Human space flight programme – UPSC GS3

India at present does not have human space flight programme.

The only Indian citizen to ever travel to space was fighter pilot Rakesh Sharma who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 (spacecraft of former USSR) in 1984.

ISRO is preparing report to be submitted to government for approval for human space flight programme.

Critical technology developments and demonstration for indigenous human space flight capability are in progress.

The crew module systems, space suit, recovery systems, crew escape systems and elements of environmental control and life support systems already have developed by ISRO.

ISRO already has designed phased programme in place to execute such mission.

 Once it gets government approval, it will be ready to demonstrate and execute human space flight within short time frame.

If the programme approved, it could take less than 10 years for ISRO to take human to space once.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted test of Crew Escape System that provides escape mechanism for astronauts if the launch operation is aborted.

Only three countries United States of America (USA), Russia and China have human space flight programmes.