'Gaganyaan launch before 75th anniversary of Indian independence'

India has come a long way in space technology in the last decade and ISRO's Gaganyaan-nation's first manned mission to space and setting up of a small space station will add to the growing clout of India's space power.

Amaravati: Former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar on Saturday said that the space agency is targetting the launch of Gaganyaan before the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.

Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of Tech Fest 2019 at SRM University in Amaravati, Kiran Kumar claimed that center at Bengaluru is working in full steam.

"The purpose of Gaganyaan is to carry Indian citizens around the earth and bringing them back safely," he said.

Under the programme, aimed to be launched by 2021, a three-member crew will spend a minimum of seven days in space. A human-rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module, which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a three-member crew for the duration of the mission.

The necessary infrastructure for crew training, realisation of flight systems and ground infrastructure will be established to support the programme. The ISRO will collaborate extensively with national agencies, laboratories, academia and industry to accomplish the objectives of the prestigious mission.

Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

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