Gaganyaan: PM Modi Announces Names Of Astronauts For India's First Human Space Flight Mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the names of the four astronauts for India's first manned space mission 'Gaganyaan'.
The four astronauts are Group Captain Prasant Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, PM Modi said at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba near the Kerala state capital.
"These are not just four names, but forces that will take the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to space," PM Modi said.
He bestowed 'astronaut wings' to the four.
The PM further said he was proud and happy that most components used in the Gaganyaan human flight mission are made in India.
The four astronauts were trained at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.
PM Modi was at the VSSC to inaugurate three major technical facilities of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
According to ISRO, the Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching crew members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.
Earlier this month, ISRO accomplished a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine that powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan human spaceflight missions, with the completion of the final round of ground qualification tests.
ISRO also successfully completed the acceptance tests of the flight engine identified for the first unmanned Gaganyaan (G1) mission tentatively scheduled for Q2 of 2024. LVM3 rocket - The well proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO, is identified as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission.
In January, ISRO chief S Somanath said that 2024 will be a year of "Gaganyaan readiness."
Briefing reporters on ISRO's agenda for 2024, he said, "We are going to get ready for at least 12-14 missions this year. 2024 is going to be a year for Gaganyaan readiness, though it is targeted for 2025."
