Russia to train Indian astronaut for Gaganyaan mission

Washington, Oct 4: Russia may bring an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) on board a Soyuz spacecraft for a short training mission in 2022.

Gaganyaan to take Indian astronaut to space by 2022

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in August this year that his country would send a national crew to space on board domestically-developed Gaganyaan spacecraft by 2022, when India celebrates the 75th anniversary of Independence.

Rakesh Sharma - First Indian in Space:

Rakesh Sharma, a former Indian Air Force pilot, was the first Indian to travel to space. He was part of the Soviet Union's Soyuz T-11 expedition, launched on April 2, 1984, as part of the Intercosmos programme. India-born Kalpana Chawla and Indian-origin Sunita Williams are among the known names to have gone to space. Chawla was one of the seven crew members who perished in the space shuttle Columbia disaster during re-entry into the earth's atmosphere in 2003.

The International Space Station (ISS) space station:

The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth orbit. Its first component launched into orbit in 1998, the last pressurised module was fitted in 2011, and the station is expected to operate until 2028. If successful, India can potentially be the fourth country to send a man to space, after erstwhile USSR, the US, and China. Denmark also has a manned space flight scheduled for 2022.

India's first manned space mission to send 3 persons :

The Indian manned mission will likely have a three-person crew entering the low Earth Orbit and will be carried out on board the indigenous Mark GSLV III launch vehicle.