Thiruvananthapuram: During his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram on February 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed the names of four test pilots undergoing rigorous training for India’s prestigious Gaganyaan Mission.
Among the pilots are Group Captain Prashanth B Nair, a Sukhoi fighter pilot, and a representative of Kerala, and joining him are Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander S Shukla. Having completed their training in Russia, the quartet will now acquaint themselves with the intricacies of the mission at the ISRO facility.
PM Modi said, “They are not just four names or four human beings, they are the four powers that are going to take the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to space. An Indian is going to space, after 40 years. This time, the time is ours, the countdown is ours and the rocket is also ours.”
Accompanied by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and ISRO Chairman S Somanath, the Prime Minister’s visit to the VSSC was aimed at assessing the preparations for the Gaganyaan Mission. Scheduled for launch between 2024 and 2025, the mission seeks to propel a crew of three into a 400 km orbit for a three-day expedition, culminating in a safe return to Earth via a landing in Indian Sea waters.
The Prime Minister’s office said that the PM’s vision to reform the country’s space sector to realize its full potential and his commitment to enhance technical and R&D (research and development) capability in the sector will get a boost as three important space infrastructure projects will be inaugurated during his visit to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
