Bengaluru, February 5: Prior to the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO) ambitious Gaganyaan mission, which will be the nation's first human space journey with Indian astronauts, the country's female robot astronaut Vyommitra will be launched into space. According to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh, the manned mission Gaganyaan is scheduled for launch in 2025, while the unmanned Vyommitra mission is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.

The origin of the name Vyommitra lies in two Sanskrit words - Vyoma, which means space, and Mitra, which means friend. ISRO Unveils First Glimpse of Female 'Vyommitra' Humanoid For Gaganyaan Mission, Watch Video.

According to the Union Minister, the robot astronaut is capable of monitoring module parameters, sending out alarms, and carrying out life-support procedures. It can also operate six panels and reply to inquiries. "It has been designed in such a manner to simulate human functions in the space environment and interact with the life support system," stated Singh, as cited by Press Information Bureau (PIB).

October 21, 2023, marked the completion of the first test vehicle flight, TV D1, prior to the launch of Gaganyaan. This was done in order to certify the parachute and crew escape systems. All propulsion stages are qualified, all preparations are in place, and the launch vehicle has received its human rating. Vyommitra is India's First Humanoid to Go in Space on Gaganyaan, Here Are Other Robots That Have Been Created For Space Missions.

The goal of the Gaganyaan project is to send a crew of astronauts into a 400-kilometer orbit and return them safely to Earth in order to demonstrate human spaceflight capabilities. According to Singh, the Chandrayaan-3 Mission is operating as planned. The mission touched down on August 23, 2023, close to the Moon's south pole. He said that the crucial insights it sent will be released shortly.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2024 04:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).