India is poised to make a significant advancement in its space program with the announcement that an Indian astronaut, referred to as a 'Gaganyaatri,' will be embarking on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Space, shared this exciting news in a written response to a query in the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of Parliament.
"The Indian space agency is pursuing an ISRO-NASA joint mission to the ISS, where one Gaganyaatri from ISRO will undertake space travel to the ISS," Singh stated. He highlighted that this mission is a collaborative effort involving ISRO, NASA, and Axiom Space, a private entity identified by NASA. Recently, ISRO signed a space flight agreement with Axiom Space for this joint mission to the ISS.
The mission, known as Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), is scheduled to launch no earlier than August 2024 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Indian Gaganyaatri will be part of a four-member crew, joining other international astronauts on this journey.
The Indian astronaut chosen for this mission will come from a group of four Indian Air Force (IAF) test pilots who have been undergoing rigorous training for ISRO's ambitious Gaganyaan mission. This mission aims to demonstrate India's human spaceflight capabilities by 2025.
"The Astronaut Selection Board constituted by ISRO had earlier selected four astronauts from a group of IAF test pilots," Singh explained. "All four astronauts had undergone training on a spaceflight basic module in Russia during the pandemic." Currently, these astronauts are continuing their training at ISRO's Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru in preparation for the Gaganyaan mission.
Singh provided an update on the progress of the Gaganyaan mission, noting that two out of three semesters of the training program have been completed. Additionally, critical infrastructure, including simulators, has been developed to support the mission. He also confirmed that the human-rated launch vehicle is nearing completion, with the crew and service modules undergoing final integration activities.
This joint mission to the ISS represents a significant milestone for India's space program, showcasing the country's growing capabilities in human spaceflight and international collaboration. The participation of an Indian astronaut in such a prestigious mission underscores India's commitment to advancing its space exploration efforts and contributing to global scientific endeavors.
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