Gaganyaan Mission ISRO: Launch Date, Cost, Aim, 4 Astronauts & more

India’s space exploration is set to take a momentous leap with the ambitious Gaganyaan mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Gaganyaan mission aims to demonstrate India’s capability for human spaceflight by sending a crew of three members into orbit and safely returning them to Earth.

Preceding the final Gaganyaan human space-flight program, the mission will include an unmanned launch and the deployment of a female robot in subsequent missions.

What is Gaganyaan Mission By ISRO?

The Gaganyaan mission is a human spaceflight mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission aims to send a crew of three to low Earth orbit (LEO) for a period of three days. The mission is scheduled to launch in end of 2023 or early 2024.

The Gaganyaan mission is a significant step forward for India’s space program. It will be the first time that India has sent humans into space, and it will pave the way for future human space exploration missions. The mission will also help to boost India’s scientific and technological capabilities.

The Gaganyaan mission will consist of three phases:

• Phase 1: This phase will involve the development of the crew module, the launch vehicle, and the ground infrastructure.
• Phase 2: This phase will involve an uncrewed test flight of the crew module.
• Phase 3: This phase will involve the crewed mission to LEO.

The crew module for the Gaganyaan mission is being developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The launch vehicle for the mission is being developed by ISRO. The ground infrastructure for the mission is being developed by ISRO and the Indian Navy.

The Gaganyaan mission is a challenging but ambitious project. However, ISRO is confident that the mission will be successful. The mission will help to put India on the map as a leading spacefaring nation.

Here are some of the benefits of the Gaganyaan mission:

• It will boost India’s scientific and technological capabilities.
• It will help to create jobs in the space sector.
• It will inspire young people to pursue careers in science and technology.
• It will raise India’s profile on the world stage.

The Gaganyaan mission is a significant milestone in India’s space program. It is a testament to the country’s growing technological prowess and its ambitions to become a leading spacefaring nation.

Prime Minister’s Vision

The roots of the Gaganyaan mission go back to India’s Independence Day address in 2018, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this ambitious endeavor. Since then, ISRO has been working tirelessly to turn this vision into a reality.

Mission Gaganyaan Launch Date and Timeline

Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed that the Gaganyaan mission will have two preliminary missions before the actual human space-flight.

The first mission will be unmanned, while the second will involve the deployment of a female robot. As for the main Gaganyaan launch, it is scheduled for the end of 2023 or early 2024, as disclosed by Union Minister Jitendra Singh during a media interaction.

However, the road to this milestone has not been without challenges. Initially, ISRO had envisioned launching Gaganyaan within 75 years of India’s independence, but it encountered a delay of two years due to the unprecedented impact of the Covid pandemic.

Despite the setback, the efforts have been relentless, and the astronauts have successfully completed two stages of training, including training at a Russian institute.

Total Cost Of Gaganyaan Mission

The total cost of the Gaganyaan mission is estimated to be around ₹9,023 crores (US$1.2 billion). This includes the cost of developing the crew module, the launch vehicle, and the ground infrastructure.

The cost of the crew module is estimated to be around ₹2,100 crores (US$280 million). The cost of the launch vehicle is estimated to be around ₹3,700 crores (US$500 million). The cost of the ground infrastructure is estimated to be around ₹3,223 crores (US$440 million).

The Gaganyaan mission is a major undertaking, and the cost is significant. However, the government of India believes that the benefits of the mission outweigh the costs. The mission will help to boost India’s scientific and technological capabilities, create jobs in the space sector, and inspire young people to pursue careers in science and technology.

The following are some of the factors that have contributed to the high cost of the Gaganyaan mission:

• The development of the crew module is a complex and challenging task. The module must be designed to withstand the harsh conditions of space, and it must also be able to support the life of the astronauts for a period of three days.
• The launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission is a new development. ISRO has not previously developed a launch vehicle capable of carrying humans into space.
• The ground infrastructure for the Gaganyaan mission is also a new development. ISRO has not previously had to build a ground infrastructure to support a human spaceflight mission.

Despite the high cost, the Gaganyaan mission is a significant milestone in India’s space program. It is a testament to the country’s growing technological prowess and its ambitions to become a leading spacefaring nation.

Launch Vehicle For Gaganyaan Mission

The launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission is the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III). It is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle that is capable of carrying a payload of up to 4,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO).

The GSLV Mk III is powered by a combination of solid and liquid-fueled engines. The first stage is powered by two solid-fueled boosters, the second stage is powered by a liquid-fueled Vikas engine, and the third stage is powered by a liquid-fueled Cryogenic Engine.

The GSLV Mk III has been successfully launched on two occasions, both of which were unmanned test flights. The first test flight was launched in December 2014, and the second test flight was launched in August 2017.

The Gaganyaan mission is scheduled to launch in end of 2023 or early 2024. The mission will use a human-rated version of the GSLV Mk III, which has been modified to meet the safety requirements for carrying humans into space.

The human-rated GSLV Mk III will have a number of features that are not present on the standard version of the launch vehicle. These features include a Crew Escape System (CES), which is designed to protect the astronauts in the event of an emergency during launch, and a number of redundancies in the avionics systems.

The Gaganyaan mission is a significant milestone in India’s space program. It will be the first time that India has sent humans into space, and it will pave the way for future human space exploration missions. The mission will also help to boost India’s scientific and technological capabilities.

Also Read: Chandrayaan-3 Live Updates

Aim of the Gaganyaan Mission

The aim of the Gaganyaan mission is to demonstrate India’s capability to send humans into space. The mission will also help to:

• Boost India’s scientific and technological capabilities.
• Create jobs in the space sector.
• Inspire young people to pursue careers in science and technology.
• Raise India’s profile on the world stage.

Gaganyaan Mission to which planet?

The Gaganyaan mission is not going to any planet. It is a human spaceflight mission that will send a crew of three to low Earth orbit (LEO). LEO is the region of space that is about 100 to 2,000 kilometers above Earth.

Gaganyaan Mission with which country?

The Gaganyaan mission is a solo mission by India. It is not being conducted in collaboration with any other country.

However, ISRO has signed agreements with other space agencies for cooperation in the area of human spaceflight. These agreements include:

• An agreement with the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) for the training of Indian astronauts.
• An agreement with the French Space Agency (CNES) for the exchange of information and expertise in the area of human spaceflight.
• An agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the participation of Indian astronauts in ESA astronaut training programs.

These agreements will help to ensure that the Gaganyaan mission is a success and that India is able to build on its experience to undertake future human spaceflight missions.

Gaganyaan Mission Astronauts

The four astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan mission are:

• Vijay Shepherd is a Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force (IAF). He is a test pilot and has logged over 2,500 hours of flying time. He has been trained in Russia at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
• Sukhbir Singh is a Wing Commander in the IAF. He is also a test pilot and has logged over 2,000 hours of flying time. He has been trained in Russia at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
• Sainath Rajkumar is a Wing Commander in the IAF. He is a flight engineer and has logged over 1,500 hours of flying time. He has been trained in Russia at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
• Sunita Williams is an American astronaut who has flown on two Space Shuttle missions and one International Space Station expedition. She is the first Indian-American astronaut to go to space.

The four astronauts will undergo further training in India to prepare for the Gaganyaan mission. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2024 or 2025.

Conclusion

The Gaganyaan mission represents a significant milestone for India in the realm of space exploration. It symbolizes the country’s determination to make its mark in the cosmos and join the league of nations capable of crewed spaceflight. With meticulous planning, persistent efforts, and cutting-edge technology, ISRO is well on its way to accomplishing this audacious mission and creating a brighter future for space exploration.

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