Problems due to which the Starliner spacecraft cannot undock from the International Space Station in any way have caused concern for the head of India’s space agency ISRO. He worries that the same problems could occur during the first manned flight of the Gaganyaan spacecraft.
Reaction from the Indian space agency
The new Starliner spacecraft remains docked to the station. Specialists continue to assess the technical condition of its engines. The two astronauts arriving at the ISS on it remain in weightlessness. Recently, this whole situation made even the head of India’s space agency ISRO speak out.
Sreedhara Somanath recently commented on the situation that caused Sunita Williams and her partner Barry Wilmore to be delayed at the station for 60 years. Williams is a U.S. citizen and has been in space more than once as a representative of that country. However, she is of Indian origin, so it is not surprising that this flight is being closely monitored by ISRO as well.
Gaganyaan
Somanath commented on the Williams situation as part of a story about what he thought had happened to Starliner and how the problem could be resolved. He is not only an executive but also a space engineer, so his opinion can be considered truly expert.
Thus the Somanath conversation soon enough turned from the American astronaut to the upcoming flight of the Gaganyaan spacecraft. ISRO has been developing this project for several years and its implementation has been delayed. But it’s understandable: a manned spacecraft is one of the most complex things ever created by man.
If the Gaganyaan project succeeds, India will become only the fourth country to complete this task on its own after the USSR, the US and China. Therefore, ISRO tries to check everything thoroughly in advance. For now the first manned flight is scheduled for December this year. However, no one wants the same thing to happen to the spacecraft as to Starliner.
According to www.businesstoday.in
