Gaganyaan: 3 Indians to spend 7 days in space

New Delhi, Dec 31: Three Indian astronauts will be sent to space for up to seven days by 2022, as part of India's ambitious Gaganyaan project by ISRO.

'Gaganyaan' will carry three-member crew in space for a minimum seven days into a low earth orbit for 5-7 days, from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. A human-rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a three-member crew for the duration of the mission.

According to reports, the crew module had its first uncrewed experimental flight on 18 December 2014. The space suit for the astronauts has been designed by DEBEL, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

ISRO hopes to launch the first mission within 40 months. ISRO Chairman K Sivan had earlier it was tough due to crowded schedule but it was not possible.

ISRO's chief K Sivan had revealed in November that the agency had set a target of achieving the country's ambitious manned mission to space by 2021, with the first unmanned programme of 'Gaganyaan' planned for December 2020.

Till date, ISRO has spent Rs. 173 crore developing critical technologies for human space flight. The plan was first pitched in 2008 but was put on the backburner as the economy and Indian rockets experienced setbacks.

The Union cabinet has approved a budget of Rs. 10,000 crore for the programme. ISRO's Gaganyaan will help India become the fourth nation to independently send humans to space. The announcement of the Gaganyaan project was first made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on India's 72nd Independence Day - his fifth and final address ahead of the next general elections.