Four IAF pilots selected for historic Gaganyaan Mission
Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the names of the four astronauts selected for India’s inaugural human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla will embark on the historic mission.
Highlighting the significance of this mission, the Prime Minister said: “This time around, the countdown, the timing, and even the rocket would be ours.” Bestowing them with the prestigious ‘astronaut wings,’ he described the astronauts as “four forces” representing the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians.
The PM also highlighted India’s self-reliance in the Gaganyaan program and said: “This mission is a testament to India’s self-reliance and growing presence in space.”
“Not only is the mission significant as India’s first crewed spaceflight, but the majority of its components are proudly manufactured within our borders,” he added.
Modi also commended the astronauts’ rigorous training and their role in inspiring India’s youth toward scientific pursuits.
He outlined India’s ambitious space plans, including a return to the Moon, a sample retrieval mission, and the establishment of a national space station by 2035. He emphasized the growing significance of India’s space economy and its potential to become a global hub in the sector.
“All of you are opening new doors of future possibilities,” he told the ISRO team, adding that it was estimated that India’s space economy will grow five-fold and touch 44 billion dollars in next 10 years.
Earlier, Modi inaugurated three major space infrastructure projects worth around Rs 1,800 crores of ISRO during his visit to the VSSC.
The projects include the SLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, the new ‘Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and Stage Test facility’ at ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri and ‘Trisonic Wind Tunnel’ at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram.
The Trisonic Wind Tunnel at VSSC produces controlled uniform airflow over scaled models of rockets and aircraft to evaluate their aerodynamic characteristics and designs. It features a test section size of 1.2 meters and can generate speeds ranging from subsonic to supersonic, up to 4 times the speed of sound (Mach number 4.0).
The Mahendragiri unit is a state-of-the-art facility capable of handling large flows of propellants. It stands 51 meters tall and has a flame deflector depth of 30 meters.
The PSLV Integration Facilities at Sriharikota were developed to increase launch frequency from the First Launch Pad (FLP) and include Integration Building, Service Building, Rail Track, and associated systems.
In his speech on the occasion, the PM also emphasised upon the “important role” played by women in the country’s space programme. Modi also took a walkthrough of the exhibition of the various ISRO projects showcased at VSSC.
IAF’s four fighter pilots, undergoing rigorous training for the landmark mission, have a flying experience in the range of nearly 2,000-3,000 hours and two of them are recipients of the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’.
Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, born in Kerala in 1976, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and has been awarded the ‘Sword of Honour’. Commissioned into the IAF’s fighter stream in December 1998, he is a Category A flying instructor and a test pilot with extensive flying experience across various aircraft types including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. He is also “an alumnus of the United States Staff College and a DS at DSSC, Wellington and FIS, Tambaram.
Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, born in Chennai in 1982, is also an alumnus of the NDA and has received the President’s Gold Medal and the ‘Sword of Honour’ at the Air Force Academy. Commissioned in June 2003, he is a flying instructor and test pilot with significant flying hours across different aircraft. He is also an alumnus of DSSC, Wellington.
Group Captain Angad Pratap, born in Prayagraj in 1982, is another NDA alumnus commissioned in December 2004. He is a flying instructor and test pilot with substantial flying experience across various aircraft types.
Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, born in Lucknow in 1985, is also an NDA alumnus commissioned in June 2006. A fighter combat leader and test pilot, he has amassed considerable flying hours across different aircraft.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to launch a three-member crew to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters, according to ISRO website.
The ISRO website says the pre-requisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies including human-rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, life support system to provide an earth-like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.
