ISRO on Gaganyaan: Technology to send astronauts to space already developed

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Gaganyaan, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Sivan said “Technologies that will help in sending an Indian astronaut to space - like human crew module, environment control and life support system - have already been developed”. 

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Earlier, Narendra Modi while speaking on the Independence Day eve said “when India celebrates 75th year of Independence in 2022 and if possible even before, an Indian son or daughter will undertake a manned space mission on board ‘Gaganyaan’ carrying the national flag”

K Sivan said “We have already developed the technology like human crew module, environment control and life support system. Before undertaking the launch in 2022, we will have two unmanned missions. We will use GLSV Mark-III for this project”.

“Prior to the actual launch by 2022, the Indian Space Research Organisation will have two unmanned missions and spacecraft will be fired using Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III” he said. 

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If successful, India would be the fourth nation to achieve that feat. Rakesh Sharma, a former IAF pilot, was the first Indian to travel to space. Sharma was a part of Soviet Union’s Soyuz T-11 expedition, launched on April 2, 1984, as part of the Intercosmos programme.

Indian-born Kalpana Chawla and Indian-origin Sunita Williams are among the known names to have gone to the space.