Kerala: In a remarkable development following India’s groundbreaking triumph with the successful ‘Mission Chandrayaan,’ which propelled the nation onto the global stage with the historic spacecraft landing on the Moon last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has on Tuesday unveiled a visionary new space endeavour named ‘Gaganyaan.’
At an event steeped in significance, PM Modi heralded the ambitious ‘Gaganyaan’ mission, marking a significant leap forward in India’s space exploration narrative. Presenting the four distinguished Air Force Pilots selected to embark on this monumental journey, PM Modi underscored the nation’s unwavering commitment to space exploration and technological innovation.
Scheduled for launch next year, ‘Gaganyaan’ serves as a beacon of India’s enduring dedication to scientific progress, promising to usher in a new era of pioneering achievements in space exploration.
“The four astronauts selected for India’s inaugural crewed space mission, Gaganyaan. Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Wing Commander Sudhanshu Shukla, and Group Captain Angad Pratap, all seasoned test pilots, have been designated for this historic endeavor,” PM Modi said.
“It was a very special moment for me to hand over wings to the four Indian astronaut-designates. They reflect the hopes, aspirations and optimism of 140 crore Indians,”
Bestowing them with prestigious astronaut wings, PM Modi hailed them as the “Four forces” embodying the aspirations and optimism of 1.4 billion Indians.
The announcement took place at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Kerala, following Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s successful testing of cryogenic engine readiness for the Gaganyaan mission vehicles.
Gaganyaan-1, the first mission flight, is expected to be an unmanned test flight to assess technology readiness by the end of 2024. The mission, named after the Sanskrit term meaning ‘Celestial vehicle,’ aims to carry three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission, safely returning them to Earth by landing in Indian sea waters.
