Four Astronauts Chosen for Gaganyaan Mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded astronaut wings and introduced four astronaut-designates to the public: Group Captain Prashanth Nair, Group Captain Angad Prathap, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. These individuals, who were selected four years ago, are all test pilots from the Indian Air Force’s Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru.
Isro chairman S Somanath announced the completion of three important projects on schedule, marking significant additions to Isro’s infrastructure. These projects include the PSLV integration facility at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota; semi-cryogenics integrated engine and stage test facility at Isro propulsion complex in Mahendragiri; and Trisonic wind tunnel at VSSC. Somanath also highlighted Isro’s progress, particularly with missions like Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1, which have garnered international attention. He emphasized Isro’s commitment to achieving ambitious goals outlined in the 2047 vision, aimed at making India a developed nation. Additionally, Somanath noted the historic significance of Prime Minister’s visit to the Isro facility, the first such visit in four decades. In July 2019, it was reported that all astronaut-elects for Gaganyaan would be test pilots, chosen for their expertise in studying potential risks associated with India’s first human spaceflight mission.
Following a rigorous selection process conducted at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) in Bengaluru, 12 test pilots were initially chosen as potential astronauts. Eventually, four of them were selected by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and sent to Russia for training in early 2020, with some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon completing their training in 2021, they continued with various training modules in India, facilitated by ISRO in collaboration with several agencies, including the armed forces. ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) has been equipped with simulators for their training, while they also maintain their physical fitness through regular flying with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and other exercise routines.