Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO to tap technologies of local start ups

The Indian Space Research Organization has identified 17 technologies at lower costs from Indian start ups to use in Gaganyaan mission.

Highlights

The technologies identified includes food and medicine for astronauts, life support systems, inflatable habitats, thermal protection technologies and anti-radiation technologies. ISRO will also share its intellectual properties with the companies participating in the mission.

India had sent its Air Force pilots to Russia to get trained for the Gaganyaan mission.

Gaganyaan Mission

Gaganyaan is a crewed space programme of ISRO. Under the programme, three air force pilots will be carried to space. The crewed mission is to be launched in December 2021. Along with the crew, a female looking robot Vyommitra is to accompany the astronauts. The robot will provide warnings if the environmental changes within the cabin gets uncomfortable to the astronauts.

The flight is for 7 days.

Background

The Gaganyaan Mission was initiated during the eleventh five year plan. The total cost of the mission is estimated to be Rs 124 billion. Rs 500 million was released in 2012. In 2018, the GoI approved 100 billion rupees.

The plan of startups being involved was also announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman during her fifth tranche of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan announcement. The scheme has allocated Rs 20 lakh crore rupess. Before to the scheme, GoI had also launched Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2020