‘Scientist on human flight’
Bengaluru, Jan. 27: One of India’s first two astronauts who will be launched into outer space on an Indian rocket some 4-7 years hence will be a scientist.
In an exclusive interview to this newspaper, his first since he took over as the Isro chairman in November 2009, Mr K. Radhakrishnan, said: “The two astronauts will orbit the earth for a week between 275 and 400 km from terra firma, juggling scientific experiments and observations while enduring microgravity and other harsh conditions in the outer space. At the end of it, they will touch down in the sea.”
He said the final crew, and a standby, will be selected from among 1,000 aspirants in a process that is open to women. Prospective crew members will be trained for at least two years at the Astronaut Training Centre expected to come up on the outskirts of the city.
“We will go step-by-step because we have to ensure the crew returns safely. We are also planning a crew escape system during the ascent phase so that we can rescue them if the rocket malfunctions during flight,” Dr Radhakrishnan said.
B.R. Srikanth
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