Safety of astronauts is of paramount importance, says ISRO chairman

Unlike aircraft design, which can go through hundreds of tests before certification, human space missions offer limited opportunities for testing, which adds to the complexity, says Somanath

A human spaceflight mission is not just about launching a vehicle but about ensuring the safety of astronauts through rigorous testing and system validation, S. Somanath, chairperson, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said here on Friday.

Mr. Somanath was speaking on the progress made on the Gaganyaan mission at the ASET Conference hosted by the Aeronautical Society of India’s Thiruvananthapuram chapter. While the initial timelines for India’s first manned mission to space have seen adjustments, these were due to the intricacies involved in ensuring the safety and reliability of a crewed flight.

Unlike aircraft design, which can go through hundreds of tests before certification, human space missions offer limited opportunities for testing. This, Mr. Somanath said, adds a layer of complexity.

He also touched upon the technical achievements related to human-rated systems for the mission, particularly the development of the LVM3 launch vehicle which will be used for Gaganyaan. The conference is set to continue over the next few days, with sessions dedicated to key aspects of space transportation systems and human-rated vehicle design, a statement said.

S. Unnikrishnan Nair, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, presided. Directors of other ISRO centres also were present.

Published - September 27, 2024 08:49 pm IST