What is the Humanoid Skull That ISRO Plans To Use In Gaganyaan Mission

New Delhi: ISRO has planned to send a humanoid's skull on Gaganyaan mission before launching astronauts next year. Gaganyaan project that envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability will launch a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bring m back safely to earth, by landing in seawater. 

Why ISRO is Sending Humanoid's Skull to Space

Ahe of launching actual humans into space, several studies are conducted using humanoids to collect vital data on impacts of space travel on human bodies. This enables scientists to design space capsule for a safe and comfortable flight for humans. 

Everything About Humanoid's Skull Designed by ISRO

humanoid robot's skull designed at ISRO's ISRO's Thiruvananthapuram unit has been named Vyommitra. It weighs 800 grams and measures 200mm x 220 mm.  It is me from a high-strength aluminium alloy to endure pressure and vibration in space. 

Design 

Vyommitra will not only resemble a skull, but upper body of a human, which will include movable arms, a face, and a neck. It will be equipped with sensors to perform human-like functions and assess impact of humans travelling to space. Vyommitra will have parts that can move in different directions, giving multiple degrees of freedom. 

Progress So Far

“This half-humanoid simulates human-like characteristics of upper torso of a human body and will primarily demonstrate operations such as Crew Console-related tasks. skull is designed to withstand vibrational los experienced during launch,” Pma Kumar E S, director of IISU, told an English Daily website.

“This configuration of skull is part of half-humanoid flying in Gaganyaan mission. Ground qualification testing is over. Flight system has been realised and acceptance testing is currently under progress,” he ded.

Gaganyan programme is scheduled for year 2025. Before attempt to send humans into space, ISRO will conduct Gaganyan 1 and Gaganyan-2 missions. G1 mission will be conducted in December, 2024. 

G1 will mainly test safe re-entry of spacecraft and its orientation upon its dive into sea. G2 mission will carry robot- Vyommitra inside human-rated pressurised crew module, where astronauts would be seated in actual flight. humanoid will record all parameters that will be used to study impacts of space flights on humans. 

Gaganyan Mission 

In February this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced four Indian Air Force pilots who have been selected for Gaganyaan mission, namely, Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Ang Pratap and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. y have been undergoing training for last few years.