Latest news with #AngadPratap
NDTV
5 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
While Shubhanshu Shukla Was Away, Another Astronaut Simulated Space On Earth
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has announced that in a pioneering step for India's space programme, it enabled a 10-day Space Analogue Mission named ANUGAMI at the Institute for Aerospace Medicine (IAM) in Bengaluru under the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) Space Psychology Centre. The simulated space environment but in Earth's gravity was "led by IAF astronaut Group Captain Angad Pratap, [and] the crew of three tackled terra farming, resilience, mindfulness and medical emergencies in a high-fidelity space environment." Analogue space missions are an important way to simulate everything from encountering claustrophobia to loneliness, and to consume food that is suitable for astronauts. NASA says "analogue missions help its test systems, protocols, and scenarios on Earth before crews are sent to space. They enhance our capabilities on missions to low Earth orbit, and will help guide future journeys to the Moon, Mars, and beyond." Analogue missions take place in locations that have natural or engineered physical similarities to extreme space environments. They provide NASA with data about strengths and limitations of current and planned human exploration operations. Topics actively researched in analogues include how isolation affects human health, how low gravity affects the human body, and how spacewalk safety can be improved. Test locations include the Antarctic and simulated environments such as motion disorientation machines, spaceflight vehicles, and planetary habitats. The ICMR has said that "as part of Mission Anugami by ICMR's Centre for Advanced Research - Space Psychology, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General, ICMR and Air Vice Marshal Anupam Agarwal of Indian Air Force interacted with analogue astronauts of the 10-day Space Analogue Experiment." The unique experiment, a collaborative effort between IAF, ICMR and ISRO, was launched by DK Singh, Director, Human Space Flight Centre of ISRO, on July 7. The mission culminated on July 17, with Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja, DGMS (Air), seeing the final simulation. The mission ensures a leap forward in IAF's contribution to the Indian space programme. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Bengaluru-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) on March 9, becoming the first Defence Minister to visit the institute. He was briefed about the unique role of IAM in pilot training, their medical evaluation and aeromedical research. Mr Singh also inspected the Dynamic Flight Simulator and High Performance Human Centrifuge used for high-G training of fighter pilots and the spatial disorientation simulator for training pilots of the armed forces to avert the risk of spatial disorientation in flight. He also launched the Indian Council of Medical Research Extramural Research Project: Centre for Advanced Research at the institute. The title of the project is 'Space Psychology: Selection and Behavioural Health Training of Astronauts and Astronaut Designates for Indian Space Missions'. During the inauguration in March, Mr Singh underscored the importance of aerospace medicine, terming it as critical for dealing with challenges such as micro-gravity, radiation, and isolation faced by a human being in space, while also addressing physical and mental changes. "Whether it is an issue related to neurons, bone loss or mental problems, it is the responsibility of aerospace and space medicine to tackle these challenges. The field must prepare itself for bigger responsibilities in the future," he said. In his inaugural address, Mr Singh highlighted the growing need for expertise in aerospace medicine in view of the continuous increase in air and space traffic. "From a defence perspective, space has emerged as a major domain in warfare. We have taken a step forward in this direction and mastered the most-advanced technologies such as anti-satellite. India has also become the fastest-growing aviation market in the world. As we are touching new heights in space, we need to explore more possibilities in aerospace medicine. There is a need for increased R&D as research in any high-end complex technology provides benefits to many fields," the Defence Minister said.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
India's own astronaut training & space psychology protocols ready
Pic credit: IAF BENGALURU: In a milestone for India's human spaceflight ambitions, the country has indigenously validated its first medical and psychological selection and training protocols for astronauts. The validation was achieved through the successful completion of 'Anugami', a ten-day — July 7 to 17 — human space analogue experiment conducted jointly by the Indian Air Force's (IAF) Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) and ICMR, in Bengaluru. The exercise, part of the larger Gaganyaan Analogue Experiment (Ganex) that is aimed at shaping India's long-term human spaceflight programme. Until now, astronaut preparation in India has leaned heavily on international collaborations, with candidates sent abroad for specific mission training. But Ganex marks a shift towards building indigenous systems that can train, monitor, and prepare Indian astronauts at hone for future missions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo Diverse Participants At the heart of Anugami was a diverse crew designed to simulate real-world complexities of human space missions. Group Captain Angad Pratap, a Gaganyaan astronaut-designate led the mission. While the other two participants were Commander Rajiv Prasanna, a naval MiG-29K pilot with survival training experience, and Mohana Sai Akula, an independent analogue astronaut and civilian researcher from the Centre for Advanced Research in Space Psychology at IAM. This mix allowed the team to capture data across a range of performance