Meet 4 astronauts selected for India's space mission ‘Gaganyaan’

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Gaganyaan. He called them the four forces that encompass the aspirations of 1.4 billion people in the country. The four astronauts are -- Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, Modi said at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba near here.

“They are not just four names or four human beings, they are the four powers that are going to take the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to space. An Indian is going to space, after 40 years. This time, the time is ours, the countdown is ours and the rocket is also ours," the Prime Minister said.

Sukhoi fighter pilot Group Captain Prashanth B. Nair belongs to Kerala. In preparation for India's ambitious mission, the four pilots have been training recently and currently, they are familiarizing themselves with the mission's specifics at an ISRO facility, having completed their training in Russia.

With Gaganyaan being India's first human spaceflight mission, it was reported that all astronaut-elects would be test pilots. Following several selection rounds, the IAM and ISRO shortlisted the final four test pilots. Following some Covid-19-related delays, they received training in Russia in 2021.

The four have since been receiving assistance from several agencies while they complete different training programs in India. After four decades, an Indian was poised to venture into space and "this time around the countdown, the timing, and even the rocket would be ours", he said. The Prime Minister's office on Monday said that the PM's vision to reform the country's space sector to realise its full potential and his commitment to enhance technical and R&D (research and development) capability in the sector will get a