2024: The year of Gaganyaan for ISRO

Sriharikota, Jan 1: The Indian space agency has named the year 2024 as the year of Gaganyaan with several tests being planned for the realisation of manned space mission in 2025, said a top official.

Gaganyaan is the name for India’s human space mission.

According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath, the space agency is targeting about 12-14 space missions in 2024 with its three rockets.

He also said 2024 will be the year of Gaganyaan for ISRO as it will be carrying out various tests and other activities to realise the country’s manned space mission in 2025.

Somanath said ISRO will be carrying out two more abort missions in 2024. Last year, the space agency carried out the first Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) to demonstrate the crew escape system.

According to him, ISRO will carry out two unmanned missions, helicopter drop test, launchpad abort tests and several others.

Speaking about other satellite launches Somanath said the space agency will orbit INSAT-3DS and the INDO-US collaboration satellite NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) and a second generation navigation satellite, using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

He said two commercial missions -- orbiting satellites for a fee -- and several remote sensing satellite missions for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the third flight of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) are also planned.

The Indian space agency will also test its scramjet engine and the reusable launch vehicle during the current year, Somanath said.