The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) is planning to send two humans to orbit in the next seven years. ISRO has submitted a Rs 12,400 crore project report to the government for its approval. Meanwhile, 2009 is going to be the year of “fireworks” for ISRO, which scheduled four more launches in 2009 and Chandrayaan II launch in 2011-12.
G Madhavan Nair, chairman, ISRO said that government has approved pre project report Rs 90 crore for Human Space Mission. Now, a detail project report was submitted to the government for approval. He noted, the planning commission already approved the Rs 12,400 crore mission.
The money will be spent for training Astronauts, setting up a launch pad, handling the crew, mission control system, technologies and hardware.
“We will be sending two humans for the orbit, 270 kms away from the Earth, in seven years”.
He also said 2009 is going to be the year of fireworks for ISRO and it would continue. "We will be launching Oceansat II, Gsat IV and Resourcesat and others. Indigenously developed cryogenic engine will be inducted this year." ISRO has scheduled four launches starting from June this year.
While giving update on Chandrayaan, which was launched end of 2008, he said it is doing well and sending pictures for the past six months. “Chandrayaan II launch plan is going on in full swing and it will be a soft launch,” said Nair.
The rocket will carry one or two small vehicles and will land it in the moon. These machines will do analysis of the samples and will send back the data. Currently Chandrayaan sends only picture but doesn’t do any analyse on the resources.
Chandrayaan II will be launched in 2011 end or 2012 beginning with Russian collobration, said Nair.
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