Rajnath Singh becomes first Defence Minister to visit IAF's Institute of Aerospace Medicine; launches space psychology project
Rajnath Singh became the first Defence Minister to visit the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Bengaluru on 9 March 2025, where he launched an ICMR-funded centre for research on space psychology.
Summary
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) in Bengaluru on 9 March 2025, the first Defence Minister to do so. He was briefed on IAM's role in pilot training, medical evaluation and aeromedical research, and inspected the Dynamic Flight Simulator and High Performance Human Centrifuge used for high-G training of fighter pilots, and the Spatial Disorientation Simulator. He launched an ICMR extramural research project, a Centre for Advanced Research titled 'Space Psychology: Selection and Behavioural Health Training of Astronauts & Astronaut Designates for Indian Space Missions'. He called for more R&D in aerospace medicine to deal with micro-gravity, radiation and isolation in space.
Key facts
- Date
- 9 March 2025, Bengaluru
- First
- First Defence Minister to visit IAM
- Launched
- ICMR project: Space Psychology — selection and behavioural health training of astronauts
- Facilities seen
- Dynamic Flight Simulator, High Performance Human Centrifuge, Spatial Disorientation Simulator
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Which training device at the IAF's Institute of Aerospace Medicine, inspected by Rajnath Singh on 9 March 2025, is used for high-G training of fighter pilots?
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Correct answer: A — High Performance Human Centrifuge
The Dynamic Flight Simulator and High Performance Human Centrifuge are used for high-G training; the Spatial Disorientation Simulator trains pilots against disorientation.
Where is the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine, visited by Rajnath Singh on 9 March 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Bengaluru
The IAF's Institute of Aerospace Medicine is in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Consider the following statements about the ICMR project launched at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine on 9 March 2025: 1. It deals with the selection and behavioural health training of astronauts for Indian space missions. 2. It was launched by the Defence Minister during the first-ever visit by a Defence Minister to the institute. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the project is 'Space Psychology: Selection and Behavioural Health Training of Astronauts & Astronaut Designates for Indian Space Missions', launched by Rajnath Singh, the first Defence Minister to visit IAM.