iGyaan Network

Tag: Manned Spacecraft

  • NASA Plans On Sending “Gateway” Space Station To Orbit The Moon

    NASA Plans On Sending “Gateway” Space Station To Orbit The Moon

    The Vice President of the United States of America, Mike Pence has announced a program that once again wants to take humans to the surface of the moon by the year 2024. This prompts NASA to swing into action to make this Herculean task a reality. The space agency gave out a contract to a company to start off with the foundations of a small space station to put into the Moons orbit.

    NASA Gateway

    The power and propulsion systems of the space station will be built by a Colorado-based company called Maxar and the orbital outpost has been named Gateway. Unlike the Apollo missions that focused on directly landing on the moon surface, Nasa plans on building Gateway for its future lunar missions, named Artemis, from the moon’s orbit.

    The Gateway will reportedly house numerous astronauts alongside their respective tools and gears, including vehicles that would shift to and fro from the space station and the lunar surface. The space station will act as the central hub for any lunar based mission for the purpose of research or even scouting for a habitable zone.

    The White House has requested a budget increase to $1.6 billion to make for the 2024 deadline. It is yet to be stated what the overall cost of the entire program would encompass. The opposing party (Democrats) have been vocal on the many inconsistencies in the reports presented thus far and the vague nature of the mission that leaves many questions unanswered.

    Also Read: LEGO’s New Team-Battle RPG Announced By Gameloft For iOS And Android

    The last mission that had sent a human to the moon was the Apollo 17, almost 47 years ago (7th December 1972). The lunar space station in a positive light will almost certainly be a host for individuals of varying fields from different nationalities all which could, in theory, lead to habitable lunar colonies.

  • India May Send A Female Astronaut To Space In Their First Manned Mission : Says ISRO

    India May Send A Female Astronaut To Space In Their First Manned Mission : Says ISRO

    India has made much headway in space exploration as well as space research in general. From Space Capsule Recovery Experiment Mission SRE-1 in 2007 to Mars Orbiter Spacecraft launch in 2013, ‘Chandrayaan-1’  launch in 2008 and many more achievements have left a mark on space exploration as a whole. When the entire world is opposing space exploration, citing budget problems, ISRO has remained one of the most budget efficient space research organisation. 

    [blockquote]ISRO’s budget was just three per cent of that of NASA’s Budget in 2010[/blockquote]

    Chandrayaan-1

    Almost ten years after the Chandrayan-1, ISRO has decided on a window for the date of Chandrayan-2 launch. They had earlier set the date at January 3rd but were forced to change as they missed the deadline. ISRO has also set a target for two unmanned missions to space in December 2020 and July 2021, and the target for a manned mission to space in December 2021.

    What ISRO Said

    ISRO recently also stated that a woman astronaut could be a part of the first manned spacecraft that India sends to space. The ISRO chief also stated that the initial training for Gaganyaan will be done in India. Further advanced training maybe conducted in Russia. The prospect of Gangayan carrying women astronauts is extremely forward and can become an inspiration for many women in India. Kalpana Chawla was the first female of Indian origin to go to space. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. In that disaster the aircraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2003. 

    [blockquote]I would say if you have a dream, follow it. It doesn’t really matter whether you are a woman or from India or from wherever. – Kalpana Chawla [/blockquote]

    The Gaganyaan will carry a three-member crew for a minimum of seven days in space. The total cost of India’s indigenous human spaceflight  will be Rs 10,000 crore. ISRO has also said that the option for civilian inclusion in the mission will also be open. They further added that the selection will be stringent for the first mission but it might be relaxed for the second and third. It is also worth noting that the Union cabinet has already approved the Gaganyaan programme. 

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