Moscow, February 12: Four Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots have begun a year-long training program in Russia at the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in Russia’s Moscow from Monday. The four IAF pilots are being trained for space missions, including the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO's) upcoming Gaganyaan mission in 2022. Gaganyaan Mission 2022: Training of Crew Members Including IAF Pilots Begins in Russia for India's First Manned Space Programme.

These four pilots chosen for the mission, have served as fighter pilots in the IAF and got selected after undergoing a rigorous testing procedure. Russian space agency Glavkosmov in a statement said, “This Monday, Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center has started the planned training program of Indian candidates for a spaceflight under the contract between Glavkosmos, JSC (part of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos) and the Human Spaceflight Centre of the ISRO.” Gaganyaan Mission: IAF Sends Seven Pilots to Undergo Training In Russia For India's First Manned Space Project.

GCTC head Pavel Vlasov, a decorated Russian test pilot on the first day of the training, addressed the Indian pilots. In his opening address, Vlasov said, “I am sure you are familiar with the history of manned space exploration, which means you know how many foreign cosmonauts and astronauts our Center has prepared....with your experience in the development of aircraft, you will successfully cope with the task of studying space technology.”

The training will involve biomedical training with regular physical exercises. The pilots will have to study the systems on the Soyuz spacecraft. This spacecraft frequently flies astronauts to International Space Station. Physical exercises are also part of the training to counter the effects of being in zero-gravity.

As per reports, 25 test pilots were part of the initial selection process. In May last year, the ISRO) and the IAF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for co-operation in the crew selection and training of astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission. In 2018, the union cabinet approved the indigenous human spaceflight programme. The total cost of the mission will be Rs 10,000 crores. The programme will include two unmanned flights and one manned flight.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2020 11:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).