Top Astronauts of India Ever till 2023
Today space exploration is blooming around the world. Our country is also leading in this field. India has also made efforts to stand up to the giants like America and Russia. Let us recall four major astronauts beginning with Rakesh Sharma. The first name on the list absolutely comes from Rakesh Sharma.
Rakesh Sharma is known as the first and only Indian to fly in space. At the Salute 7 Orbital Station, he spent almost 7 days 21 hours and 40 minutes. We can also mention a few names along with him. But, they have Indian origins and not Indian citizens.
Post Rakesh Sharma's space flight, the then Prime minister Indira Gandhi asked him a question that what did it feel like to see India from space? In response, he quoted Iqbal as commenting: He replied ‘Saare Jaha Se Achcha’ and left an ineradicable mark on the hearts of the people of the country.
Kalpana Chawla was the first woman to be born in India and go into space. But, miserably, she died in 2003 when the space shuttle exploded whilst returning to space from space. She first flew into space in 1997 viz the US space agency NASA. As the role of a mission specialist, she flew into space through the Columbia space shuttle as the primary robotic arm operator. After that in 2003 the space shuttle Columbia launched into the space. But, along with her and six other people, the Columbia space shuttle exploded just minutes before landing while it was returning. Seven crew members were killed in this tragic incident.
Sunita Williams is the second Indian American woman who flew into space. There were records in the past in her name as a woman who walked in space most of the time. She has walked in space almost seven times. She set the record at that time as the woman who did the longest spacewalk of approx 50 hours and 40 minutes. She has received international accolades as well.
At the same time, Sirisha Bandla is the third woman of Indian descent to reach space. Sirisha also flew to the edge of space through the Virgin Galactic spaceship with her on a space tour which was hosted by British billionaire Richard Branson. She made the journey along with five other members. Sirisha grew up in Houston, USA although she was born in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.