‘India to send human in space in 2024’

New Delhi, Sep 13 (Mayank Nigam) India will send a human in space in the ‘Gaganyaan’ in 2024, Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh said and added that trials for the ‘Gaganyaan’ would start later this year. He also said India is planning to send a person to the deepest point on the earth. “India will send a human in space in Gaganyaan in the beginning of 2024. There is also a plan to send a person to the deepest point in the ocean in 2024,” Singh said here on Tuesday.

The minister said the first test is scheduled for later this year. He also said the schedule for ‘Gaganyaan’ launch was disturbed by Covid-19 pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the training of astronauts in Russia as well as India,” said Singh. The potential crew for the mission have been chosen from the Indian Air Force and have undergone training in Russia. ‘Gaganyaan’ is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people.