PM Modi announces the names of 4 astronauts for ISRO mission

Thiruvananthapuram – In a recent announcement during his visit to Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared important details about ‘Gaganyaan,’ India’s ambitious space mission led by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to send humans into space. The mission aims to make India the fourth country, after Russia, the United States of America, and China, to achieve this feat independently. Four astronauts, namely Prashant Balkrishna Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Shubhanshu Shukla, all serving as officers in the Indian Air Force, have been named for this historic venture. Prime Minister Modi extended his best wishes to these astronauts for the mission’s success, which is scheduled to be implemented by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.

The spacecraft for the Gaganyaan mission is designed to weigh 6 tons, with a planned orbit around the Earth for 3 days at an estimated distance of 400 km. To prepare the astronauts for this historic journey, specialised training facilities have been established in Bangalore. Additionally, the selected astronauts have undergone essential space travel training, including a training period in Russia. Notably, ISRO is set to receive assistance from NASA soon.

It is worth mentioning that Rakesh Sharma became India’s first astronaut in April 1984 when he travelled into space aboard a spacecraft from ‘Soviet Russia.’ Subsequently, individuals of Indian origin, such as Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams, have ventured into space as astronauts representing other nations.