SOURCE: AFI
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the future of human spaceflight. While the current astronaut training facility in Bengaluru prepares the “Fabulous Four” – Group Captains Prashanth Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Prathap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla – for Gaganyaan’s first mission, plans are already underway for a much larger training center.
Sources close to ISRO reveal that the new facility, likely to be located in Devanahalli with Challakere still in consideration, will be built to accommodate a significantly larger astronaut corps. This expansion reflects India’s long-term commitment to human space exploration and could see the capacity grow to house 25-30 astronauts, potentially even including their families.
The current Bengaluru facility serves its purpose for the initial Gaganyaan mission, but a larger center is necessary to support a more robust astronaut program. The new facility is expected to provide comprehensive training for future missions, including classroom sessions, physical conditioning, advanced simulator training, and familiarization with various spacecraft systems.
The possibility of accommodating astronauts’ families signifies a shift towards a more permanent astronaut corps, fostering a strong support system for these space pioneers. This not only benefits the astronauts’ well-being but also suggests ISRO’s vision for a sustained human presence in space.
With this expansion, ISRO is laying the groundwork for a future filled with exciting possibilities in human space exploration. The development of a larger astronaut training center signifies India’s growing ambitions in the realm of space travel and paves the way for a new generation of astronauts to reach for the stars.