India presents astronauts for first space flight

India has presented the crew of its first manned space flight. Four air force pilots are expected to be brought into Earth orbit in the coming year and return to Earth after three days. If the mission succeeds, India would be the fourth nation after the Soviet Union, China and the USA, which successfully sends people into space. Last year, India had already succeeded in landing a spacecraft on the moon. Prime Minister Modi had announced that the country wants to bring astronauts to the moon by 2040.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday 27th February 2024 handed the astronaut wings
• The astronaut quartet comprise Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots
• The current training curriculum consists of over 200 specialized lectures
• India aims to become the fourth country in the world to independently send humans to space