Bengaluru, April 8: V. Narayanan, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), announced on Wednesday that three uncrewed missions will be launched before India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan.
During a press conference following the inaugural session of the international ‘Spacecraft Mission Operations’ conference, Narayanan stated that work on the Gaganyaan program is ongoing under the guidance and directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He explained, “Three uncrewed missions are scheduled before the crewed mission. Currently, we are focused on the first uncrewed mission, and all activities are proceeding smoothly.” He also mentioned that timelines and additional information regarding the missions will be shared at the appropriate time.
Emphasizing the significance of mission operations, the ISRO chairman noted that they play a crucial role in any space mission. He elaborated that while the launch vehicle operates for only 20-25 minutes, mission operations can continue for an extended period. For instance, communication satellites that function for 15 years require continuous operations.
Narayanan referenced the Mars Orbiter Mission, highlighting that it required approximately 300 days of operations to achieve success.
Discussing the challenges of the human space mission, he pointed out that this will be India’s first endeavor in this area, necessitating the development of several new technologies and systems. This includes human rating for the launch vehicle, crew escape systems, environmental control, and safety systems, as well as ensuring better coordination between humans, machines, and software.
Regarding the conference, he shared that it will feature extensive discussions on mission operations and new technologies. Approximately 400 research papers will be presented, which will be highly beneficial for students, startups, and engineers working in this field.
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