Ex-Naval officer, solo circumnavigator to help ISRO on Gaganyaan mission

PTI, Aug 23, 2023, 10:20 AM IST

Commander Abhilash Tomy, a former Naval officer and solo circumnavigator from Kerala who finished second in the prestigious Golden Globe Race 2022, will be helping ISRO in connection with India’s first manned space mission — Gaganyaan.

Tomy announced this development on the social media platform X where he said that he would be consulting with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on space circumnavigation in connection with Gaganyaan.

Besides that, he said, he will also be working with the Indian Navy on their next circumnavigation attempt.

”I will be working with the Navy for their next circumnavigation attempt. In addition, I am also helping @isro with India’s first manned space mission.

”Thrilled to be consulting for a sea and space circumnavigation simultaneously. Both have been very close to my heart. Truly, adventure has an unknown outcome. #gaganyaan,” he tweeted.

Gaganyaan, the flagship project of ISRO, envisages the demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400kms for 3 days and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in sea waters.

Tomy, in April this year, scripted history by becoming the first Indian to complete the prestigious Golden Globe Race 2022.

The retired Indian Navy officer finished second in the race, a solo around-the-world sailing competition that started on September 4, 2022, from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France.

Prior to that, he had participated in the 50th-anniversary edition of the Golden Globe in 2018 but had met with an accident when he was in third position in that year’s race.

His boat was damaged in a storm, and he suffered a severe injury to his spine in the unfortunate incident after successfully spending 82 days on the high seas.

Tomy was rescued following complex international efforts.