Training of four Gaganyaan astronauts resumes in Russia

After the COVID-19 situation put brakes on their training for weeks, four Indian astronauts resumed their training in Russia for ISRO's maiden human space mission Gaganyaan.

New Delhi: Space travel training for four Indian astronauts has resumed at Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Russia, Glavkosmos said on Thursday.

This week, the GCTC specialists are giving theoretical classes on the basics of astrogation, the basics of manned spacecraft control and the Russian language to the Indian cosmonauts.

Glavkosmos, a joint stock company, is part of the Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos).

According to Glavkosmos, training for the four Indian astronauts resumed on May 12 and they are in good health and feel fine. Their health is carefully protected.

Glavkosmos said: "GCTC continues to observe anti-epidemic regulations according to which sanitary and hygienic measures are carried out at all the GCTC facilities, social distancing measures are applied and the presence of unauthorised persons is restricted; all employees and cosmonauts must wear medical masks and gloves."

The contract for the training of Indian astronauts between Glavkosmos and the Human Spaceflight Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation was signed on June 27, 2019 and four pilots from the Indian Air Force (IAF) were sent to GCTC for training in space travel and other aspects as part of India's maiden human space mission Gaganyaan.

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Their training in Russia started on February 10. Since the end of March, due to the global pandemic of the new coronavirus infection, a lockdown was recommended for the Indian astronauts which they carefully observed.

The 12-month training programme includes comprehensive and biomedical training, which will be combined with regular physical practices.

"In addition, they will study in detail the systems of the Soyuz manned spaceship, as well as they will be trained in short-term weightlessness mode aboard the special Il-76MDK aircraft.

"The Indian pilots will also be trained to act correctly in case of abnormal landing of the manned spaceship descent module in various climate and geographic zones. The most part of the training will take place at the GCTC facilities," Glavkosmos had said earlier.

(IANS Report)