Air Force prepares for manned space mission

The Indian Air force has started looking for the 10 potential crew members for the country's first manned space mission. The final three astronauts among the ten shortlisted candidates will be chosen by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). ISRO chairman K Sivan told The Times of India that the IAF will "screen and select 10 potential crew members for the country's first manned space mission in two months".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India's ambitious first manned flight Gaganyaan before 2022. The mission aimed at sending a three-person crew to space for a period of seven days. The spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400 km. The programme is expected to cost less than Rs 10,000 crore.

"We have an agreement with the IAF for crew training at Isro's Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru. IAF will screen around 10 crew members for the mission. This screening and selection will happen within one to two months. Isro will finally choose three members from these 10 crew members for the human spaceflight mission," the ISRO chief said.

This year, the Indian Air Force (IAF) signed a MoU with ISRO for astronaut selection and training for the ambitious Gaganyaan Programme, scheduled for 2022 to send Indian astronauts into space.

While the IAF will handle crew selection and training, DRDO will provide the life support system for crew and Navy will help in recovering the human capsule once it reenters the atmosphere and splashes down in the sea.