India tests manned spacecraft engine

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is conducting rocket engine qualification tests for the nation's first spacecraft. The name of the project is "Gaganyan" (from sanskr. gagan — "heavens"), that is, "Celestial Ship". Its launch is possible as early as next year. This is reported by TASS.

It is reported that testing of two high power engines called Vikas is being carried out at the ISRO engine center in Mahendragir (Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India). It is known that to date the total time of the tests has exceeded 500 seconds, while the results corresponded to the goals of testing - all parameters were confirmed. According to ISRO experts, testing will resume soon.

Let's remind, in December last year, Indian Minister for Space and Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh said that India intends to conduct two test launches of unmanned spacecraft into Earth orbit in 2022.

“Then we will probably have [the manned spacecraft] Gaganyaan in 2023, which will undoubtedly make India a member of the elite club of nations in fourth place after the US, China and Russia,” he said.

Earlier, in August 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced that his country will send the first national space crew into orbit by August 2022, when India will celebrate 75 years of liberation from British colonial rule.