Editorial 1: Prelude to Flight
Context:
- Recently, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out its first test of Gaganyaan’s safety system. The maiden launch of Gaganyaan is scheduled in 2025.
- Gaganyaan’s Safety Mechanism: The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-manufactured crew module underwent its first uncrewed experimental flight on 18 December 2014. As of May 2019, design of the crew module has been completed. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will provide support for critical human-centric systems and technologies such as space-grade food, crew healthcare, radiation measurement and protection, parachutes for the safe recovery of the crew module, and the fire suppression system.
Figure: Gaganyaan Development Timeline
- Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC): The primary mandate of HSFC is to spearhead ISRO's Gaganyaan programme through coordinated efforts and focus on high standards of reliability and human safety in undertaking R&D activities in new technology areas, such as life support systems, Human Factors Engineering, Bioastronautics, Crew training and Human rating & certification. These areas would constitute important components for future sustained human space flight activities like rendezvous and docking, space station building and interplanetary collaborative manned missions to Moon/Mars and near-earth asteroids.
- These demonstrator missions include Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), Pad Abort Test (PAT) and Test Vehicle (TV) flights. Safety and reliability of all systems will be proven in unmanned missions preceding manned mission.
- Human rated LVM3 - HLVM3 LVM3 Rocket: The well proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO, is identified as the launch vehicle for Gaganyaan mission. It consists of solid stage, liquid stage and cryogenic stage. HLVM3 consists of Crew Escape System (CES) powered by a set of quick acting, high burn rate solid motors which ensures that Crew Module along with crew is taken to a safe distance in case of any emergency either at launch pad or during ascent phase.
- LVM3 - HLVM3 Orbital Module: Orbital Module (OM) that will be Orbiting Earth comprises of Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM). OM is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics systems with adequate redundancy considering human safety. CM is the habitable space with Earth like environment in space for the crew. It is of double walled construction consisting of pressurized metallic Inner Structure and unpressurised External Structure with Thermal Protection System (TPS). It houses the crew interfaces, human centric products, life support system, avionics and deceleration systems. It is also designed for re-entry to ensure safety of the crew during descent till touchdown.
- Crew Training for Gaganyaan: Astronaut Training Facility established in Bengaluru caters to Classroom training, Physical Fitness training, Simulator training and Flight suit training. Training modules cover academic courses, Gaganyaan Flight Systems, Micro-gravity familiarization through Parabolic Flights, Aero-medical training, Recovery & Survival training, mastering of Flight Procedures and training on Crew Training Simulators. Aero medical training, Periodical flying practice and Yoga are also included as part of the training.
About Gaganyaan:
Gaganyaan (from Sanskrit: gagana, "celestial" and yāna, "craft, vehicle") is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and docking capabilities. It is an Indigenous mission that envisages demonstrating human spaceflight capability. It will be launched into an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. GSLV Mk-III will be used as a launch vehicle for taking the manned crew module into space.
Importance of the Gaganyaan project:
- Economic Potential: Gaganyaan Mission is expected to source nearly 60% of its equipment from the Indian private sector. According to the ISRO chief, the Gaganyaan mission would create 15,000 new employment opportunities. 13,000 of them in private industry and the space organization would need additional manpower of 900.
- Technology: Human Space flights are the frontier field in science and technology. It will help technology spinoffs in areas such as robotics, medicine, agriculture, industrial safety, pollution, waste management, and water and food resource management.
- Scientific Temper and Inspiration: The mission will inculcate scientific temper and inspire a large number of young students to take up science and technology careers for national development.
- Space Tourism: With a good track record of ISRO’s successful launches and accomplishing the Gaganyaan mission, India can build confidence and attract significant space tourists from within the country and globally.
- Boost to India’s Space Programme: Gaganyaan is a national effort and will involve the participation of the Industry, Academia and National Agencies. The learnings from this programme can be applied to future space missions planned by ISRO such as Chandrayaan-3 and Shukrayaan-1.
- Research and Development: The human spaceflight programme will provide a unique micro-gravity platform in space for conducting experiments and test beds for future technologies, which will pave the way for India’s own space station by 2030.
