganyaan
- Headed by Unnikrishnan Nair
- Project director is R Hutton
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