Isro inks deal with IAF for astronaut training

In a boost to the Gaganyaan manned mission project, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for crew selection and training.

Scheduled for 2022, the ambitious Gaganyaan mission will take three Indians to space, giving the country a decisive edge in the final frontier. Air Vice Marshal R G K Kappor, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS) Operations (Space), handed over the MoU to R Hutton, project director, Gaganyaan, IAF announced in a tweet.

The MoU will now give a big push to the astronaut selection process, expected to take over a year. Post selection, the candidates will have to go through basic training in India followed by an advanced training abroad.

The selection and basic training by IAF is likely to be led by the city-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM).