A historic initiative was taken at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru on Sunday. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh launched a special project on ‘Space Psychology’ here, which aims to research the mental and physical health of astronauts. This initiative is considered a decisive step towards India’s human space program.
What is this Space Psychology Project?
The name of this project is – ‘Space Psychology: Selection and Behavioral Health Training of Astronauts and Astronaut Designates for Indian Space Missions’. Under this, important research will be done on the mental health, behavior and training of astronauts selected for India’s first human space mission ‘Gaganyaan’.
Its objective is to ensure that astronauts are able to deal with challenges such as limited environment, micro-gravity, high radiation and social isolation in space for a long time.
Gaganyaan: India’s next step in space
Under the Gaganyaan mission of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), there is a plan to send Indian astronauts to space by the year 2026. After this, a permanent Indian space station by 2035 and a target to send humans to the moon by 2040 has been set.
The IAF has selected four experienced fighter pilots for this mission, all of whom are Group Captain rank officers. Separate uniforms, logos and identification marks have been made for them. Out of these, Shubhanshu Shukla has been selected for a joint mission with the US, in which he will go to the International Space Station (ISS) for 16 days this year. Prashant Balakrishnan Nair will be ready as a backup for this mission.
Some important names in India’s space history
So far only one person from India has traveled to space – Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma. He went in 1984 on the Soviet Union’s Soyuz T-11 rocket. Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra was also involved in the training with him, but he was kept as a backup in the final mission.
Now soon Gopichand Thotakur, who is a pilot and entrepreneur born in Vijayawada and now settled in America, is going to travel to space under the Blue Origin NS-25 mission. He will be the first Indian civilian to go to space while retaining Indian citizenship.
Why is space psychology important?
Recently two American astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, have been stranded in space for almost 9 months. Conditions such as limited space, microgravity, limited food and lack of human contact have a profound effect on both the mind and body of a human being. In such a situation, the importance of ‘space psychology’ increases even more.
Contribution of IAM and future direction
The IAM Institute of Bangalore is the only center in the country that works on medical standards for military flight crews. This institute, in collaboration with ISRO, is playing an important role in the selection of astronauts, aero-medical training, survival methodology and research.
In his address, Rajnath Singh said, “The role of aerospace medicine has become more important due to the continuous increase in space and air traffic. Space has also become an important area from the defense point of view and India has also mastered anti-satellite technology.” He also added that, “As we are touching new heights in space, we need to increase research and development in the field of aerospace medicine.”
Other technical achievements of IAM
IAM is not only doing research related to human body and space, but it is also giving aero-medical advice in the designing and development of Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Light Combat Helicopter, Light Combat Aircraft and now Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. Especially its contribution in cockpit design has been remarkable.
Conclusion:
India’s human space mission is no longer just a dream, but a step towards a concrete reality. Paying attention to mental and physical health is the key to the success of this mission. In such a situation, this partnership of IAF and ISRO will not only take the country forward in the scientific field, but will also make India a leader in the space sector in the coming years.
