Bengaluru: The two Indian astronauts chosen for the collaborative ISRO-NASA mission to the Indian Space Station have finished their initial training phase in the US.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his backup, Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, are integral to Gaganyaan — India’s inaugural manned spaceflight mission, set to launch in late 2026. In preparation, they were also selected for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) and commenced their training in the USA starting the first week of August.
The Gaganyatris have successfully completed the initial training phase, as announced by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Friday.
? Gaganyaan on a Global Stage ?
The initial phase of training for Gaganyatris, part of the historic ISRO-NASA joint mission to the International Space Station, has been successfully completed.
Prime Crew: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
Backup Crew: Group Captain Prasanth…— ISRO (@isro) November 29, 2024
The initial phase of training encompassed orientations for mission-specific ground facility tours, a preliminary overview of the mission launch stages, SpaceX suit fittings, and a selection of space food options.
Additionally, the training included familiarization sessions with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the International Space Station’s various onboard systems, such as space photography, daily operational routines, and communication protocols.
A significant aspect of this phase was emergency response training for scenarios in space, including medical emergencies, as reported by the agency.
The subsequent phase of training will focus on the remaining modules of the U.S. Orbital Segment of the space station and prepare for conducting scientific research experiments in microgravity conditions during the mission.
Moreover, the crew will undergo training for various mission scenarios using the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.