Gaganyaan Mission: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday conducted a thorough review of the progress made in the Gaganyaan Mission and conferred astronaut wings upon the designated astronauts.
The Gaganyaan Mission marks India's inaugural human space flight program, for which extensive preparations are underway across various ISRO centres.
Moreover, PM Modi also unveiled the names of the four pilots selected for India's historic maiden manned space mission. Find the names below:
1. Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair.
2. Group Captain Ajit Krishnan.
3. Group Captain Angad Pratap.
4. Wing Commander Subhanshu Shukla.
It is to be noted that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is targeting a launch window between 2024 and 2025 for this ambitious endeavour.
Speaking at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, PM Modi said, “They are not just four names or four human beings, they are the four powers that are going to take the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to space. An Indian is going to space, after 40 years. This time, the time is ours, the countdown is ours and the rocket is also ours.”
“In the development journey of every country, there are some moments which not only define the present, but also the future of its coming generations. Today is one such moment for India.”
Accompanying the Prime Minister were Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister Muraleedharan, and ISRO Chairman S Somanath during the visit.
The Prime Minister's office on Monday said that the PM's vision to reform the country's space sector to realise its full potential and his commitment to enhance technical and R&D (research and development) capability in the sector will get a boost as three important space infrastructure projects will be inaugurated during his visit to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
The projects comprise the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, the new 'Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility' at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, and the 'Trisonic Wind Tunnel' at VSSC in Thiruvananthapuram. These endeavors, collectively costing approximately Rs. 1800 crore, offer cutting-edge technical infrastructure for the space sector.
The PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, is expected to enhance the frequency of PSLV launches from 6 to 15 per year. Moreover, this advanced facility is capable of supporting launches for SSLV and other small launch vehicles developed by private space enterprises.
