Description

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Context

ISRO has signed an Implementation Agreement (IA) with the Australian Space Agency (ASA) to enhance collaboration for the mission focusing on crew safety and recovery.

Details of the Agreement

Enables cooperation for search and rescue operations and recovery of crew modules in case of contingencies during the ascent phase near Australian waters.

Strengthens space collaboration between India and Australia as strategic partners.

About the Gaganyaan Mission

It is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and docking capabilities.

In its maiden crewed mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s largely autonomous 5.3-metric ton capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km altitude for up to seven days with a two- or three-person crew on board. The first crewed mission was originally planned to be launched on ISRO's HLVM3 rocket in December 2021.

As of November 2024, it is expected to be launched no earlier than 2026.

List of Manned Space Missions

Mission Name	Country	Year	Details	Significance
Vostok 1	Soviet Union (USSR)	1961	First human spaceflight; carried Yuri Gagarin into orbit for 108 minutes.	Made Yuri Gagarin the first human in space, marking the start of human space exploration.
Mercury-Redstone 3	USA	1961	First American manned mission; Alan Shepard flew a suborbital flight.	First American astronaut in space, demonstrating US capability in space travel.
Mercury-Atlas 6	USA	1962	John Glenn orbited Earth three times in the Friendship 7 spacecraft.	First American to orbit Earth, boosting the USA in the space race.
Voskhod 1	Soviet Union (USSR)	1964	First multi-person mission; three cosmonauts onboard.	Demonstrated capability for multiple crew members in a single spacecraft.
Voskhod 2	Soviet Union (USSR)	1965	Alexei Leonov conducted the first spacewalk (extravehicular activity).	Pioneered spacewalking technology, crucial for future missions.
Apollo 11	USA	1969	First human Moon landing; Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon.	Landmark achievement in space exploration; "One giant leap for mankind."
Skylab Missions	USA	1973-1974	Series of missions to the first US space station.	Conducted long-term studies of life in space and Earth's observation.
Soyuz Missions	Soviet Union/Russia	1967-Present	Long-standing series of missions, including trips to space stations and the ISS.	Backbone of Soviet and Russian human spaceflight programs.
Space Shuttle Program	USA	1981-2011	Reusable spacecraft missions; carried astronauts and payloads to space, including the ISS.	Enabled deployment of satellites, ISS construction, and advanced space experiments.
Mir Missions	Soviet Union/Russia	1986-2001	Manned missions to the Mir Space Station.	Pioneered long-term human habitation in space.
International Space Station (ISS)	USA, Russia, and partners	2000-Present	Continuous human presence; multinational crew conducting experiments in microgravity.	Largest international collaboration in space exploration.
Shenzhou 5	China	2003	First Chinese manned mission; Yang Liwei spent 21 hours in space.	Marked China's entry into manned space exploration.
Shenzhou Missions	China	2003-Present	Series of missions, including spacewalks and space station construction.	Showcased China's growing capability in human space exploration.
SpaceX Crew Dragon	USA (Private, NASA)	2020	First commercial spacecraft to carry humans (Demo-2 mission).	Revolutionized commercial space travel; enabled reusable spacecraft.
Artemis II (Planned)	USA	2024-2025	Upcoming mission to carry humans around the Moon.	Precursor to Moon landings under the Artemis program.

Sources:

HINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding the Vostok 1 mission:

It was the first human spaceflight launched by the USA in 1961.
Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space during this mission.
The mission lasted for approximately 108 minutes and completed one orbit around Earth.

Options:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, and 3

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect. Vostok 1 was launched by the Soviet Union not the USA. The mission was part of the USSR's ambitious space program during the Cold War which sought to establish Soviet dominance in space exploration.

Statement 2 is correct. Yuri Gagarin from Russia became the first human to travel into outer space on April 12, 1961. This milestone is celebrated annually as Cosmonautics Day in Russia.

Statement 3 is correct. The Vostok 1 mission lasted for about 108 minutes during which it completed one full orbit around Earth. This historic flight demonstrated human survival in space and the capability to return safely.