Space Missions are risky and there’s a big uncertainty on human safety. Sending animals and robots to space is a way to ensure that human astronauts could survive in space at all. Enter Vyommitra – the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) half humanoid that will be sent on a test trip to space ahead of Gaganyaan mission carrying human astronauts.
The other day, Union Minister Jitendra Singh revealed the half humanoid via his official twitter handle. The tweet read, In the run-up to the first Human Space Mission by India at @isro … ‘Vyommitra’, the humanoid for Gaganyaan unveiled. This prototype of humanoid will go as a trial before Gaganyaan goes with Astronauts.
In the run up to the first Human Space Mission by India at @isro … ‘Vyommitra’, the humanoid for #Gaganyaan unveiled. This prototype of humanoid will go as trial before Gaganyaan goes with Astronauts. #ISRO pic.twitter.com/pnzklgSfqu
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) January 22, 2020
In the video, you can see her self introducing as a prototype of the half humanoid. You can listen to her saying, “Hello everyone. I am Vyommitra. The prototype of the half humanoid being made for the first unmanned Gaganyaan mission. I can monitor a few module parameters, alert you, and perform life support operations.”
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From the looks of it, ISRO has done a decent job in the design department as the droid does resemble a human, albeit plasticky. It can apparently simulate humanly body movements.
Sam Dayal, ISRO scientist in an interview with ANI shared, “Legs are not there. It will try to simulate a human and report back to us. We are doing this as an experiment.”
Celebrated ISRO head K Sivan disclosed, “Four astronauts have been short-listed and they will go to Russia for training by this month-end. In 1984, Rakesh Sharma flew in a Russian module, but this time the Indian astronauts will fly in an Indian module from India.”
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First, the 4 cosmonauts will undergo 11 months of training in Russia. This will be followed by module-specific training in India.
ISRO sources claim the astronauts will be borne by “Bahubali” GSLV Mark-III, which is India’s heaviest launch vehicle. Govt of India has allocated Rs. 10,000 crores for the Gaganyaan mission, which is set to take place in 2022.
