Vyommitra: Bharat’s First Female Humanoid!

Recently, Minister Jitendra Singh revealed that India plans to launch a female robot astronaut named “Vyommitra” ahead of the its ambitious Gaganyaan mission, which aims to showcase India’s prowess in human spaceflight. The project aims at sending three Indian astronauts into space using Indian Launch Vehicle into the Low earth orbit of 400kms.

Who is Vyommitra?

Vyommitra is a humanoid robot that resembles a woman. The Sanskrit words “Vyom,” which means “space,” and “Mitra,” which means “friend,” are the source of its name. The Gaganyaan Mission’s second phase will see its launch.

Vyommitra is a half-humanoid as it lacks legs and has a torso which ends. Thiruvananthapuram’s ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) designed, developed, and integrated the robot, while the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), a sister ISRO facility in Thumba, built its fingers. Following are the features of Vyommitra-

• Vyommitra main function is to access how human astronauts would react in space. Her main purpose is to communicate with the life support system and perform human functions in a space environment.
• The AI-enabled robot is designed to fly on a rocket and withstand stress and vibrations while in flight. She has been designed to have human-like features, including the capacity to see, hear, and make facial expressions.
• She can perform life support functions, send out alerts, and keep an eye on module parameters.
• She has the ability to carry out tasks related to Environment Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), converse with astronauts, identify them, and respond to their queries.
• In the event that the cabin’s environment changes, the humanoid can recognize it and issue alerts.
• She will mimic every action required of astronauts and will respond to the questions in two languages.
• She will carry out a number of tasks during its roughly week-long stay in orbit. Testing the communication, navigation, and life support systems will be part of these responsibilities.

Additionally, Vyommitra will gather data on how space travel affects people. The data collected will help in designing of Gaganyaan spacecraft.

Relevance of Gaganyaan –

• Employment- The ISRO chief stated that the Gaganyaan mission would generate 15,000 new jobs, 13,000 of which would be in the private sector, and that the space organization would require an extra 900 personnel.
• Research and development- It will encourage substantial research in fields like Planetary chemistry, Materials processing, Astro-biology, mining resources, Planetary orbital calculus etc.
• Boost to industries- It is anticipated that Gaganyaan Mission will purchase almost 60% of its equipment from private Indian companies. This will boost opportunities for Indian industries in future space missions.
• Motivate – The success of India’s first human space flight will inspire generations to come. It will motivate the younger generation to venture into scientific research and play their role in future exploratory missions.

All in all , Gaganyaan is an important turning point in India’s space program. Its success will make India the fourth country in the world to send human astronauts in space. The role of Vyommitra in this is a significant one. Basically, the success of Vyommitra Mission will help guarantee the success of Gaganyaan Mission and future manned missions in space. It represents India’s dedication to space exploration, innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.