Indian astronauts' training on hold in Russia due to COVID-19 lockdown

Due to the ongoing lockdown in Russia over COVID-19 outbreak threat, the Russian authorities have put on hold the training of four Indian officers aspiring to become astronauts for the human flight under the Gaganyaan mission planned in 2022.

"The four pilots of the Indian Air Force including a Group Captain and three Wing Commanders have been training at the Yu. A Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow which has been shut down in view of the lockdown there," IAF sources said.

One of the four Indian Air Force pilots would be chosen to go onboard the Gaganyaan during its flight and will be chosen after a long selection procedure.

The duration of the training programme of the Indian pilots is planned to span around one year.

For the Indian astronauts scheduled to go into Space in Mission Gaganyaan, food items including egg rolls, vegetable rolls, Idli, moong dal halwa and veg pulav have been prepared by the Defence Food Research Laboratory, Mysore. The laboratory is also preparing food heaters to be provided to them.