Thiruvananthapuram, In a historic announcement today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed the names of four pilots selected for India’s inaugural human space flight mission, ‘Gaganyaan.’ The astronauts, undergoing rigorous training in Bengaluru, are Group Captain P Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander S Shukla.
During his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center in Kerala, PM Modi conferred ‘astronaut wings’ upon the four candidates. Expressing pride, he said, “You are the pride of today’s India,” highlighting the significance of India’s success in the space sector in fostering scientific curiosity among the youth.
The Gaganyaan mission, slated for launch between 2024-2025, aims to send a crew of three into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission, concluding with a safe landing in Indian sea waters. The project leverages a strategic collaboration, combining in-house expertise, Indian industry experience, academic intellect, and cutting-edge international technologies.
ISRO’s recent achievement in human-rating its CE20 cryogenic engine marks a crucial milestone for the mission. The completion of ground qualification tests on February 13, 2024, demonstrated the engine’s readiness for the upcoming challenges.
PM Modi’s visit to Kerala included a review of the Gaganyaan Mission’s progress, where he was joined by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister Muraleedharan, and ISRO Chairman S Somanath.
India eagerly awaits the realization of its maiden manned space mission, a testament to its growing prowess in space exploration.