baselines—from elite military pilots to civilian scientists—reflecting the broader participation India envisions for its future space programme. The ten-day mission, sources said, tested protocols that go beyond standard astronaut training and maintained international standards. For nine and a half days, the crew lived in a closed, space station-like environment, adhering to strict food and sleep routines, conducting onboard scientific experiments, and managing interpersonal dynamics in isolation. The final segment focused on launch and re-entry simulations, mirroring human spaceflight procedures. Key Tests Among the key tests were yoga and mindfulness routines adapted for microgravity, and terra-farming experiments using controlled light environments to study plant growth in space-like conditions. Medical emergency management was a central part of the exercise. The crew rehearsed responses to scenarios such as panic attacks, eye injuries from foreign objects, and fractured limbs. By the mission's end, participants could independently perform basic medical checks, including ECG and EEG tests, using simple protocols designed for space conditions. Civilian Astronaut An emotional and cognitive monitoring system called ECHO (Emotional and Cognitive Health Observation) was also tested. This system mapped mood patterns to specific triggers and monitored how psychological interventions—such as meditation or structured communication—helped the crew recover from stress or fatigue. Crucially, Anugami's outcomes will inform not just the human spaceflight missions but the country's plans for its own space station project. The data collected helps tailor astronaut training frameworks to different backgrounds. 'For civilian researchers, clearer cognitive and physical benchmarks have now been established. For military-trained personnel, the protocols adjust for prior experience in high-performance or survival environments,' one source said. 'We are building for the long term, creating a spectrum of selection and training models for various types of Indian citizens, not just career test pilots or air force crew,' another source said. Eyes On Future According to the Indian Air Force, Anugami marks a leap forward in the IAF's contribution to the Indian space programme. The mission was launched by DK Singh, director of Isro's Human Space Flight Centre, and concluded in the presence of Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja, director general of medical services (Air). Ganex will now continue with further experiments. Future simulations are likely to take place in extreme environments such as submarines, oceanic vessels, the Rann of Kutch, or Ladakh, feeding into a broader roadmap for India's human spaceflight future.
Deccan Herald
03-07-2025
- Science
- Deccan Herald
UP, Kerala students get rare peek into life on ISS during interaction with Shubhanshu Shukla
During the interaction, Group Captain Angad Pratap, who is part of India's maiden manned space mission Gaganyaan, was in Lucknow to create awareness among the youth about space programmes. The student interaction was part of ISRO's Vidyarthi Samvad Programme.
NDTV
01-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
"Gaganyaan Just Beginning": Astronaut Angad Pratap On India's Space Future
New Delhi: As India embarks on its ambitious Gaganyaan program, the journey of its astronaut designates offers a glimpse into the nation's future in human spaceflight. Among them is Group Captain Angad Pratap, a fighter pilot and test pilot of the highest order, who shared his experiences and insights into the rigorous training and the promise of India's space endeavours. The journey began in January 2020 when Mr Pratap and three other astronaut designates were selected for the prestigious Gaganyaan program, which is scheduled for launch early in 2027. "It's been a long journey till now. It's been five years. We trained for approximately 14 months at Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, a place steeped in history and tradition. We were trained as cosmonauts in the Soyuz spacecraft and we had a bit of format training on the Russian segment of the International Space Station as well." After completing their training in Russia, the astronauts returned to India for another round of training at the astronaut training facility in Bangalore. "We have been trained on the human-rated launch vehicle, the basic theoretical subjects related to astronautics, as well as the Gaganyaan spacecraft," Me Pratap explained. "A portion of which is remaining, which we will restart closer to the mission." Reflecting on his experience at the Russian training school, Mr Pratap described it as "wonderful to begin with because that is a place with five decades of legacy". He noted the significance of training at a facility where astronauts from around the world have honed their skills. "From 2011 till about 2020, all astronauts of the world had to come to Moscow to train, since Soyuz was the only vehicle flying to space back then," he said. Standing beside a scale model of the crew module, Mr Pratap expressed confidence in the development of the actual spacecraft at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the UR Rao Satellite Centre. "There is no denying the fact that not only me but all the other three astronauts as well-and I can say this for the entire space community-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has a very big name in the world of space," Mr Pratap added. He cited ISRO's achievements, including the Mars Orbiter Mission and Chandrayaan-3, as examples of the agency's credibility. "There has to be a great level of trust between a space traveller and his agency. Being a test pilot, I'm aware of the kind of testing protocols and how robust they are before a final product is cleared for spaceflight." The astronaut designates have visited major ISRO testing facilities, which Mr Pratap said has been a major confidence booster. "It's worked as a very big confidence-building measure and a boost to our trust in the vehicle." Mr