Govt: First Gaganyaan mission uncrewed flight before March next year, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The first uncrewed flight of India’s Gaganyaan mission is scheduled before March next year.
• ISRO has planned seven launches between now and the first quarter of 2026.
• EOS-10, also known as OceanSat-3A, will improve India’s observation capabilities.
• The launches include the first Indo-Mauritius joint satellite (IMJS) and the Leap-2 satellite.

Detailed Insights:

• Gaganyaan is India’s human spaceflight program and will have at least three uncrewed flights before taking astronauts to space.
• EOS-10 (OceanSat-3A) will enhance India's meteorological, oceanographic, and land-based observation capabilities.
• Other planned launches include two more earth observation satellites, one carrying 18 co-passenger satellites from India and overseas.
• ISRO is also planning strategically important missions to enhance navigation and communication capabilities.
• A technology demonstrator satellite (TDS-01) will test new technologies, and a commercial launch of the US-based Blue Bird Block-2 satellite is also planned.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gaganyaan: India's human spaceflight program to send astronauts into space.
• EOS (Earth Observation Satellite): Satellites designed for observing Earth from space.
• ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation): The space agency of the Indian government.