Why in News?

• Four Indian cosmonauts completed training in Russia for Gaganyaan mission and the entire process of preparation and training included a number of elements necessary for future cosmonauts, such as medical and physical training, studying the Russian language, studying the design, layout and systems of the Soyuz transport manned spacecraft.

What is Gaganyaan?

• It is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.
• The ₹10,000-crore ambitious project is expected to be launched in 2022, the year of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• It is designed to have 3-7 crew members spend 3-7 days in space in a 400-km orbit (Low Earth Orbit or LEO).
• GSLV Mk III, the three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle, will be used to launch Gaganyaan as it has the necessary payload capability.
• With this, India could potentially become the fourth country to send a man to space, after the erstwhile USSR, the US and China

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/four-indian-cosmonauts-complete-training-in-russia-for-gaganyaan-mission/article34140964.ece