Thiruvananthapuram: The four astronauts selected for Bharat’s first human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, underwent training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia, the same facility where Rakesh Sharma, Bharat’s first astronaut, received training in 1984.
Situated in Star City, approximately 30 kilometres north of Moscow, the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) is named after Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space. It offers state-of-the-art training amenities, including integrated simulators and survival training for various landing scenarios, spanning mountains, woodlands, marshes, deserts, the Arctic, and the sea.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed the names of the four Indian Air Force pilots chosen for the Gaganyaan mission, slated for launch in 2024–25. The selected astronauts include Group Captain Prashanth Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, all of whom underwent training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia.
The Gaganyaan mission marks Bharat’s first human space flight programme, with extensive preparations underway across various ISRO centres. As per ISRO’s vision, the project aims to demonstrate Bharat’s human spaceflight capabilities by launching a three-member crew into a 400-kilometre orbit for a three-day mission, ensuring their safe return by landing in Indian sea waters.
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