The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is advancing its space exploration capabilities with Vyommitra, a robot designed for space operations, set to be launched ahead of the human-crewed Gaganyaan mission. Indian Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, shared insights on the plans, indicating a strategic move to simulate human functions during an uncrewed space mission.
Ahead of its historical Gaganyaan Mission, India is poised to send Vyommitra, a humanoid robot, into space to inform the future manned missions. Vyommitra, whose name signifies a cosmic ally, will simulate the human operations necessary during spaceflight, ensuring that all systems involved in supporting life are fully functional and ready for future astronauts.
Dr. Jitendra Singh has highlighted the multifunctional abilities of Vyommitra, which include operating control panels and responding to environmental changes within the spacecraft, crucial for maintaining astronaut safety and mission success. This demonstrates India’s commitment to thorough testing and technological advancement in its space endeavors.
Scheduled for launch in the latter half of the year, the Vyommitra mission underscores ISRO’s dedication to rigorous preparation for Gaganyaan, which aims to send three astronauts into orbit around Earth. The country’s ambitions in space technology were also recently manifested by the successful landing of India’s Chandrayaan 3 on the lunar South Pole, with more data expected to emerge from this mission.
In 2022, ISRO’s demonstration of the Gaganyaan Test Vehicle Development Flight Mission-1 validated the crucial crew escape and parachute systems, signaling that India is on the precipice of its inaugural manned spaceflight, slated for 2025. With the groundwork laid and critical systems tested, including India’s self-developed crew escape mechanism, ISRO is at the forefront of ensuring astronaut safety for its upcoming ventures beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