Pratap also expressed satisfaction with the human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3, which is nearing completion. "I am more than happy. In aerospace, we don't go for big changes very soon. If a system is already proven and working, you don't change it just for comfort. Changes introduce new failure points." He emphasised that ISRO has wisely chosen to rely on its most robust and tested systems for the Gaganyaan mission. "And when it comes to the GSLV Mk3, or LVM-3, the whole world has immense trust in it. It has an enviable 100 per cent success record." Despite the long wait for a flight assignment, Mr Pratap remains grounded and patient. "Spaceflight takes time. We were awarded our space wings just last year. Globally, astronauts wait five to six years after that. Thomas Pesquet waited almost eight years," he noted. He added, "Anyone who wants to be an astronaut must accept that most of their 15-year astronaut career will be spent on Earth, working for science. It's not just about the flight. It's about patience, training, and character building." Mr Pratap and his fellow astronaut designates continue to keep their training sharp through regular technical meetings with ISRO and occasional flying stints with the Indian Air Force. "We go back to IAF once in a while and fly. Our engagement with ISRO includes regular interaction with designers and hardware developers. So both our piloting and test piloting skills are being maintained." Looking ahead, Mr Pratap is optimistic about India's broader space ambitions. "We need to think as Indians first and consider what we are about to achieve in the next two decades in spaceflight." He praised ISRO's parallel strategy in developing human spacecraft, docking systems, space station modules and lunar return capabilities. "ISRO is building all of this in parallel. The same capability that will bring back lunar samples will one day take humans to the moon and bring them back," he said. With government support and new funding, India is also developing a next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle. "It's for building bigger space stations in the future. The human space program is expanding, and things are looking good for us." When asked if he might one day go to the moon. Mr Pratap smiled and said, "It's too early to say. But what matters is that the nation progresses. Whether it's me or someone else, we should all be proud." As for Gaganyaan, he remains excited but measured. "Of course, I'm excited. But I'm also controlling my excitement. Let it happen at the right pace. Even if it's delayed by a year or more, what matters is that we have a successful mission."
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Astronaut, IISc prof pitch for back-up control for safer re-entry
BENGALURU: Isro astronaut Group Captain Angad Pratap and Assistant Professor Jishnu Keshavan from IISc, are in the final phases of their research to demonstrate the viability of a manual control system as an additional safety measure during the critical atmospheric re-entry phase of a manned spacecraft returning to Earth. The re-entry phase involves complex aerodynamics and narrow margins for error. Too steep an entry could lead to excessive heating, while too shallow a path risks the capsule skipping off the atmosphere. Pratap and Keshavan's research focuses on a possible scenario of a failure in the primary automatic Navigation, Guidance and Control (NGC) system of a crew module during re-entry. To address this, the team explored whether an astronaut could manually guide the spacecraft in such conditions with support from a partially degraded NGC system. Their system is not being designed to replace the primary NGC architecture but to complement it. The objective of automated guidance during re-entry is to ensure accurate tracking of a predefined reference trajectory all the way to touchdown. This requires designing a guidance law capable of countering potential disturbances that could otherwise alter the spacecraft's descent profile and cause deviations from the intended landing point—an outcome that must be avoided in practice. As per the abstract of their research presented at the recently concluded Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX-2025), to mitigate this possibility, the study explored the feasibility of incorporating 'a novel bank-angle based manual control scheme in a manned spacecraft during re-entry in the atmospheric altitudes of 120km - 10 km'. 'Bank-angle manipulation' used here is the same fundamental principle employed by automated systems, but adapted for human operation, as per the abstract titled 'Robust Manual Guidance Law For Manned Spacecraft Re-Entry Applications'. Using sophisticated 6-DOF (six degree-of-freedom) modelling incorporating both translational and rotational dynamics, researchers demonstrated that human pilots could successfully guide a representative manned spacecraft from re-entry altitude to parachute deployment while maintaining all critical parameters within safe limits. Manual mode is proposed as an additional backup to the multiple chains of automated modes of reentry control in case of the flight profile either exceeding predefined perturbation models, or identical failure across all automated control chains. Incorporating this additional degree of manual redundancy may enhance mission reliability for the crew capsule. The manual control scheme was explored from the standpoint of guiding the manned spacecraft manually from a predefined reentry altitude to the terminal altitude thus guaranteeing subsequent touchdown at the predefined target location. The study describes the design and testing of a 'reduced-order' flight display and manual control setup intended for emergency use. Drawing from operational precedents such as Nasa's Apollo missions, the system provides a pilot with essential information through an intuitive interface. This would allow the crew to steer the capsule towards a pre-designated landing area, even in the absence of automated controls.
