Armed forces medical services set to assist ISRO with Gaganyaan

While the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for India’s manned space mission Gaganyaan which is scheduled in 2022, the Indian Armed forces’ Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) has announced that the mission will have its full fledged support to provide medical assistance to crew members. 

ISRO officials have contacted the Armed Forces Medical Services in this regard, and now the discussion on the programme is being finalised. 

“ISRO has approached us to work with the Institute of Aerospace Medicine on the Gangayaan project,” Lieutenant General Bipin Puri, Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, said on Thursday. Puri was speaking to media on the sidelines of 67th annual Armed Forces Medical Conference held at Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) on Thursday.  

Elaborating on the details of the programme where Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) would be associated with the Gangayaan mission, Air Marshal Rajvir Singh, Director General Medical Services (AIR) said, “The biggest challenge is to get or provide medical support in the space as it is very complex issue. IAM is the only centre in the country which has worked in this field. Currently, IAM’s team is in talks with ISRO officials to chalk out a plan on how to provide medical support to the crew members during the space mission.”