NAVY TO TRAIN GAGANYAAN ASTRONAUTS ON WATER SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES

Shoulders responsibility for recovering crew module from Indian Ocean on its return to Earth after three-day mission

- MANOJ VISWANATHAN @Kochi

While the four astronauts selected for India's inaugural human space flight programme undergo rigorous training to reignite India's space odyssey, a team in Kochi is waiting anxiously for the proud moment when Indian dreams soar into space.

While the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) are pioneering the space flight, the Indian Navy has shouldered the responsibility of recovering the crew module from the Indian Ocean on its return to earth after the three-day mission. The water survival training facility (WSTF) at INS Garuda in Kochi will be training the astronauts on survival after landing in the sea.

The Navy is the lead service responsible for the crew's recovery from the sea. The module is expected to land in the Indian Ocean and the Navy will be positioning its vessels in the region. The ISRO has marked the waters for landing with 48 backup spots.

After landing, an astronaut can open the module's hatch and jump into the water. He can inflate the personal safety pack and sit in it while awaiting the recovery team's arrival.

"This is our first attempt. The Navy, in coordination with ISRO scientists, has prepared a standard operating procedure on recovering the crew. The recovery team has been trained to ensure safe extraction of the astronauts even in harsh weather conditions," said Captain Shinodh Karthikeyan, officer in charge of WSTF.