ISRO Will Begin Testing Rocket For Manned Gaganyaan Mission

ISRO is getting closer to realize its dream of using a Made-in-India spacecraft to send an Indian to space.

In an official statement, Chief K Sivan stated that ISRO had finished designing the Gaganyaan rocket. For the next phase, the rocket is going through some tests.

At the 70th Annual General Meeting and National Conference, ISRO Chief said:

A series of tests will be carried out by the space agency to test the rocket and the orbital module system. And by the end of 2021, the space agency is planning on having its first unmanned flight. Meanwhile, the first manned spaceflight is scheduled in August 2022 during the 75th independence day.

Instead of big rockets, ISRO is focusing on small rockets that are more suitable and more cost-effective for small-satellite launch programs.

ISRO Chief confirmed that the space agency was setting up the country’s second rocket launch center at Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The Sriharikota launch center can cause conflicts with the space agency’s regular scheduled launches.

In a few months, SSLV’s first developmental flight will be conducted. The space agency is building a rocket with a 10-ton capacity for Semi-Cryogenic Engine and Geostationary Transfer Orbit.

Also, as stated by K Sivan, ISRO’s lithium-ion cell technology has been shifted to industries and New Space India Ltd, its commercial arm. The company will be in charge of marketing the space agency spin-off technologies domestically and internationally. It will also monitor the manufacturing of SSLV, PSLV rockets and the transferring of small satellites.

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