Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday revealed names of 4 astronauts selected to travel to space on ISRO's Gaganyaan mission, the nation's first human spaceflight mission.
During a review of the mission's advancement, PM Modi awarded astronaut wings to the designated astronauts. The Gaganyaan Mission marks India's inaugural human spaceflight endeavor, with thorough preparations ongoing across multiple ISRO facilities.
Group Captain Prashanth Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla are the four astronauts designates for the Gaganyaan misison. All designates are pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF).
Addressing the event, PM Modi requested the atttendees, "I want everyone to give a standing ovation to our astronauts."
"A while ago, the country saw 4 Gaganyaan travellers. They are not just 4 names or 4 human beings, they are the four powers that are going to take the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to space. An Indian is going to space, after 40 years. This time, the time is ours, the countdown is ours and the rocket is also ours," PM Modi said.
"I am happy that today I got the opportunity to meet these astronauts and present them in front of the country. I want to congratulate them on behalf of the entire country...You are the pride of today's India," the Prime Minister said.
By 2035, India will have its own space station in space that will help us study the unknown expanses of space, PM Modi said, adding that in this period of Amrit Kaal, an Indian astronaut will land on the surface of the moon on our own rocket.
About Gaganyaan mission
The scheduled launch of the Gaganyaan project in 2025 aims to showcase ISRO's ability to send humans into space and safely return them to Earth, with a target of landing in Indian territorial waters. This mission signifies not only a significant technological advancement but also underscores India's increasing prowess in space exploration.
In addition to his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) today, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate three space infrastructure projects valued at approximately Rs 1,800 crore. These projects are geared towards providing state-of-the-art technical facilities for the space sector.
The projects comprise the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota; a new 'Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility' at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri; and the 'Trisonic Wind Tunnel' at VSSC.
