Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Two Indian astronauts will start their training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas from early August. These astronauts are part of the current pool of four designated test pilots from the Indian Air Force.
Following their NASA training, one of these astronauts is slated to participate in the upcoming Indo-US mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This mission is expected to enhance collaboration between India and the US in space exploration.
The Indo-US mission and the NASA training of Indian astronauts were announced by US President Joe Biden during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023.
The crewed Indo-US mission to the ISS is planned for launch by the end of 2024. Despite recent reports suggesting a possible delay to early 2025, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has confirmed the 2024 timeline, stating confidence in meeting this schedule.
The Indo-US mission will be executed using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule, with Axiom Space facilitating the mission operations.
This mission will be significant as it marks India’s return to crewed spaceflights after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s spaceflight aboard Soyuz T-11 to the Soviet Salyut-7 Space Station in April 1984.
The NASA training and Indo-US mission serve as preparatory steps for India’s homegrown Gaganyaan program. Gaganyaan aims to launch a human-carrying spacecraft to Earth orbit and return safely to Earth, marking India's first crewed spaceflight mission.
Following a planned uncrewed Gaganyaan mission later this year or early 2025, India anticipates launching a crewed Gaganyaan mission by 2026. This mission will advance India's capabilities in human spaceflight.
India’s GSLV Mk2 rocket will also launch the Indo-US satellite NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) by late 2024 or early 2025. NISAR will monitor Earth’s vital signs, aiding in climate change studies and natural disaster assessments.