Context
Vyommitra’ humanoid is undergoing pre-flight ground tests, in order to fly aboard the first unmanned test flight ahead of the crewed Gaganyaan flight.
- A humanoid is a robot with the appearance of a human being.
About Vyommitra
- Vyommitra (vyoma means space, mitra means friend) is a female-looking spacefaring humanoid robot.
- Vyommitra is also being called a half-humanoid since she will only have a head, two hands and a torso, and will not have lower limbs.
- The AI-enabled robot has been designed to resemble a human with facial expressions and speech and sight capabilities.
- It was designed and developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to fly aboard unmanned test missions like the Gaganyaan.
- The AI-based robotic system is developed at a robotics lab at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram.
- IISU was responsible for the design, development, and integration of the robot, while ISRO centre Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba developed its fingers.
- Digital twin of Vyommitra will be developed to undergo computer simulations where the control systems are tested for microgravity conditions.
- Vyommitra will be used for an unmanned flight of ISRO’s GSLV III rocket in December 2020, which, along with a second unmanned flight in July 2021.
- This will serve as the test of ISRO’s preparedness for its maiden manned space mission, Gaganyaan, being targeted for 2022 to mark 75 years of India’s independence.
Significance
- To fly aboard unmanned test missions ahead of the Gaganyaan human space-flight mission.
- ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) has successfully integrated it with a computer ‘brain’ which enables it to ‘read’ control panels aboard the unmanned test flights and communicate with the ISRO ground stations.
About Gaganyaan Mission
- Gaganyaan is a crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (IHSP).
- The IHSP was initiated in 2007 by ISRO to develop the technology needed to launch crewed orbital spacecraft into low Earth orbit.
- ISRO had been working on related technologies and it performed a Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment and a Pad Abort Test for the mission.
- If completed in meantime, India will become the fourth nation to conduct independent human spaceflight after Russia, US, and China.
