India's human space flight mission likely to be delayed by one year due to pandemic

India's first human flight mission Gaganyaan is likely to be delayed by one year due to verse impact from COVID-19 pandemic, according to Indian Research Organisation (ISRO) officials. As per mandate of Gaganyaan, two uncrewed missions would be undertaken prior to manned mission. Accordingly, unmanned missions were slated for launch in December 2020 and July 2021, and first manned mission was scheduled in December 2021.

"That will be delayed because of COVID," ISRO Chairman, Kailasavivoo Sivan, told P T I.

"We are targeting for sometime next year-end or subsequent year," he said on expected time-line for first of two proposed uncrewed missions.

Gaganyaan project has objective of demonstrating human flight capability to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with three crew members in orbit and safely recovering m after mission. Bengaluru-hequartered ISRO said last month its heavy lift launcher, GSLV MkIII is identified for Gaganyaan mission and process for human rating of this rocket is in progress.

high thrust solid propellant strap-on boosters S200 play an important role in human-rated GSLV MkIII. In order to human rate booster, many new design features have been introduced in hardware. first critical booster segment of motor case with a diameter of 3.2 metre, 8.5 metre in length and weighing 5.5 tons has been indigeusly developed and delivered by L&T to ISRO.

"This is first step towards uncrewed mission," an ISRO official said.

Sivan also said work on Chandrayaan-3 mission, comprising a lander and a rover, is in progress. "We have t yet fixed schedule (for Chandrayaan-3 launch)," he said. On proposed orbiter mission to Venus, "Shukrayaan", he said ISRO is yet to finalise paylos, ding, work on project is going on.

According to ISRO officials, ncy has short-listed 20 -based experiment proposals for 'Shukrayaan' mission to study planet for more than four years. y include "collaborative contributions" from Russia, France, Sweden and Germany, sources in ncy said. ISRO was eyeing June, 2023 for country's first mission to Venus.

"But we are currently reviewing this mission timeline due to delays arising from pandemic situation," an ISRO official said.

"Future launch opportunity is eir in 2024 or 2026".

It was ted that optimal launch window (when Venus is closest to Earth) comes about every 19 months. Of Indian and international paylo proposals it received in response to an anuncement of opportunity for vel -based experiments to study Venus, ISRO has shortlisted 20. 

(Im Credits: PTI)