Indian Astronaut May Travel to ISS on Board Russia's Soyuz in 2022 - Source

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia may bring an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station on board a Soyuz spacecraft for a short training mission in 2022, a source in the Russian space industry told Sputnik.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in August this year that his country would send a national crew to space on board domestically-developed Gaganyaan spacecraft by 2022, when India celebrates the 75th anniversary of independence.

"The Russian side has offered Indian colleagues to conduct a short visit to the ISS. The flight should take place in 2022 before or after India's independent manned space mission. The agreement is expected to be signed in the near future," the source said.

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Recently Indian media reported that Russia and India can conclude an agreement on the exchange of experience and interaction in preparation for the launch of the first Indian manned space mission.

India has been developing its own space program since 1947, right after the country gained independence. The work is conducted under the guidance of the government department of space research. So, India has been stepping up the development of its indigenous space vehicle manufacture capabilities. The coordination of activities of various organizations and firms within the national space program, as well as the creation of rocket and space technology, is entrusted to the ISRO.