India: According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, India’s Minister of State for Space, Science, Technology, Earth Sciences, and Atomic Energy, the H-1 mission, the country’s first human space mission, will launch in the fourth quarter of 2024. India’s overall human space flight programme is named “Gaganyaan.”
“In view of the paramount importance of crew safety, two test vehicle missions without crew are planned before the H-1 mission to demonstrate the performance of crew escape system and parachute-based deceleration system for different flight conditions,” Dr. Singh remarked.
“The first uncrewed mission, named G-1, is targeted to be launched in the last quarter of 2023 followed by the second uncrewed G-2 mission in the second quarter of 2024, before the final human space flight H-1 mission,” in the fourth quarter of 2024,” Dr. Singh further added.
Isro’s Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400 KM for a three-day mission and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.
Mr. Singh clarified The G-1 mission aims to verify the effectiveness of the orbital module propulsion system, mission control, communication system, and recovery procedures. A humanoid will be the mission’s payload. The astronauts for the human space flight mission have been identified and are currently undergoing their training at Bangalore, Mr. Singh observed.
The training of the crew also includes regular fitness training sessions, aeromedical training, and flying practice. Activities for the corresponding evaluation and assessment have also been finished. Crew training is currently in its second semester.