IAF shortlists 10 pilots for 2022 manned space flight
NEW DELHI: While all eyes are on the landing of Chandrayaan-2 on the lunar surface, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has selected 10 potential astronauts to be part of India’s maiden space programme, Gaganyaan, but has also completed their initial training.
Announcing this, the IAF tweeted, through its handle IAF_MCC, “Indian Air force has completed Level-1 of Indian Astronaut selection at Institute of Aerospace Medicine. Selected test pilots underwent extensive physical exercise tests, lab investigations, radiological tests, clinical tests and evaluation on various facets of their psychology.”
The crews selected are all under the 40 years of age. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had tied up with the IAF for the space mission’s crew selection. The ISRO is working in collaboration with other national agencies, laboratories, academia and industry to accomplish the Gaganyaan mission’s objectives.
Russia has agreed to impart the advance training to the selected astronauts. As of now, their training will continue within the country with finally three astronauts going into the earth’s orbit for a week in 2022.
It was in December 2018 that the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi had approved the Gaganyaan project. The necessary infrastructure for crew training, realisation of flight systems and ground infrastructure is being established to support the mission.