Vyommitra : The First Robot Astronaut of India : A Humanoid for Gaganyaan

Vyommitra: Who is ‘Vyommitra’? Have you ever listen?

Recently Union Minister of State for Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said in a statement that the trials for ISRO's Gaganyaan missions will start in October and the second phase of the mission will launch a female space-faring humanoid robot Vyommitra.

Here two important nomenclatures are: Gaganyaan and Vyommitra. Let’s decode both the words.

First of all, who is Vyommitra and what is its purpose ?

Vyommitra (Image may be subject to copyright.)

Vyommitra is a combination of two Sanskrit words Vyoma means Space and Mitra means Friend. So, the literal meaning of Vyommitra is Space-friend. Vyommitra is the prototype of the half-humanoid (Female) and has been made to fly aboard unmanned test missions ahead of the Gaganyaan human space-flight mission. It is undergoing pre-flight ground tests at the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). Due to its lack of legs but ability to bend forward and to the side, it is classified as a half-humanoid.

As per ISRO, this AI-enabled robot is designed to fly aboard a rocket, withstanding vibrations and shock during the flight. It has been designed to resemble a human with facial expressions and speech and sight capabilities. It has also a certain level of intelligence.

Vyommitra : Skill-set

Apart from above, Vyommitra reportedly has many skills. This robot can :

• identify and converse with the people, provide information and can also respond to their queries.
• conduct tests on demands.
• simulate human functions in space as well as interact with the environment control life support system.
• manipulate surroundings.

These functions are critical as well as imperative to demonstrate and prove the safety & reliability of the system which will carry astronauts or crew module across space during travel.

Before launching humans into space, these missions serve as proof of concept for various stages of technological readiness.

Gaganyaan:

The Gaganyaan project aims to launch a three-person crew (astronauts) on a three-day voyage in a 400-kilometer Low Earth orbit and bring them safely back to Earth. The team will touch down in the Indian Ocean on their return trip. This expedition requires launch vehicle which can be used for human and other several crucial technologies.

This project to succeed, will require:

• creating a life support system to provide an Earth-like environment for the crew in space
• an emergency escape plan for the crew
• Crew management, such as crew training, recovery, and rehabilitation in space.

The Indian Air Force has already selected four fighter pilots for the human-crewed space travel mission as potential crew members. The crew had completed their initial training in Russia.

Various demonstration missions will be carried out before final takeoff.

Various Demonstration Missions (Image is taken from ISRO Website)

ISRO is expected Gaganyaan flight in 2024.

Also Read:

Project Samudrayaan