India's woman robot astronaut 'Vyommitra' will fly to space this year
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New Delhi: India announced that woman robot astronaut Vyommitra will be launched into space before the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) starts on Gaganyaan, its ambitious space mission, NDTV reported.
Gagnyaan is going to be Indi's first manned space mission carrying Indian astronauts.
According to Union Minister for State Jitendra Singh, Vyommitra, the non-crewed mission will be launched in the third quarter of this year, while the manned Gaganyaan in 2025.
The minister said that Vyommitra, the robot astronaut, is able to monitor module parameters, issue alerts, and execute life-support operations. It can operate six panels and respond to queries. The robot is able to simulate human functions in the space environment and interact with a life support system.
On October 21, last year, the first test vehicle flight, TV D1, was launched successfully. The test was meant to test the crew escape system and parachute system. So far, the human rating of the launch vehicle is complete, all propulsion stages are qualified, and all preparations are in place, NDTF reports.
The Gaganyan's objective is to take humans to an orbit at 400 km and bring them back to Earth safely.
About the Chandrayaan 3 Mission, the minister said that it is following its expected course of action, and the vital inputs by the mission will be shared soon. Chandrayan 3 landed on the Moon on August 23, 2023.
The name Vyommitra is from the Sanskrit language. It is the combination of two Sanskrit words, Vyoma (meaning space) and Mitra (meaning friend).
