Gaganyaan Mission: 12 Indian Astronauts To Visit Russia For Training, Says ISRO Chief K Sivan

After Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission, the ISRO is gearing up for Gaganyaan — India’s manned mission to space. Yes, you read it right. ISRO Chief K Sivan on Thursday asserted that the 12 Indian astronauts, who are in the process of being selected for Gaganyaan, will be sent to Russia for training in about a month. 

While speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the 4th ISSE National Conference 2019 organised on SAC campus in Ahmedabad, K Sivan said, “The process of selecting astronauts is going on. They will be going to Russia for training in about a month… We are planning to select 12 astronauts and they will go to Russia. The Russians will select four from this and then the selected four astronauts will undergo rigorous training for 15 months.” 

Also Read: Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter Performing Very Well, Starts Experiments, Says ISRO Chief K Sivan

He further stated that the first unmanned mission under Gaganyaan will be launched by December 2020. “The second unmanned mission we are planning by July 2021 so that we can have the manned mission by December 2021,” the ISRO chief added. On being asked if a woman astronaut is among those selected, Sivan said, “Till now, among those selected, there is no woman. But we want a woman to be there. Probably we will select one next time.” 

Earlier, at the 4th ISSE National Conference 2019, the ISRO chief said that the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is performing "very well" and has started carrying out all the experiments. We have got no signal from lander but orbiter is working very well. A national level committee is now analysing what really went wrong with the lander,” he added. “Isro is also working on a rocket to launch small satellites,” Sivan noted. 

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