Thiruvananthapuram, April 4: V. Narayanan, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), commended NASA’s latest Artemis II mission on Saturday, expressing confidence that it will be “remarkably successful.”
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission launched on April 2 from Florida, marking the first crewed flight around the moon in over 50 years. The mission includes four astronauts: NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Narayanan told reporters, “In 1969, humans first landed on the moon. Now, 57 years later, they aim to return through the Artemis program. This is a step in that direction. It is an orbital mission. I believe they will orbit the moon and then return.”
He mentioned that he watched the launch on television and had the opportunity to see the launch vehicle during a visit to the Canadian Space Agency.
“I was fortunate to witness the launch, which took place around 4:05 AM (IST) on April 2. In fact, during our previous visit to the Canadian Space Agency, the vehicle was still under construction. We got to see the first stage,” he added.
The ISRO chief praised the technical aspects of the Artemis II launch vehicle, stating, “This is a significant step forward for human scientific endeavors. I am 100% confident that this mission will be tremendously successful and pave the way for landing humans on the moon. It is a crucial mission for humanity.”
Narayanan also discussed the Indian Gaganyaan mission astronauts, who are currently training in Ladakh under the “Mitra” mission. He noted, “We inaugurated this program just the day before yesterday. They are currently training at an altitude of about 4 kilometers. This is part of the Gaganyaan training program.”
The selected Indian astronauts, known as “Gaganyatris,” are undergoing high-altitude training in the cold deserts of Ladakh for India’s first human space mission. Regarding India’s moon mission and upcoming launches, the ISRO chairman stated, “We are working towards launching as soon as possible. This financial year has just begun, and many plans are in place.”
He further emphasized, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are working on all programs. We are making every effort necessary to achieve essential goals for the country in space activities.”
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