IAF completes first level of selecting astronauts for Gaganyaan mission from its test pilots pool
New Delhi, Sep 7: The Indian Air Force on Friday said it has completed the first level of selecting astronauts for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission from its pool of test pilots.
The test pilots underwent necessary extensive physical exercise tests, lab investigations, radiological tests, clinical tests and evaluation on various aspects of their psychology, it added.
Air Force sources said 25 test pilots were part of the initial selection process.
This will be a multi-layered selection process and only 2-3 test pilots will make it to the final list, the sources added.
"#MissionGaganyaan -IAF completed Level-1 of Indian Astronaut selection at Institute of Aerospace Medicine. Selected Test Pilots underwent extensive physical exercise tests, lab investigations, radiological tests, clinical tests & evaluation on various facets of their psychology," the IAF tweeted.
The first Gaganyaan flight scheduled for 2022 will carry three astronauts, who will be picked from among the test pilots in the armed forces.
"Most maiden missions undertaken by different countries in the past had test pilots. So we are sticking to that for our maiden mission. We are also looking at test pilots from the armed forces which don't have woman as test pilots," an ISRO official said.
The short-listed candidate is being done in batches and the candidates will be sent to Russia for training after November.
India's first man in space Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soyuz T-11, launched on April 2, 1984, was an Indian Air Force pilot.
The ambitious Gaganyaan mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech in 2018.
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Karnataka launches state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a significant boost to India’s rapidly expanding space economy, the Karnataka government on Friday launched the country’s first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology here, officials said.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities to translate space innovation into scalable commercial outcomes, they said.
The Centre, established by the Government of Karnataka through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society in collaboration with SIA (Satcom Industry Association India) -India, was inaugurated by Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, in the presence of senior officials and industry leaders, officials said.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Kharge said that Karnataka has consistently been at the forefront of India's technology and innovation journey. With the launch of this Centre of Excellence for Space Technology, we are extending that leadership into one of the most strategic sectors of the future.
"Our focus is not just on advancing research, but on creating an ecosystem where innovation can translate into real-world applications, economic growth, and high-quality jobs. This Centre will play a critical role in positioning Karnataka as a key driver of India's space economy," he said.
According to an official statement, the CoE SpaceTech Foundation has been established under a Memorandum of Agreement between KITS and SIA-India to drive research and innovation in space technologies, industry-aligned training, startup incubation and cross-sector applications, it said.
The Centre has also formalised strategic MoUs with multiple industry and academic partners to support research in space biotech and microgravity, enable collaboration, build talent pipelines, and provide startups with training and market access, it added.
