India has always been progressing and reaching new heights in the field of space exploration. With several projects under their belt including the Aditya L1 and the recent Chandrayaan-3 success, scientists of India have carved her name and position as one of the most successful countries in the field of space research and advanced technologies.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has its eyes and money on their next ambitious mission, the Gaganyaan 2024 scheduled later this year which marks India’s first human spacecraft. Success in this project will elevate India’s status and her place in the space race of advanced countries like the USA and Russia.
Announced by Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, the Gaganyaan 2024 is said to be a rover and helicopter combination. According to the tentative plan, Gaganyaan’s objective is to send a team of 3-4 people for 3 days into a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) of 400 km and bring them back to Earth safely. The chosen 4 include Indian Air Force group captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap and wing commander Shubhanshu Shukla.
The handpicked four from India will be called ‘Vyomanauts’ or ‘Gaganauts’.
An airdrop test has already been conducted on April 24 and two more are pending. This mission is extremely difficult to implement and execute perfectly. To ensure that there are no discrepancies there will be two test runs of the spacecraft without any humans and will check the performance of the systems and complicated mechanisms. Scheduled for late 2024, it will be launched using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) which is critical for astronaut safety.
There are a thousand mistakes that can happen. The astronaut's health can deteriorate, coordination can go haywire and in general, be fairly risky. However, ISRO has been using all its past experiences, failures and successes to leverage and overcome challenges to make this project a success. They are making constant logistic improvements to make a comfortable and safe habitable place for the astronauts and ensure robust ground support for the launch.
As the launch date is coming closer, the anticipation and excitement is rising. It truly shows the ambition and sheer grit of Indian scientists to demonstrate India’s capabilities in advanced technologies. It is a giant leap forward for the nation in space exploration.
With its ambitious ideas and unique features, Gaganyaan 2024 aims to reaffirm and reiterate the important and deserving place of India as one of the leaders in space exploration.
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