Cosmonaut Rakesh
Sharma - First Indian in Space
The manned space program of the Indian Space
Research Organisation has depended entirely upon
Russia, and the first Indian cosmonaut became the
138th man into space, he spent eight days in
space aboard Salyut 7. Launched along with two
other Soviet cosmonauts aboard Soyuz T-11 on 2
April 1984, was then-Squadron Leader Rakesh
Sharma, a 35 year old Indian Air Force pilot.
During the flight, Sqn. Ldr. Rakesh Sharma
conducted multispectral photography of northern
India in anticipation of the construction of
hydroelectric power stations in the Himalayas.
Rakesh Sharma and his backup, Wing Commander
Ravish Malhotra, also prepared an elaborate
series of zero-gravity Yoga exercises which
Sharma had practised aboard the Salyut 7.
Now with the rank of Wing Commander, Rakesh
Sharma, currently works at Hindustan Aeronautics
Ltd. as a test pilot for the IAF. He is
based at the Aircraft & Systems Testing
Establishment, in Bangalore and will be one of
the first test pilots to fly the indigenous Light
Combat Aircraft currently under development.
Sources and
Resources
- Other source : www.bharatrakshak.com
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