Prime Minister Narendra Modi could soon find himself on a space mission as India’s first human spaceflight, Gaganyaan, becomes operational, announced ISRO Chairman S. Somnath. Expressing pride in the possibility of taking the head of state to space, Somnath highlighted the significance of this development.
“While he (PM Modi) certainly has many other, more critical responsibilities, developing a human spaceflight program is a capability we would like to cultivate… and contribute to the Gaganyaan space program, particularly the astronaut training program for the International Space Station (ISS),” Somnath told NDTV.
The Gaganyaan Mission
ISRO plans to send three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission as part of the Gaganyaan Mission, ensuring their safe return to Earth. The project, named after the Sanskrit word for craft or vehicle to the sky, has been developed with a budget of ₹90 billion. If successful, India will join the ranks of the Soviet Union, the United States, and China in sending humans to space.
Selected Astronauts
In February, PM Modi unveiled the names of the four pilots chosen for India’s historic maiden manned space mission. The selected astronauts are Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Subhanshu Shukla.
On June 26, while addressing the India Space Congress 2024, Somnath highlighted that PM Modi’s vision for Amrit Kaal includes expanding human space exploration beyond the Gaganyaan mission, aiming for a moon landing by 2040.