Gaganyaan

WHY IN NEWS?

Four pilots from the Indian Air Force (IAF) will leave for Russia in January 2020 to receive training as astronauts of Gaganyaan, the first Indian crewed flight to space.

ABOUT GAGANYAAN

• Gaganyaan ("Sky Vehicle") is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.
• The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and docking capability.
• In its maiden crewed mission, Indian Space Research Organisation's largely autonomous 3.7-tonne (8,200 lb) capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km (250 mi) altitude for up to seven days with a two or three-person crew on board.
• The crewed vehicle is planned to be launched on ISRO's GSLV Mk III.

Prelims Question

Q. Which of the following is slated to be India’s maiden manned space mission?
a. Mangalyaan
b. Gaganyaan
c. Akashyaan
d. Chandrayaan

Answer to the Prelims Question