INDIA: According to Union Minister Jitendra Singh, the Indian Space and Research Organization (ISRO) would launch two test missions under the “Gaganyaan” program later this year. All this will take place, followed by the nation’s first human spaceflight mission by ISRO in 2024.
According to the science and technology minister, the 2023 mission’s second phase will send a female robot named Vyommitra into orbit.
As per Singh, these programs were supposed to begin in the 75th year of Indian independence but were delayed by two to three years due to the advent of COVID-19.
He explained, “The then ongoing training of our astronauts in Russia were stopped midway because of the epidemic.” He added that they were sent back to finish their training once the situation had passed.
According to the union minister, these two missions aim to ensure the Gaganyaan rocket returns safely from the same launch site.
Rakesh Sharma (first Indian to go to space) said he had previously gone to space and that “after this, a guy of Indian heritage will travel to space in 2019”. Rakesh Sharma’s mission, on the other hand, was started by Soviet Russia, whereas Gaganyaan is an Indian mission.
“The most effective illustration of India’s independence will be the Gaganyaan mission. In terms of India’s space history, it will undoubtedly be a turning point,” he continued.
The Gaganyaan mission, which is expected to cost 10,000 crores, was first mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech in 2018.
ISRO will also launch the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon in June next year. It is the replacement mission for Chandrayaan-2, which landed on the moon by accident.
In response to a query regarding the progress of Aditya L1, a mission to investigate the Sun, Singh stated, “Preparations are proceeding well. This will be the first expedition of its sort to conduct research and study on the Sun’s environment, atmosphere, and all associated topics.”
He claimed that India’s space program started much later than expected since, at the time, the United States and the former Soviet Union were planning to put their nationals on the moon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the space sector to public-private partnerships a few years ago, advancing Indian research and putting it on par with that of the United States and Russia, the minister added.
There are currently more than 130 startups in this industry, according to Singh, and the private sector is launching rockets, offering “momentum to the space sector and encouragement and respect to the scientists.”
He said that, as of right now, India’s launch pads are used to launch satellites for both Europe and America and that the ISRO has made more than USD 56 million from the launch of just US satellites.
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