According to a press release by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), India’s first human-manned space flight, named ‘Gaganyaan’, is set to carry Indian astronauts into space, with the woman robot astronaut ‘Vyommitra’ slated to precede it. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh disclosed that the ‘Vyommitra Mission’ is scheduled for the third quarter of this year, while the manned ‘Gaganyaan’ mission is slated for launch in 2025.
Here are five key points about the ‘Vyommitra Mission’:
– The name ‘Vyommitra’ is derived from Sanskrit, combining ‘Vyoma’ meaning space and ‘Mitra’ meaning friend.
– This female robot astronaut is equipped to monitor module parameters, issue alerts, and execute life-support operations.It is also capable of executing functions like controlling six panels and answering questions.
– Designed to simulate human functions in space, Vyommitra can interact with the Life Support System.
– In preparation for India’s first manned space flight, the Test Vehicle Flight TV D1 was successfully conducted on October 21 last year, aiming to qualify the crew escape system and parachute system.
– The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate India’s human space capabilities by launching a crew of astronauts into a 400 km orbit and safely returning them to Earth. The launch vehicle has been human-rated, with all propulsion stages qualified, and preparations in place. Additionally, Chandrayaan 3, which landed on the Moon’s South Pole on August 23 last year, is progressing as expected.
