India is on the verge of making history by
becoming the fourth country in the world to send humans to space and orbit the
Earth. The Gaganyaan mission is India’s ambitious project to launch a three-day
manned mission to the low-earth orbit (LEO) of 400 km with a crew of three
members and bring them back safely to Earth. The mission is expected to be
launched by 2025 using India’s own launch vehicle, the GSLV Mk III. The mission
will demonstrate India’s indigenous capability to undertake human spaceflight
and pave the way for future exploration and scientific discoveries. The Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has selected four astronauts from the Indian
Air Force for the mission, out of which three will fly in the first crewed
flight. Currently, only the United States, Russia, and China have public or
commercial human spaceflight-capable programs. With Gaganyaan, India will join
this elite club and become a space power.
The
Gaganyaan Mission will launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Srihari Kota, Andhra Pradesh, which is India’s primary spaceport. The mission
will demonstrate India’s indigenous capability to undertake human spaceflight
and boost science and technology development in the nation. The mission will
also conduct various scientific experiments related to microgravity, life
sciences, astronomy, and earth observation.
The
mission will use the LVM3 rocket, also known as GSLV-MkIII, as the launch
vehicle for all its missions. The rocket consists of solid, liquid, and
cryogenic stages and has been reconfigured to meet human rating requirements. The mission will use a Crew Module (CM) to house the astronauts
and provide them with life support systems, communication systems, and control
systems. The CM will have a diameter of 3.1 meters and a height of 2.8 meters,
and will weigh about 3.7 tonnes.
The mission will also use a Crew Escape System
(CES) to protect the astronauts in case of any emergency during launch or
ascent. The CES will consist of a set of quick-acting, high-burn-rate solid
motors that will separate the CM from the rocket and take it to a safe
distance. The CES will also have parachutes to ensure a soft landing on the
sea.
The
mission will have two unmanned test flights before the final manned mission.
The first unmanned flight, Gaganyaan-1, is scheduled to take off by the end of
2024. The second unmanned flight, Gaganyaan-2, is expected to follow in 2025.
The manned mission, Gaganyaan-3, is planned for later in 2025.
The
four astronauts selected for the mission are Group Captain Prashanth Nair,
Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander
Shubhanshu Shukla. They are all Indian Air Force pilots who have undergone
rigorous training in India and Russia, covering various aspects such as
physical fitness, psychological tests, survival skills, spacecraft systems,
orbital mechanics, and microgravity simulation. The astronauts were introduced
to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, 2024, during his
address at the National Defense Academy in Pune. He also bestowed them with
astronaut wings and praised their courage and dedication.
The Gaganyaan Mission
is a landmark achievement for India and a testament to its scientific and
technological prowess. The mission will not only make India the fourth nation
in the world to send humans to space, but also open up new avenues for
research, innovation, and exploration. The mission will also inspire millions
of young Indians to pursue their dreams and aspirations in the field of space
science and engineering. The mission will showcase India’s commitment to
peaceful and cooperative use of outer space for the benefit of humanity. The
mission will truly make India a space power and a leader in the global space
community.
— Team Yuva Aaveg
(Praveen Kumar Maurya)
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Good work. Very Well explained.
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