ISRO and NASA Collaborate for Gaganyaan Mission to ISS

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a partnership with NASA and Axiom Space to send an Indian astronaut, referred to as Gaganyatri, to the International Space Station (ISS). Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh confirmed this development in a written response to the Lok Sabha, highlighting the significance of the Gaganyaan mission, which is India's inaugural human spaceflight initiative set for launch in 2025. The mission aims to conduct a three-day manned journey, orbiting 400 kilometers above Earth before returning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously unveiled the names of the four selected astronauts during his visit to ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Station in February. The team comprises three Group Captains and one Wing Commander from the Indian Air Force: Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubanshu Shukla. These astronauts are currently undergoing rigorous training, having completed initial modules in Russia and now continuing their preparation at ISRO's Astronauts Training Facility in Bengaluru. In addition to astronaut training, Dr. Singh provided updates on the mission's technical progress. Ground testing of propulsion systems, including solid, liquid, and cryogenic engines, has been finalized to ensure the launch vehicle's human rating. The design and testing of five types of crew escape system solid motors have also been completed, alongside the successful execution of the first Test Vehicle mission (TV-D1) for validating the crew escape system and parachute deployment.