Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today that India is broadening its horizons in the global order, a development reflected in its ambitious space programme. The Prime Minister unveiled the names of the four astronauts selected for the country’s human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, during an event at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
The astronaut-designates, Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, were presented with their astronaut wings by the Prime Minister himself.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to launch a three-member crew into a Low Earth Orbit and return them safely to Earth after three days. The selected astronauts have undergone rigorous training in both technical knowledge and physical fitness to ensure their well-being during the mission.
“These are not just four names or four people. These are four powers who will take the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to space,” said the Prime Minister. He added, “Forty years later, an Indian is going to space. But this time, the time, the countdown, and the rocket belong to us.” This statement comes as a reminder of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (retired), who journeyed to space in 1984 as part of a Soviet mission.
As India is on the verge of becoming the world’s third-largest economy, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Gaganyaan mission will propel the nation’s space sector to new heights.
Furthermore, he highlighted the significant role women scientists are playing in the space technology sector. “India’s Nari Shakti is playing a pivotal role in the space sector. Be it Chandrayaan or Gaganyaan, no such mission can be imagined without women scientists,” he stated, acknowledging the invaluable contributions of women in India’s space exploration journey.
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