- Global Prestige: With the successful launching of Gaganyaan India will become 4th country in the world to launch a human space mission after Russia, the USA and China. Therefore, the mission will not only bring prestige and recognition to the nation but will also establish it as a key player in the space industry.
Conclusion:
Therefore, Gaganyaan’s success will put India in the elite club of space superpowers. ISRO has already developed the required technology and has conducted various tests for the successful launch of the mission. This will also help leverage India’s position strategically in the global arena and be a potent international policy tool in the space sector.
Editorial 2 : It is not Woman vs Foetus
Context: Recently Supreme Court denied abortion of foetus to a woman who crossed 24 week pregnancy.
Termination beyond 26 weeks?
- Yes, in several cases. On August 21, a Bench headed by Justice Nagarathna held a special sitting on a Saturday to allow termination of pregnancy of a rape survivor whose pregnancy was at 27 weeks and three days.
- However, the difference in this case seems to be the marital status of the woman, which indicates that the conception is consensual and not a forced pregnancy in that sense.
- In September 2022, a Bench led by Justice Chandrachud allowed abortion for an unmarried woman who was 24 weeks pregnant, and was in a consensual relationship.
- The Bench cited “transformative constitutionalism” that promotes and engenders societal change, and said that “the law must remain cognizant of the fact that changes in society have ushered in significant changes in family structures”.
- There are also instances in which courts have overruled the decision of the medical board to allow termination.
Landmark Judgement on Right to Abortion:
In 2022, Supreme Court has allowed all women in the country, regardless of marital status, can undergo an abortion up to 24 weeks into pregnancy to access safe and legal abortion care. Court held that the rights of reproductive autonomy, dignity and privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution gives an unmarried woman the right of choice as to whether or not to bear a child on a similar footing as that of a married woman. It was also considered under Article 14 of the constitution, right to equality.
About:
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971: This act allowed pregnancy termination by a medical practitioner. A single doctor's opinion was necessary for abortions up to 12 weeks after conception. For pregnancies between 12 to 20 weeks old, the opinion of two doctors was required to determine if the continuance of the pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or of grave injury to her physical or mental health or if there is a substantial risk that if the child were born, it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously “handicapped” before agreeing to terminate the woman’s pregnancy.
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Regime in India:
Earlier it was regulated by Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act 1971 that stipulated a ceiling of 20 weeks for termination of pregnancy on certain grounds, beyond which abortion of a foetus is statutorily impermissible. The Act was criticised for being regressive. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021 amended the 1971 Act.
Key Provisions of the MTP (Amendment) Act 2021
- The Act increases the gestation period of women seeking abortion up from 20 weeks to 24 weeks.
- It allows abortion to be done on the advice of one doctor up to 20 weeks, and two doctors in the case of certain special categories of women between 20 and 24 weeks. The “special categories of women” include rape survivors, victims of incest, the differently-abled and minors.
- In case of the gestational period beyond 24 weeks, pregnancy may be terminated only in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities diagnosed by the Medical Board or if there is a threat to the life of the mother.
- Opinion of only one Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) will be required up to 20 weeks of gestation and two providers for termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of gestation.
- It allows unmarried women also to terminate a pregnancy up to 20 weeks in case of failure of the contraceptive method or device.
- All state and union territory governments will constitute a Medical Board which will decide if pregnancy may be terminated after 24 weeks due to substantial foetal abnormalities.
- Ensuring confidentiality/privacy of Pregnant Women: Name and other particulars of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated shall not be disclosed other than to a person authorised in any law for the time being in force.
- Opinion of only one doctor (RMP) will be required up to 20 weeks of gestation, 2 doctors for termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of gestation and Medical Board for pregnancy beyond 24 weeks.
Conclusion:
- The debate over abortion brings the ethical dilemma between pro-choice and Right To Choose, autonomy over own body. Therefore, in this situation abortion beyond a certain time duration should be carried out case by case while following rule, regulation, ethical and moral principles.