ISRO’s Vyommitra — A robot friend on Gaganyaan that can talk, think, and work in space

What does ‘Vyommitra’ mean?

The ISRO unveiled Vyommitra in early 2020. The name is derived from Sanskrit — “Vyoma” meaning space, and “Mitra” meaning friend — literally, “friend in space”. This humanoid robot is designed to act as an intelligent, anthropomorphic companion for astronauts, handling both mechanical tasks and communication duties aboard India’s crewed spacecraft.

Vyommitra is not just a test dummy. It is a semi-humanoid robot with advanced sensors, voice recognition systems, and decision-making algorithms. Its primary mission is to simulate human functions in space and validate crew module systems before astronauts embark on their journey.

What will Vyommitra do on Gaganyaan Mission?

Gaganyaan will send Indian astronauts — or ‘vyomanauts’ as the ISRO calls them — into low-Earth orbit for the first time. Before that happens, ISRO plans multiple uncrewed test flights, and Vyommitra will be on board.

During these missions, Vyommitra will:

• Operate control panels and communicate with the ground station.
• Monitor environmental parameters like cabin temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels.
• Perform switch operations and system checks.
• Deliver status updates in real time.
• Imitate human physiological responses using embedded sensors.

Vyommitra’s ability to interact naturally will help ground teams study how onboard systems respond to human-like passenger conditions, ensuring the safety and reliability of future human missions.

How Vyommitra works

Vyommitra’s design strikes a balance between functionality and familiarity. Here are a few things that she can do:

• Recognise and respond to human speech and commands in English and Hindi.
• Emulate human gestures, including head and limb movements.
• Identify various control panels using vision-based technology.
• Execute ISRO-programmed tasks autonomously or in coordination with mission control.

Her AI module allows limited decision-making, mimicking cognitive responses to routine events or anomalies detected during flight. This autonomy is crucial for deep-space expeditions, where communication delays may impact real-time control.

Future prospects of Vyommitra

Last month, ISRO Chief V Narayanan said that the Vyommitra project was at an advanced stage. “This December, we plan to send the first uncrewed mission, which will include a half-humanoid called Vyommitra instead of a human being. Once this is successful, two more uncrewed missions will be completed next year.”

India will send its astronauts by the first quarter of 2027.

Vyommitra represents more than just a robot. She embodies India’s leap toward indigenous, human-rated space technology. Through her, ISRO bridges robotics, AI, and human spaceflight — a blend that showcases the agency’s multi-disciplinary strength.

Vyommitra’s technology could evolve for use in satellites, planetary rovers, or even future lunar habitats. Once fully validated, her systems could assist astronauts in complex maintenance or research tasks in microgravity environments.

From the homepage

EC announces Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in 12 states, UTs

What happened behind the scenes – and a screen – when Vijay met families of Karur stampede victims?

Energy trade principles applied selectively: Jaishankar’s swipe at US after meeting Rubio