Why ISRO might pursue Russian spacesuits for Gaganyaan mission
India's first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, might see the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) choosing Russian-made spacesuits over India's own Intra Vehicular Activity (IVA) suits for its astronauts. A document reviewed by Hindustan Times reveals that ISRO is "considering the programmatic requirements and to doubly ensure the crew safety, it is planned to induct Russian space suits for the (Gaganyaan) mission."
Indian-made IVA suits nearly complete but not chosen
The Indian-made IVA suits, created by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, are nearly finished and were initially planned for the Gaganyaan mission. However, recent preparations suggest that all three astronauts of India's first manned spaceflight will wear Russian spacesuits instead. ISRO scientists have stated that this decision doesn't guarantee that the final choice will be the Russian-made suits.
Gaganyaan mission aims for human spaceflight capability
The Gaganyaan mission's goal is to showcase India's human spaceflight capabilities by sending a crew of three members to an orbit of 400km for a three-day mission and returning them safely. ISRO Chairperson S Somanath has announced 2024 as the year of "Gaganyaan readiness," with numerous tests and technology demonstrations planned in the coming months this year.
Preparations and tests leading up to the mission
ISRO successfully carried out the TV-D1 test flight demonstration last year in October. Before the actual manned mission, the space agency will conduct several other tests, including Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), Pad Abort Test (PAT), and Test Vehicle (TV) flights. Also, before the manned missions, ISRO will assess the safety and reliability of all systems in a test flight with a robot, 'Vyomitra,' and unmanned missions. These tests aim to ensure the Gaganyaan program's 100% success.
Indian astronauts undergo spacesuit trials in Russia
The three Indian astronaut candidates have already visited Russia for spacesuit trials, ISRO has confirmed. Last year, Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, reported that the Indian cosmonauts' anthropometric parameters were measured at Zvezda for the subsequent production of spacesuits on September 3. This collaboration is part of the ongoing training for the Gaganyaan mission under a contract with Glavkosmos.
