Bengaluru, India – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is taking significant steps towards a sustained future in human spaceflight. While the agency's current training facility in Bengaluru focuses on the "Fabulous Four" astronauts selected for Gaganyaan's first mission, plans for a significantly larger astronaut training center are well underway.
Sources close to ISRO indicate that the new facility will likely be located in Devanahalli, with Challakere still under consideration. This expanded center aims to accommodate a considerably larger astronaut corps, potentially housing 25-30 astronauts and possibly even their families. This is a clear sign of India's long-term commitment to human space exploration.
The existing Bengaluru facility remains instrumental in preparing the initial Gaganyaan astronauts, Group Captains Prashanth Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Prathap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. However, a more extensive facility is crucial for supporting India's ambitious spaceflight program.
The new center will offer comprehensive training, including classroom sessions, advanced simulators, physical conditioning programs, and in-depth familiarization with various spacecraft systems.
The potential inclusion of astronaut housing for families signals a move towards establishing a more permanent astronaut corps. This would create a vital support system for India's space pioneers, reflecting ISRO's vision for a sustained human presence beyond Earth's orbit.
With these developments, ISRO is setting the stage for a future brimming with exciting new possibilities in human spaceflight. The expanded astronaut training center underscores India's growing ambition within space exploration, paving the way for a new generation of astronauts to make their mark among the stars.
