Indian Space Organisation – ISRO To Send Women Astronaut in Maiden Human Space Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) inaugurated its Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru to boost its operational capability. ISRO is planning to launch a human spaceflight programme which is likely to include a woman astronaut by the end of 2021.

According to ISRO, Gaganyaan is its highest priority in 2019. The space agency is planning to have the first unmanned mission in December 2020 and second for July 2021. After completion of the unmanned mission, the manned mission is scheduled in December 2021.

Former ISRO chairman, Mr. K Kasturirangan along with the present ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space Mr. K Sivan unveiled the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at ISRO Headquarter campus in Bengaluru.

During the event, Directors of other ISRO Centres and other dignitaries were also present. The full-scale model of Gaganyaans crew module was also introduced.

The Human Space Flight Centre will be responsible for implementation of Gaganyaan project which includes end-to-end mission planning, development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew selection and training and also track activities for sustained human space flight missions, ISRO said.

ISRO will take the support of its existing campus to implement the first development flight of Gaganyaan under the human spaceflight programme.

S Unnikrishnan Nair is the founder director of HSFC, while R Hutton is the project director of Gaganyaan. Recently, the Union Cabinet gave its permission for the Rs. 9,023 crore programme.

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