The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a woman robot astronaut named "Vyommitra" into space before its ambitious "Gaganyaan" mission.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, speaking to the media in New Delhi said the unmanned "Vyommitra" mission is scheduled for the third quarter of this year, while the country's first manned mission "Gaganyaan" is scheduled to launch in 2025.
The name "Vyommitra" is a combination of two Sanskrit words, "Vyoma" (which means space) and "Mitra" (which means friend). The Minister stated that this female robot astronaut is capable of monitoring module parameters, sending out alerts, and carrying out life support procedures.
In addition, Singh clarified that the "Vyommitra" astronaut is made to mimic human activities in a space environment and communicate with the life support system. He clarified that it is capable of doing things like answering questions and running six panels.
Meanwhile the space agency has been preparing for the Gaganyaan mission. In October 2023 it announced the completion of the mission’s maiden Test Vehicle Flight TV D1. The purpose of this was to validate the crew escape and parachute systems.
The goal of the Gaganyaan project is to demonstrate human space capabilities by sending a team of astronauts into a 400-kilometer orbit and returning them safely to Earth by landing them in the seas off the coast of India.
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