India is preparing for its first manned mission to space, Gaganyaan, and Russia will be making spacesuits for Indian cosmonauts undergoing training.?
The manufacturing of personal flight equipment for the Indian astronauts undergoing training in Russia has started by Research, Development & Production Enterprise Zvezda under the contract of Glavkosmos with the Human Spaceflight Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).?
"On September 3, Indian cosmonauts who have been training for a spaceflight in Russia under the contract of Glavkosmos, visited Zvezda, where their anthropometric parameters were measured for the subsequent production of spacesuits. The contract also provides for the production of individual seats and custom-made couch liners," CEO of Glavkosmos Dmitry Loskutov reportedly said.?
Human Spaceflight Centre of ISRO signed the contract for the production and delivery of individual equipment kits for Indian cosmonauts and was signed with Glavkosmos on March 11, 2020. Indian cosmonauts have been training in Russia since February 10, 2020, for the manned mission.?
Reportedly, the contract also provides for the production of individual seats and custom-made couch liners.?Four Indian Air Force fighter pilots are currently under training in Russia and are likely to be the potential candidates for Gaganyaan project.
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Not only Russia, space agencies of India and France are also currently in discussions for providing necessary equipment to Gaganyaan astronauts?- similar to the ones used by French astronaut Thomas Pesquet for Mission Alpha next year, PTI reports.?
Pesquet is scheduled to return to the International Space Station next year aboard SpaceX¡¯s Dragon spacecraft that¡¯s scheduled for early next year.?
ISRO and the French space agency are collaborating on nearly Rs 10,000 crore for the Gaganyaan mission.?
According to an ISRO official, "The Indian space surgeons will also go to France next year once the coronavirus situation eases." He, however, hasn¡¯t mentioned anything about the collaboration for the supply of equipment to Gaganyaan astronauts.?
The rocket that will be taking Gaganyaan astronauts to space is the GSLV Mark III that weighs a massive 640,000 kilograms with the capacity to carry three astronauts. However, in India¡¯s maiden human flight, it¡¯ll only be carrying one.?
The first unmanned Gaganyaan mission was planned in December 2020, the second unmanned mission in June 2021. The manned mission to space was planned around 2022. However, ISRO has indicated that it may be delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown.?