ISRO Successfully Tests Vikas Engine For Its Manned 'Gaganyaan Mission'; Tesla CEO Elon Musk Reacts

ISRO conducted the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan programme, which will be India's first manned mission to space.

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New Delhi: Achieving yet another significant milestone, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully completed the final testing of the launch vehicle that will carry humans to space under the much-awaited 'Gaganyaan mission'.

According to reports, the space agency conducted the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan programme, which will be India's first manned mission to space.

"The test was done for the core L110 liquid stage of the human rated GSLV MkIII vehicle, as part of the engine qualification requirements for the Gaganyaan programme," the space agency said in a statement.

Soon after ISRO completed the testing, Tesla CEO and business magnate Elon Musk congratulated the space agency for achieving a noteworthy feat.

As per ISRO, the objective of the Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate the capability to send humans to low earth orbit onboard an Indian launch vehicle and bring them back to earth.

Four Indian astronaut-candidates have already undergone generic space flight training in Russia as part of the Gaganyaan programme. ISRO's heavy-lift launcher GSLV Mk III has been identified for the mission, which was formally announced by PM Modi during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2018.

Meanwhile, ISRO is also taking the help of French, Russian and US space agencies in some of the crucial activities and supply of components.