On February 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed names of the four astronaut-designates — all Indian Air Force fighter pilots — currently undergoing rigorous training for India’s first-ever human space flight mission Gaganyaan, which will reach an altitude of 400 km above earth for a three-day duration in 2025. The astronauts will return with a planned water landing off India’s coast.
Addressing the audience at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thumba, Modi introduced to the country Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (47), Angad Pratap (41), Ajit Krishnan (41), and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla (38). He bestowed upon them the prestigious ‘Antriksh Yatri Pankh’ (Astronaut Wings). Modi hailed them as “four shaktis (forces)” who would carry the aspirations of India’s 1.4 billion people into space.
The announcement resonated India’s first manned space journey 40 years ago. Former IAF pilot, (then Squadron Leader) Rakesh Sharma, who was part of the Soviet Union’s Soyuz T-11 expedition launched on April 2, 1984, travelled to space as part of its Intercosmos programme. The four astronaut-designates were trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, 30 km north of Moscow, where Sharma underwent training four decades ago.
They were made to undergo survival training in harsh terrain — snow, deserts, water — and in inhospitable weather conditions to ensure they can survive an emergency landing in hostile terrains.
After the 13-month long intensive training, which included a series of gruelling physical, medical and psychological tests, the four astronaut-designates will proceed to NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Texas, ISRO chairman, S Somanath had said earlier.
The selection of the four was an extremely stringent and confidential process on the basis of their annual confidential records, flying proficiency, medical, physical and psychological fitness and resilience. The four were selected at the IAF’s Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bengaluru.
Training in ground support, orbital mechanisms, weightlessness, simulators, life support systems and use of toilets are part of the regimen of the four airmen.
Yoga is an important component of physical and mental training. The body is expected to handle the rigours of space travel. Training in weightlessness is critical because astronauts have to handle high G-forces experienced during spaceflight — one of the main reasons why fighter pilots are preferred for space travel as they often handle high G Force scenarios.
The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, announced that the four are pursuing Master of Technology at the institute and undergoing training at the Indian Space Research Organisation. The prerequisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies including human-rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, life support system to provide an earth-like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.
The four are alumni of the prestigious National Defence Academy. Group Captain Nair is from Kerala. He is a recipient of the ‘Sword of Honour’ — an honour given to the best all-round cadet — at the Air Force Academy. He was commissioned in the IAF fighter stream in December 1998. Nair is a Cat A flying instructor and a test pilot with approximately 3,000 hours of flying experience. He has flown a variety of aircraft, including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. He is also an alumnus of the United States Staff College and a DS at DSSC, Wellington and FIS, Tambaram. He has commanded a premier fighter Su-30 Squadron.
After the PM announced his name, noted Malayalam actor Lena disclosed that she was married to Nair on January 17. She called him a warrior.
Group Captain Krishnan is from Chennai. A recipient of the President’s Gold Medal and the ‘Sword of Honour’, he was commissioned in June 2003. A flying instructor and a test pilot with nearly 2,900 hours of flying, he has handled Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-21, Mig-29, Jaguar, Dornier and An-32. Krishnan is also an alumnus of DSSC, Wellington.
Group Captain Pratap from Prayagraj was commissioned in December 2004. He is a flying instructor and a test pilot with 2,000 hours of experience, and has flown Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32, among other aircraft.
Wing Commander Shukla from Lucknow was commissioned in June 2006. A fighter combat leader and a test pilot with nearly 2,000 hours of flying experience, he can handle Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32, among other aircraft.
The four astronaut-designates carry the aspirations of India’s 1.4 billion people.