July 27th 2024.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha has been informed by Union Minister Jitendra Singh that one of the four astronauts training for the Gaganyan mission will have the opportunity to travel to the International Space Station in collaboration with NASA. This is an exciting development in India's space program, as it marks the first time an Indian astronaut will visit the ISS.
The collaboration with NASA began when they identified a private company, Axiom Space, and signed a Space Flight Agreement with them for a joint mission to the ISS. This was announced by President Joe Biden during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US last year. The plan is for the Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS in 2024.
The four astronauts selected for the Gaganyan mission were chosen from a group of test pilots in the Indian Air Force. They have already completed training on a spaceflight basic module in Russia and are currently undergoing further training at ISRO's Astronauts Training Facility in Bengaluru. The Gaganyan mission is scheduled to take place next year.
Singh shared updates on the progress of the Gaganyan mission, including the completion of two out of three semesters of the Gaganyatri training program. Ground testing of propulsion systems stages has also been completed, including solid, liquid, and cryogenic engines, in preparation for human-rated launch of the vehicle.
The design and realization of five types of crew escape system solid motors have been completed, with static testing also finished. The first Test Vehicle mission for performance validation of the crew escape system and parachute deployment was also successfully completed.
Singh also mentioned that the designs for the crew module and service module structure have been finalized, and various parachute systems have been tested. Ground testing for human rating of the Crew Module Propulsion System has been completed, and work is ongoing for the Service Module Propulsion System.
The Thermal Protection System has been fully characterized, and critical ground facilities such as the Orbital Module Preparation Facility, Astronaut Training Facility, and Oxygen Testing Facility have been operationalized. Work on the Mission Control Centre and establishment of Ground Station networks is nearing completion.
In terms of the launch vehicle, the solid and liquid propulsion stages are ready for flight integration, and the C32 cryogenic stage is nearing completion. The crew module and service module structure have also been completed, and flight integration activities are currently in progress.
This is an exciting time for India's space program as they continue to make progress towards their first human spaceflight mission. The collaboration with NASA and the completion of various ground testing and facilities is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. We eagerly await the success of the Gaganyan mission and the journey of the Indian astronaut to the International Space Station.
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