Bengaluru, NFAPost: The chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S Somanath, announced that the Gaganyaan project, India’s first manned mission to space, will not be rushed in order to prioritize the safety of the mission. Speaking at the international conference on Spacecraft Mission Operations (SMOPS-2023), Somanath explained that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been a significant delay in the project, which was originally scheduled to launch in 2022.
ISRO has now adopted a new approach, aiming for a successful mission on its first attempt. To ensure the safety of the crew, the agency has increased testing and demonstration missions, including additional abort missions. The first abort mission is expected to take place in August, a month later than originally planned. This will be followed by another abort mission and an unmanned mission in early 2024.
Somanath emphasized that all engine test programs have been completed within ISRO, and regular major tests are being conducted. If all goes well, the Gaganyaan launch is anticipated to occur between 2024 and 2025. However, the chairman acknowledged that challenges and unforeseen issues could impact the schedule.
Regarding other space missions, Somanath stated that the launch window for India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, is from August to January. If the August launch is not feasible, it will be rescheduled for January of the following year. As for Chandrayaan-3, ISRO’s third moon mission, it is scheduled to be launched in mid-July, following a similar process to Chandrayaan-2. Somanath assured that the landing flight will remain unchanged.
He also emphasized that ISRO’s endeavours are 100% indigenous, with no reliance on external sources for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. While certain components like electronic chips and processors may be purchased, the lander for Chandrayaan-3 is entirely developed in-house.
