India approves 1.43 billion USD project to send humans into space

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NEW DELHI, Dec. 29, 2018 (BSS/XINHUA) – Indian government Friday approved a
project under which humans will be sent into space for at least a week,
officials said.

The announcement was made by Indian Minister of Electronics and Information
Ravi Shankar Prasad during a media briefing.

The project named Gaganyaan (skycraft) will incur a cost of 1.43 billion
U.S. dollars.

“Gaganyaan program is a great program in pursuit of India’s space autonomy,
which is designed to carry about three human beings for a period of minimum
seven days,” Prasad said. “It will be launched about 40 months after the
approval.”

According to Prasad, the mission will be undertaken by 2022.

The announcement of the Gaganyaan project was first made by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on India’s 72nd Independence Day speech.