ISRO’s Missions in 2020

Current context: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K. Sivan said that ISRO has identified four Astronauts for Gaganyaan manned mission on 31st Dec 2020.

 

• The training of the Astronauts would begin from the third week of January 2020.
• Gaganyaan is a fully autonomous spacecraft designed to carry a 3-member crew to orbit at 400 km altitude and safely return to the Earth after a mission duration of up to seven days.
• Also on 31st Dec, the Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said that India will launch Chandrayaan-3 in 2020.
• K Sivan has said that the Chandrayaan-3's configuration will be similar to that of its predecessor, the Chandrayaan-2 i.e. it will also have a lander and a rover with a propulsion module.
• In 2019, ISRO had 13 missions including 6 launch vehicle missions and 7 satellite missions.
• ISRO’s missions for 2020 include:

1. Chandrayaan 3 including Lander and Rover
2. Work on Gaganyaan fast
1. Selection of 4 astronauts
2. Training starts in the third week of January
3. First unmanned test-flight of Gaganyaan carrying humanoid
3. The first flight of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
1. Small Satellite Launch Vehicle has a payload capacity of 500 kg
2. Will operate in Low Earth orbit 500 km
3. Capability to support multiple orbital drop-offs
4. Will have dedicated launch pad in Sriharikota
5. Launchpad called Small Satellite Launch Complex
4. Many new satellites will be launched
1. 10 satellite missions at least
2. Gisat1 and Gisat-12R for advanced communication
3. Earth observation satellites Risat-2BR2, Microsat for surveillance

Question: 

Q.1 The Gaganyan mission of ISRO is scheduled to be launched in which year?
a. 2020
b. 2021
c. 2022
d. 2024