Shortly after Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the Moon’s south pole, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the delayed Gaganyaan mission.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh shared an important update, mentioning that trials for India’s first manned space mission would commence in October. He highlighted the mission’s second stage featuring “Vyommitra,” a female-clad humanoid robot set for launch.
“After initial phases, one to three astronauts will join the Gaganyaan mission. This manned mission is anticipated to kick off around 2024,” Singh revealed to NDTV, emphasizing the significance of safely bringing back the astronauts.
All You Need To Know About Vyommitra?
Vyommitra, a half-humanoid robot introduced at the “Human Spaceflight and Exploration — Present Challenges and Future Trends” event in January 2020, represents a fusion of Sanskrit words—Vyoma (Space) and Mitra (Friend). Designed for the unmanned Gaganyaan mission, she’s equipped with the capabilities to bend sideways and forward despite lacking legs.
The Isro Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) spearheaded the design, while the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) contributed to its fingers. IISU director Sam Dayala Dev highlighted the robot’s AI-enabled features, enabling it to speak, see, express facial emotions, and withstand the rigours of space travel.
Teams from IISU, specialising in navigational systems for Isro launch vehicles, have dedicated months to Vyommitra’s development. Additionally, plans include creating a digital twin in collaboration with academic institutions such as the IITs.
Vyommitra’s role spans both unmanned and manned missions, where she will mimic astronaut tasks to analyze their behaviour. Capable of executing various procedures and imitating human actions in space, Vyommitra is poised to monitor module parameters, offer alerts, manage life support, and operate switch panels during uncrewed flights.