‘Gaganyaan astronauts to be sent to Russia for training’

TIRUNELVELI

A team of astronauts to be sent to the space as part of Indian Space Research Organisation’s ambitious Gaganyaan project would be shortlisted soon and sent to Russia for comprehensive training, ISRO Chaiman K. Sivan said.

Talking to reporters at Thoothukudi airport on Monday, Mr. Sivan said Gaganyaan, the Indian human space-flight project to send three astronauts in a specially-designed spacecraft to the predetermined orbit and bring them back to the earth after the seven-day mission duration, was progressing as planned.

After successful completion of the preliminary works, testing of various stages of the module was going on. The selection of probable astronauts for the mission would be completed shortly and the selected team would be sent to Russia for comprehensive training sessions, he said.

Mr. Sivan said ISRO, which was using cryogenic and semi-cryogenic engines in its launch vehicles, was working on fabricating rockets using electricity or methane as propellent. He also said the information transmitted by Chandrayaan II orbiter was being analysed and used.

He inaugurated the inter-ISRO sports meet for scientists, engineers and other staff at ISRO’s Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district.