Gaganyaan's four astronauts are 400 km from Earth. He will go far and see the universe

- The first leg of the space journey: the countdown begins

All four are fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force and have extensive experience of two to three thousand hours of flying modern technology aircraft.

- Astronauts will remain in space for 72 continuous hours in their main crew module

Thumba/Mumbai: Today, February 27, 2024, Tuesday will be an important day in the history of India's space research. All India's eagerness to know who are the astronauts of Gaganyaan project and their names etc. details is over today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced the names of the first four astronauts of India's ambitious Gaganyaan project at Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO) Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC--Thumba).

All four Gaganyaan astronauts are Indian Air Force fighter pilots. All four astronauts have extensive experience of 2,000 to 3,000 hours flying various types and advanced technology aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The names of the four astronauts are Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Angad Pratap, Group Captain Ajith Krishnan, Wing Commander Subhanshu Shukla. The Prime Minister congratulated these four astronauts by awarding them Astronaut Wings. ISRO Chairman Sridhar Pannikar Somnath was present on this occasion of national pride.

According to ISRO sources, three of the four selected astronauts will sit in the Gaganyaan and go to the vast space at a distance of 400 km outside the earth. The three astronauts will land safely in the Indian Ocean after observing space for 72 hours (three days and nights) continuously in their main crew module.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister said that the four astronauts of Gaganyaan are not just names or four individuals but four forces that take the inspiration of 140 crore Indians into space. After four decades of independence, an Indian is going to go to space. But this time the time is also ours, the countdown is also ours, the rocket is also ours.

* Introduction of four astronauts: ISRO sources have informed that the four astronauts selected for Gaganyaan are Indian Air Force officers. All four astronauts have extensive experience with the Indian Air Force as Test Pilots. That is, these four astronauts have performed extremely successfully in the challenging conditions of ever-changing weather conditions while flying in the vast sky. Well versed with all the machinery of modern technology aircraft. That is why these four officers of the Indian Air Force have been selected as astronauts of Gaganyaan.

In this regard, it is natural that these four astronauts are also aware of the modern technology of Gaganyaan, its machinery, facilities, challenging situations, accurate decision-making etc.

Indian Air Force sources have given interesting information about the illustrious careers of the four astronauts, including their brilliant studies.

* Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishna Nair: Prashanth was born in 1976 in Nenmara village near Palakkad, Kerala. Prashanth Nair holds a degree in Engineering from NSS College, Palakkad. Prashanthe is a student of Indian Defense Academy (NDA). Awarded Sword of Honor as the best cadet during studies. Prashanth then joined the Indian Air Force in December, 1998. Prashanth has a vast experience of 3,000 hours of flying as a flying instructor and test pilot. He also has vast experience in flying Su-30MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Hawk, Dornier, AN-32 etc. and modern technology aircraft. Prashant Nair has also trained at the United States Staff College in America.

* Group Captain Angad Pratap: Angad Pratap was born in 1982 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Angad Pratap is also a student of NDA. Angad joined the Indian Air Force in 2004. He is a fighter pilot. Angad has 2,000 hours of experience as a test pilot. He has also served as a flying instructor in Air Force Su-30, MiG- 21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, AN-32 etc. have experience in flying aircraft.

* Group Captain Ajith Krishnan: Ajith Krishnan was born in 1982 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Ajith is also NDA. is a student of Ajith has also been awarded the Sword of Honor and the President's Gold Medal for his distinguished service during his studies and training. Ajith Krishnan joined the Indian Air Force in 2003. He has 2,900 hours of useful experience as a test pilot and flying instructor. - 29, Jaguar, Dornier, AN-32 etc. also has experience in flying. Ajit has also trained at Wellington College in America.

* Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla: Shubhanshu Shukla was born in 1985 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Shubhanshu is also a student of NDA. Shubhanshu joined the Indian Air Force in 2006. Shubhanshu has a vast experience of 2,000 hours as a test pilot. He has also gained useful experience flying MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Dornier, Hawk, AN-32 etc.

* How were the four astronauts selected? ISRO sources gave information that in 2018 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Gaganyaan. Then in 2019, a total of 60 pilots of the Indian Air Force were initially selected by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and its affiliated Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM). Then 12 pilots out of 60 were selected. In the last and final stage, a total of four pilots out of 12 have been selected.

* Where and how training was given? These four Indian Air Force fighter pilots were sent for intensive training at the Yuri Gagarin Training Center in Soviet Russia in 2020. After returning to India after training in Russia, he has also been given more intensive training at ISRO's Human Space Flight Center (HSFC) near Bangalore. Training for Gaganyaan is almost over.

All the four pilots have to undergo some special exercises including physical and mental fitness, how to live in zero gravity conditions, know various types of modern machines and their mechanisms, how to get out of them with quick and accurate decision-making if any challenging situation may arise during the space journey and also how to help the fellow astronauts. Intensive training like how to save, aero-medical training, how to wear and maintain your flight suit in Gaganyaan, special training to understand Gaganyaan flight system, simulator training, parachute training etc.

* The most powerful LVM-3 type rocket will fly with Gaganyaan? Will go at a distance of 400 km from the earth: ISRO sources have given information that the launch vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) series and considered the most powerful rocket will fly in the vast sky with Gaganyaan. The LVM-3 rocket is a three-stage rocket with solid, liquid and cryogenic components. The rocket has a CE-20 cryogenic engine. LVM-3 is 43.5 meters high, has a diameter of 4.0 meters, weight capacity of 600 tons. This rocket will be able to carry Gaganyaan's orbital module to a distance of 400 kilometers in the sky. A distance of 400 km from Earth is known as Low-Earth Orbit in astronomical terms.

* Gaganyaan will have three important modules in total: Gaganyaan will have Orbital Module (OM), Crew Module (CM), Service Module (SM). Modules are a large unit from which other smaller parts can be separated. Gaganyaan's prospective three astronauts will have a wonderful, memorable, unique experience of space exploration while staying in the crew module. Gaganyaan is equipped with a life support system with state-of-the-art technology for the safety of our astronauts. It also uses artificial intelligence, which accurately helps the astronauts survive any challenging situation - Will notify in time.