The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday said that two flight surgeons will be sent to Russia to get hands-on training in space medicine from their Russian counterparts for the Gaganyaan mission, reported PTI.

The flight surgeons, who are doctors from the Indian Air Force, have specialised in aerospace medicine.

“The flight surgeons will leave soon. They will get hands-on training with flight surgeons in Russia,” an ISRO official said.

The flight surgeons will also get to train with the prospective astronauts, the official said.

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As flight surgeons are responsible for astronauts’ health before, during and after a flight; training in space medicine is a critical aspect of India’s first human space mission. 

The four test pilots of the Indian Air Force, chosen for Gaganyaan mission, have been undergoing training at the Yu A Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow since February last year.

While the training of Indian astronauts has been affected due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown in Russia, they are expected to be back in India by March.

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The flight surgeons will also travel to France for training.

“The French module of space surgeons training will be more theoretical in nature,” the official added.

Gaganyaan, an ambitious manned mission, will send three Indians to space by 2022, but could be slightly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit ISRO’s supplies from the industry, the official said.