Gaganyaan is India’s first Indian human mission that will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by 2022.

The Government recently clarified that the launch of India’s first human space mission “Gaganyaan” will not be affected by COVID pandemic and preparation are carrying on in the right direction.

The Government recently announced  a regulatory body called “Indian National Space Promotion & Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe)” which will help provide a level playing field to private players and encourage their participation, he said.

About Gaganyaan Mission:

• The Gaganyaan is a crewed orbital spacecraft that is expected to carry three astronauts into space for at least seven days.
• India’s first Indian human mission that will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by 2022.The Rs 10,000-crore ambitious project is expected to be launched in 2022, the year of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.
• Four Indian Air Force fighter pilots are currently under training in Moscow, and are going to be the potential candidates for the Gaganyaan project.
• When it achieves the mission, India would be the fourth nation to circle Earth after the Soviets, the Americans and the Chinese. In 1984, India’s first astronaut Wing Commander (retd.) Rakesh Sharma orbited Earth as part of a Soviet mission.
• The Flight will take off from a refurbished SriHarikota Launchpad.

• ISRO’s successfully tested GSLV Mk-III, now called LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) is the declared launch vehicle for taking the manned crew module into space.

• Before the Gaganyaan project, the Indian space agency also aims to carry two unmanned flights into space before that.
• Vyommitra is a female-looking spacefaring humanoid robot being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation to function on-board the Gaganyaan, a crewed orbital spacecraft. Vyommitra was first unveiled on 22 January 2020 at the Human Spaceflight and Exploration symposium in Bengaluru.It will accompany Indian astronauts in space missions and will also be a part of uncrewed experimental Gaganyaan missions prior to the crewed spaceflight missions
• The four astronauts shortlisted for Gaganyaan, India’s first manned space mission, have resumed their training in Russia, after it was put on hold due to COVID-19 scare.
•  Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) on May 12 resumed training of the Indian cosmonauts under the contract between Glavkosmos, JSC (part of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos) and the Human Spaceflight Center of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• ISRO revealed the first germ of an HSP in November 2004 and got incremental funds for supporting projects over the next few years. It could not go ahead mainly because the GSLV MarkIII vehicle was not ready until last year. ISRO has also met most of its regular needs

ISRO has developed some critical technologies like re-entry mission capability, crew escape system, crew module configuration, thermal protection system, deceleration and floatation system, sub-systems of life support system etc. required for this programme.GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, which has the necessary payload capability for this mission, will be used to launch Gaganyaan.

GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle

The GSLV Mark III is a heavy rocket that ISRO has been developing over the last ten years. It can lift loads of four tonnes into a geostationary orbit. The earlier rocket, GSLV Mark II, could lift only 2.5 tonnes.

GSLV Mark III has three stages, while the Mark II had four stages. Mark III also uses Indian cryogenic engine CE-20, which is indigenously designed and developed.

IN-SPACe

The government  approved the creation of a new organisation to ensure greater private participation in India’s space activities.The new Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which is expected to be functional within six months, will assess the needs and demands of private players, including educational and research institutions, and, explore ways to accommodate these requirements in consultation with ISRO.