From the defence perspective, space has emerged as a major domain in warfare, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said during his visit to the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru.
Singh, the first defence minister to visit the institute, said India has taken the right step forward in the domain of space warfare and mastered most advanced technologies such as anti-satellite.
He pointed out that India has also become the fastest-growing aviation market in the world. "As we are touching new heights in space, we need to explore more possibilities in aerospace medicine. There is a need for increased R&D as research in any high-end complex technology provides benefits to many fields.”
The minister underscored the significance of aerospace medicine, terming it as critical for dealing with challenges such as micro-gravity, radiation, and isolation faced by a human being in space, while also addressing physical and mental changes.
“Whether it is an issue related to neurons, bone loss or mental problems, it is the responsibility of aerospace and space medicine to tackle these challenges. The field must prepare itself for bigger responsibilities in the future,” Singh said.
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Hailing the contributions of IAM, the defence minister said apart from aerospace medicine, the institute provides aero-medical consultancy in various aspects of crew module design and development. "Its contribution in cockpit design is noteworthy. The institute has contributed significantly in the design and development of Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Light Combat Helicopter and Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. It is also providing advice in the design and development of the country's most modern Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft."
During his visit, Singh also inspected the Dynamic Flight Simulator & High Performance Human Centrifuge used for high-G training of fighter pilots and the Spatial Disorientation Simulator for training the pilots of the Armed Forces to avert the risk of spatial disorientation in flight.