India Is Sending A Female Robot In The Space

Indian women continue to break glass ceilings in every sphere, from sports to business to the military. They have been making their mark in every domain. Now, an Indian woman is heading to space - well, not quite a human, but an Indian for sure. India is sending a robot astronaut, Vyommitra, on a solo space mission.

The humanoid, onboard an Indian spacecraft, will fly into space ahead of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) ambitious 'Gaganyaan' mission. Disclosing this, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said the uncrewed Vyommitra mission is scheduled around July & August 2024.

VYOMMITRA: A GIANT LEAP FOR ROBOT-KIND

Vyommitra, named after the Sanskrit words for space (vyoma) and friend (mitra), is more than just a robotic replica. The robot is equipped with instruments to gauge critical parameters and mimic basic life support operations. Developed by ISRO, the robot is equipped with sensors that would help understand the effects of radiation and weightlessness. Vyommitra is a half humanoid since she does not have legs, but she can bend sideways and perform several experiments. She is equipped with the capability to monitor module parameters, issue alerts, and execute life support operations. This female robot astronaut will gather crucial data that would be impossible to obtain through simulations. This data will be instrumental in fine-tuning Gaganyaan's technologies, ensuring the safety and well-being of future human astronauts.

VYOMMITRA'S DARING MISSION FOR GAGANYAAN'S SUCCESS

ISRO, unlike other space agencies, does not want to send animals before human missions, as has been the case in the past. In 1961, before Yuri Gagarin earned the crown to become the first human to venture into space, the Soviet Union sent a dog into space. In 1957, the Soviet Union sent a dog named Laika on board Sputnik 2, paving the path for the first successful human mission four years later. Despite six decades of space explorations, the final frontier remains an extremely hostile environment. Humans need to overcome several shortcomings; there is no room for error. If an accident happens, the crew is on their own, and a rescue mission would take a long time. Therefore, before sending humans beyond the boundaries of our planet, every care and precaution needs to be taken.

ISRO is all geared up to take the next big leap in space with the 2025 launch of its Gaganyaan mission, which will take an Indian crew into an orbit of 400 kilometers and then bring them safely back to Earth. ISRO plans to take humans on a 3-day mission on board the LVM3 rocket, a well-proven and reliable launcher. It has been reconfigured to meet human rating requirements.

India has successfully landed on the moon, has sent widely acclaimed missions to Mars & the Sun. Now, Vyommitra's mission is a stepping stone towards the first crewed mission and also towards achieving another celestial dream: an Indian space station. Clearly, there is no stopping the Indians in space.