
ISRO sets up Centre for Gaganyaan space mission
Gearing up for its maiden manned space mission ‘Gaganyaan’, ISRO unveiled its Human Space Flight Centre here Wednesday.
The space agency is gearing up for the human spaceflight programme by 2021-end that is likely to include a woman astronaut.
Gaganyaan is the “highest priority” for ISRO in 2019, according to the space agency, and the plan is to have the first unmanned mission in December 2020 and second for July 2021.
Once this is completed, the manned mission will happen in December 2021.
K Kasturirangan, former ISRO Chairman, in the presence of K Sivan, ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, inaugurated the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) Wednesday at ISRO Headquarter campus in Bengaluru, the space agency said on its website.
Directors of other ISRO Centres, former Chairman and other dignitaries were also present, it said, adding that a full scale model of Gaganyaans crew module was also unveiled during the event.
HSFC shall be responsible for implementation of Gaganyaan project which involves end-to-end mission planning, development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew selection and training and also pursue activities for sustained human space flight missions, ISRO said.
It will take the support of existing ISRO centres to implement the first development flight of Gaganyaan under the human spaceflight proogramme.
S Unnikrishnan Nair is the founder director of HSFC, while R Hutton is the project director of Gaganyaan.
The Union Cabinet gave its nod for the Rs 9,023 crore programme recently.

‘Hasn't Kashmir become paradise after 2019?' Omar Abdullah taunts BJP
- Omar Abdullah chided BJP's Suvendu Adhikari who was quoted a saying the "Bengal will become like Kashmir" if the Trinamool Congress returns to power in the assembly election.

Farm laws made for farmers or for Modi’s ‘kharabpati’ friends?: Priyanka Gandhi

Coast Guard seizes 3 Sri Lankan boats laden with drugs off Kerala coast
- Two hundred kg of cocaine and 60 kg of hashish were seized from the boats registered in Sri Lanka

Naidu values researchers for finding tech solutions for dealing with pandemic

Seer on fast for closure of all hydel power projects on Ganga writes to PM Modi
- Brahamchari Atmabodhanand of Haridwar's Matri Sadan ashram wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing his fast as ‘tapasya’, a fight against corruption and for preserving the environment.

Delhi Fire Services plan tech overhaul, reduce response time, improve efficiency

'Sex ratio better here': President Kovind praises gender equality among tribals
- The President was on a two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh. Sunday's 'Janjatiya Sammelan' where he delivered his speech was organised by the MP Tribal Welfare Department.

News updates from HT: Centre blames polls, public transport for Maha Covid spike

Beat up govt officials with sticks, says Giriraj in Bihar; CM Nitish reacts

Maharashtra Covid spike: Crowded public transport, polls to blame, says Centre

Sharad Pawar slams PM, says 'he has time for Kolkata, but not for farmers'

Odisha cabinet resolves 16 major decisions under Naveen Patnaik's chairmanship

‘Topic of emergency should be buried once and for all’, says Shiv Sena
- The Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana asked what was the need to revisit the same topic again and again when it has become obsolete.

India reaches 20 million mark, 1.5 million inoculated in a single-day
- India is behind only the United States and the United Kingdom in terms of the total number of people receiving vaccination, data from the health ministry shows.
