During his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, 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.
Accompanied by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister Muraleedharan, 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.
Regarding ISRO's achievements, the space agency declared a significant milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine, which powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan missions. The completion of the final round of ground qualification tests on February 13, 2024, including the seventh vacuum ignition test at the High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, signifies a crucial stride towards mission success, as stated by ISRO in a release dated February 21.