Gaganyaan 2024 | ISRO's humanoid robot Vyommitra is prepping for lift-off

Vyommitra or Space Friend will go on an uncrewed space flight first to assess and enhance the safety of the mission for humans. (Image by Indian Space Research Organisation via Wikimedia Commons)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is getting ready to launch the first Gaganyaan mission, with Vyommitra, a female-looking space-faring humanoid robot as its first tester. Chandrayaan's soft-landing near the south pole of the moon has proved ISRO's mettle. And with Aditya L1 launched on September 2, 2023, preparations for a manned flight are next on the agenda.

Last week, Union minister Jitendra Singh updated the public on India's first manned space trip, revealing that trials for the project would begin in October. He said the project's second phase will involve the launch of a female humanoid robot called "Vyommitra" into space.

Aditya-L1 Mission:
The satellite is healthy and operating nominally.

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

The first Earth-bound maneuvre (EBN#1) is performed successfully from ISTRAC, Bengaluru. The new orbit attained is 245km x 22459 km.

The next maneuvre (EBN#2) is scheduled for September 5, 2023, around 03:00… pic.twitter.com/sYxFzJF5Oq

— ISRO (@isro) September 3, 2023

India launched Aditya L1, the world's first space-based observatory dedicated to studying the Sun. The launch of Gaganyaan, the first mission to send humans into space, is planned for 2024. The original launch date for the mission was 2022. However, it was pushed back because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is Gaganyaan's mission?

Indian astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma went to space. However, he accomplished this while a cosmonaut aboard a Russian spacecraft. The Gaganyaan project aims to launch a three-person crew on a three-day voyage in a 400-kilometer orbit and bring them safely back to Earth. The team will touch down in the Indian Ocean on their return trip.

Several technical challenges must be overcome before the mission can be accomplished. The Gaganyaan expedition necessitates the creation of several crucial technologies, including a launch vehicle approved for human use.

It will require creating a life support system to provide an Earth-like environment for the crew in space, an emergency escape plan for the crew, and several other characteristics of crew management, such as crew training, recovery, and rehabilitation in space. Furthermore, the Indian Air Force selected four fighter pilots for the human-crewed space travel mission as potential crew members. The crew said they had got their initial training in Russia.

What does ISRO say about Gaganyaan?

According to ISRO's website, several pre-Gaganyaan missions are in the works. Before launching humans into space, these missions serve as proof of concept for various stages of technological readiness. Flights of the Test Vehicle (TV) and the Integrated AirDrop Test (IADT) are examples of these demonstrator missions. Before a human-crewed mission takes place, an uncrewed mission will demonstrate the system's safety and reliability.
Recent reports indicate that ISRO plans to send a female-looking space-faring humanoid robot named Vyommitra on the first uncrewed Gaganyaan expedition before humans can travel to space.

What is the purpose of the Vyomitra humanoid?

During 2021's opening session of "Human Spaceflight and Exploration: Present Challenges and Future Trends," the female humanoid robot Vyommitra was the centre of attention. The unmanned spacecraft robot Vyommitra takes its name from a combination of the Sanskrit words for "Space" (Vyoma) and "Friend" (Mitra).

To prove that the crew module can travel safely across space, the ISRO plans to launch a humanoid robot. Due to its lack of legs but ability to bend forward and to the side, it is classified as a half-humanoid. Vyommitra reportedly has many skills, from alerting to providing essential life support. It has capabilities such as operating a switch panel and monitoring module parameters.

Furthermore, the robot can identify people, provide information in response to inquiries, and conduct tests on demand. The humanoid will be able to manipulate the surroundings of the life support system like a human would.