More women as astronauts is a part of my wish list: ISRO chief

Thiruvananthapuram: Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman S Somanath on Tuesday expressed his wish for increased female representation in the nation's space missions.

He said this desire echoes the sentiments of the nation, including that of the Prime Minister.

During an event at the Pournami Kavu temple here, where Somanath initiated children into the world of letters as part of the Vidyarambam ceremony on Vijayadasami, he shared his expectation of seeing more female astronauts in ISRO's ambitious Gaganyaan mission.

Somanath clarified that as astronauts had already been selected and trained, participation of women won't be feasible in Gaganyaan's inaugural mission, which aims to send humans to space and bring them back safely to Earth. However, he expressed optimism of greater female involvement in future Gaganyaan missions. "More women astronauts in space missions is part of my wish list, and I only echoed the voice of the nation, including that of the Prime Minister," he said.

On Sunday, the ISRO chairman had said the space agency prefers woman fighter test pilots or female scientists for its much-awaited human space flight programme-Gaganyaan- and it is possible to send them in future. He had also said ISRO would send a female humanoid - a robot that resembles a human - on its unmanned Gaganyaan spacecraft next year.