Gaganyaan developments! Four Indian Astronauts' training nears completion in Russia
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New Delhi, Mar 11: According to the recent statement of the Union Minister of State for Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, the four Indian astronaut candidates are currently undergoing generic space flight training in Russia as part of the Gaganyaan Programme. The minister also added that the astronaut training activities in Russia are nearing completion.
Major modules such as survival training, in snow, water as well as steppe, parabolic flights, theoretical classes on orbital mechanics, astro-navigation and some Soyuz systems have been completed. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Indian govt has made reforms in Space sector by enabling private sector participation in space activities.
According to the minister's statement, the intention of the initiative is to provide level playing field for private companies in satellites, launches and space-based services and also to bring in predictable policy and regulatory environment to private players. The initiative also aims to provide access to ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities.
By availing private players to contribute in India's space missions, the centre seeks to provide opportunities in selected areas of planetary exploration, and outer space travel, to private sector and to liberalize the existing geo-spatial data policy for providing remote-sensing data to entrepreneurs.
The Prime Minister of India in his Independence Day address announced that an Indian astronaut would go into space by 2022, when India celebrates her 75th year of Independence. Under the Gaganyaan schedule, three flights will be sent in orbit. Of the three, there will be two unmanned flights and one human spaceflight. The human space flight programme, called the Orbital Module will have three Indian astronauts, including a woman.