ISRO’s chief, S. Somanath, shared a noteworthy preference for women fighter test pilots and female scientists in the Gaganyaan program, ISRO’s highly-anticipated human space flight mission. He emphasized that it is indeed possible to include them in future missions.
In addition to this commitment to diversity, Somanath revealed ISRO’s plan to send a female humanoid, a robot designed to resemble a human, aboard an unmanned Gaganyaan spacecraft next year. The Gaganyaan mission’s primary objective is to transport humans to a Low Earth Orbit 400 kilometers above Earth for a three-day mission, ensuring their safe return.
Somanath’s statement came in response to inquiries about the inclusion of women in the program. He stated, “No doubt about it… but we have to find out such possible (women) candidates in the future.” These comments followed ISRO’s successful launch of the TV-D1 test vehicle, a key precursor to the Gaganyaan mission.
As for the timeline, Somanath noted that the manned mission is anticipated to take place by 2025 and will be of relatively short duration. He explained that initially, candidates are expected to be drawn from Air Force fighter test pilots, but women are currently underrepresented in this category. The alternative path involves scientists assuming the role of astronauts, with greater potential for women to participate once more scientific activity is integrated into the mission.
Somanath also shared ISRO’s long-term vision of establishing a fully operational space station by 2035. In a recent milestone, ISRO successfully launched the TV-D1 test vehicle, which involved simulating an abort situation for the Crew Escape System to ensure the safe return of the Crew Module. The test vehicle executed its mission with planned precision, making significant progress toward the Gaganyaan program’s goals.
Post Your Comments