Agency announces the setting up of Human Space Flight Centre, names Unnikrishnan Nair as director

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said work on ‘Gaganyaan’, the project to send a manned mission to space by 2022, would start soon at the newly created Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC).
• The Human Space Flight Centre [based in Bengaluru] will carry out all activities related to the human programme under which the Gaganyaan Project will function.
• ISRO also announced the appointment of Unnikrishnan Nair — who led ISRO’s Advanced Space Transportation Programme at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and has already worked in the area as the director of the Human Space Flight Project — as the director of the new centre.
• The heavy lift launch vehicle GSLV Mark III, which got operational must be suitably certified or human-rated.
• It will have two non-crew flights in December 2020 and July 2021.
• The actual flight with crew is targeted to happen by December 2021 — to meet the Prime Minister’s goal of August 2022, India’s 75th Independence anniversary.

The Hindu