India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbitter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space missions. What are the main obstacles to launching a manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics ? Examine critically.

(1) Disruption to biological mechanisms in micro-gravity environment.

(2) Safety concerns during upward journey (eg) sudden jerks during liftoff

(3) Abnormal tissue and cell growth in space due to absence of gravity. (eg) brain gets fluid accumulation

(4.) Return to earth needs the spaceship's passing through extremely heated layer. Kalpana Chawla's Columbia met with accident here.

(5.) Decrease in bone density of astronauts over longer period of stay.

Steps taken under Gaganyaan Mission to address above challenges

(1.) Delay in Mission launch date till ISRO finds all parameters fail-safe.

(2.) Simulation exercise of astronauts with Russian facilities.

(3.) Early flight of Group Captain shukla to find any issues of botherance

(4.) Safety of spaceship being deployed is being checked for all internationally recognised standards.

(5.) 2 unmanned missions before final manned mission.

(6.) Collaboration with NASA over issues of technology deployment.