Gaganyaan Mission: Preliminary Gaganyaan System Design Completed, Astronauts to be Trained in Russia's GCTC

Representative

 India's ambitious Gaganyaan mission has completed an important milestone, as plans has been finalized for astronaut training building including requisite facilities with regard to Gaganyaan mission and the concerned ministry has released the work order for the same.

The preliminary design of Gaganyaan system is completed and Memorandum of understanding (MoUs) have been signed with -- Indian Air Force for crew management activities for Indian human space flight programme, Seven (7) DRDO labs for design and development of human centric products; and Academic institutes for development of Microgravity payloads.

The mission's crew screening and selection has been completed. The crew members are currently undergoing generic space flight training at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Russia.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said that as per COVID 19 protocols in Russia and health advisories issued by local authorities, the Astronaut training in Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Russia was halted for a period from 28th March, 2020 to 11th May, 2020. As per the revised COVID 19 protocols the training of Indian astronauts has henceforth resumed since 12th May, 2020. He also informed that the First unmanned mission is planned in December 2021. Second unmanned flight is planned in 2022-23, followed by human spaceflight demonstration.

Dr. Jitendra Singh is Union Minister of Atomic Energy and Space.

For Human Centric Products, Preliminary design review of various human centric systems such as Space food and Potable water, Crew health monitoring system, Emergency survival kit, Crew medical kit, etc. have been completed. Hardware realization is in advanced stage for ground test and first unmanned mission.

Qualification tests of liquid engines as part of human rating of launch vehicle have been commenced.