After Chandrayaan-3 mission success, ISRO eyes landing Indian astronaut on Moon by 2040

tech.hindustantimes.com:

The Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) is all set to build on its success with the Chandrayaan-3 mission that landed the Vikram Lander on the moon along with a small vehicle called Pragyan Rover. The research findings by these instruments provided deeper insight into the makings of the Moon and set the scenario for future landings. The Chandrayaan-3 mission lasted for 14 earth days and led to discovering of aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, sulphur, manganese, silicon, and oxygen in lunar soil. The place was in South Pole of the Moon now known as Shiv Shakti point.

However, ISRO is not simply thinking of sending another mission to the Moon in the form of Chandrayaan-4 mission, it has added one more objective - sending an Indian astronaut to the Moon by a certain date.

PTI reports that after the historic success of its Chandrayaan-3 mission, ISRO is going full throttle with its plans to send Indian astronauts for the first time to the Moon by 2040. This was revealed by ISRO Chairman S Somanath.

ISRO, which is based in Bengaluru, is currently working on the country's maiden manned mission, 'Gaganyaan', which aims to send astronauts into Low Earth Orbit and bring them back safely to earth.

Four pilots from the Indian Air Force who were selected for the mission are undergoing training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru, the top scientist said.

Quoting the Manorama Yearbook 2024, PTI said the Secretary of Department of Space has said, “Looking ahead, ISRO aims to take the next step in space exploration with the Gaganyaan programme, planning to launch a crew of 2 to 3 Indian astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for up to three days before safely returning them to a predefined site in Indian waters."

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