On May 19, Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission successfully returned to the skies, two years after a rocket failure in September 2022. The mission, the seventh human flight and 25th overall for the New Shepard program, featured a six-person crew including Indian-origin entrepreneur and pilot Gopichand Thotakura. The crew also included Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate in the United States and the oldest person to travel to space at 90 years old.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for its first integrated air-drop test of the Gaganyaan crew module. This significant step marks a major milestone in India’s ambitious human spaceflight program. The Gaganyaan project aims to launch a three-member crew into a 400-kilometer orbit for a three-day mission. The crew will then return safely to Earth, landing in Indian sea waters. The air-drop test will validate critical technologies for the human spaceflight mission, including the crew module’s performance in various conditions. Additionally, ISRO has made a breakthrough in rocket engine technology with the development of a lightweight Carbon-Carbon (C-C) nozzle. This innovation will enhance the payload capacity of launch vehicles, further boosting India’s space exploration capabilities.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath announced that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will carry out the second test flight of its uncrewed Gaganyaan mission on April 24th, marking a significant milestone in India’s space exploration journey. The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capabilities by sending a three-person crew into orbit for a three-day mission, followed by a safe return to Earth in the Indian Ocean. Upon successful completion, India will join the US, Russia, and China as nations with active human spaceflight programs.
