ISRO congratulates NASA and SpaceX's manned mission

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday congratulated National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX for their manned mission and termed it as “historic”.

“Congratulations to #NASA and #SpaceX for historic first launch of manned mission after 2011. Great job!” ISRO tweeted.

Congratulations to #NASA and #SpaceX for historic first launch of manned mission after 2011. Great job !

— ISRO (@isro) June 1, 2020

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft along with two NASA astronauts successfully docked with the International Space Station on Sunday.

This was after a historic launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the dawn of a new age in commercial space travel.

Saturday’s lift-off also assumes significance as it marks the launch of humans into the orbit from US soil for the first time in nearly a decade.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley had lifted off at 3:22 pm EDT Saturday atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

India too is preparing for its first manned space mission “Gaganyaan”.

The ₹10,000-crore ambitious project is expected to be launched in 2022, the year of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

Four Indian Air Force fighter pilots who are currently undergoing training in Moscow will be the potential candidates for the Gaganyaan project.