As India's maiden astronaut mission gathers pace, here are first details of how ISRO is designing a special vehicle to safely carry 4 Indians to space. The technology needed to send humans to space is exceedingly complex, and only 3 nations have been able to do it so far - USA, Russia or erstwhile Soviet Union, and China.
The first task is to understand how going to space affects the human body, and the Indian space agency has recruited doctors for this. There is constant discussion between doctors and engineers to work on designing the Gaganyaan spacecraft.
The new technologies India needs for the mission are human-rated launch vehicle, crew escape systems, habitable orbital module, and life support system.
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The 4 astronauts who will fly on Gaganyaan are helping make the module which will carry them in low Earth orbit. The astronauts are made to sit in the cockpit and check the placement of various panels. They check whether equipment is in convenient and correct positions, whether lighting is comfortable. The minutest detail is not being ignored. For instance, if the edges inside the cockpit are causing discomfort.
Another big job is for engineers to identify potential hazards, and devise systems to control them. Facilities to safely rescue crew from hazardous situations are also being focused on.
The Gaganyaan mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, but suffered massive delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ₹9,000 crore project is gaining momentum once again, with India's friendly nations pitching in.
The four astronauts selected for the mission spent around a year in Russia, training on old Soyuz capsules, and simulating spaceflight in centrifuges and pressure chambers. ISRO has also signed a pact with the French space agency for training physicians who are responsible for astronauts' health before, during, and after the spaceflight.
The Indian Space Research Organisation will launch two unmanned missions to check systems and equipment, before finally launching humans into space.