'Indian astronauts will be on Moon by 2040', says ISRO Chairman S Somanath

As part of the ISRO'S Gaganyaan mission, the organisation has selected four test pilots from the Indian Air Force (IAF) as astronaut-designates for the maiden crewed mission to the Moon by 2040.

Hyderabad:The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman, S Somanath has said that the organisation is planning to send Indian astronauts to the Moon for the first time by 2040.

In an article for the 'Manorama Yearbook 2024',Somanath said that four test pilots from the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been selected as astronaut designates for the mission. The astronaut designates are currently undergoing mission-specific training at the Astronaut Training Facility (ATF) in Bengaluru.

"India's space programme is poised to reach new heights in the coming years. With every mission launched and every discovery made, ISRO reaffirms its position on the global stage as a force to be reckoned with, instilling national pride and expanding India's technological feat," Somanath emphasised.

"Looking ahead, ISRO aims to take the next step in space exploration with the Gaganyaan programme, planning to launch a crew of 2 to 3 Indian astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for up to three days before safely returning them to a predefined site in Indian waters", Somanath said in the article.

The maiden manned space mission Gaganyaan involves developing critical technologies, including a human-rated (capable of safely transporting humans) launch vehicle (HLVM3), an 'Orbital Module' consisting of a 'Crew Module' (CM) and 'Service Module' (SM), and an life support systems.

"The success of Gaganyaan's test flight was crucial for subsequent unmanned missions and the ultimate human space mission, expected to be launched in 2025," Somanath said.

Somanath further said that Aditya L1, India's maiden solar exploratory mission, is another key mission for the agency, poised to study the Sun from the vantage point of 'Lagrange Point 1'.

On the monumental success of ISRO's lunar mission, the Chandrayaan-3, Somanath celebrated the event by calling it a historic achievement, leading to the declaration of August 23 as "National Space Day in India" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Somanath also briefed on some of the ongoing projects, namely, the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) programme, the X-ray astronomy mission XPOSAT (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), the Space Docking Experiment, and the LOX-Methane engine.

"Together, these transformative initiatives define a new space saga in India's pursuit of space exploration, fostering scientific progress and an ever-expanding cosmic horizon," he cocluded.

Read More