NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet Friday approved the Gaganyaan project under which a three-member crew will be sent to space for at least seven days, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The project will cost Rs 10,000 crore, he said at a press conference here.
The indigenous human spaceflight programme 'Gaganyaan' was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech.
He had said the mission will be undertaken by 2022.
Crew members for Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) first human space flight programme, Gaganyaan, will be selected by the Indian Air Force (IAF). ISRO chairman K Sivan had in August said that while six people will be shortlisted finally after rigorous training, three people will fly to space. IAF will fully take control of the selection and ISRO will augment them if required.
India has already inked agreements with Russia and France for assistance in the ambitious project. A human-rated GSLV Mk-III wil be used to carry the orbital module which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a 3-member crew for the duration of the mission.
(with inputs from Online Desk)