HUMANOID'S SKULL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) uncrewed Gaganyaan mission in 2025 will carry the female half humanoid Vyomitra (literally “space friend”).

Humanoid's Skull

• About: These are robotic systems designed to resemble humans — Vyomitra comes with movable arms, a torso, a face, and a neck — and function autonomously in space.
• Designed at:  ISRO’s Inertial Systems Unit  in the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 
• Weights & dimension:  800 grams in 200 mm x 220 mm.
• Made up from:  High-strength aluminium alloy to endure pressure and vibration.
• Use: To withstand the vibrational loads experienced during the launch.

How ISRO Designed the Humanoid Skull for Vyomitra

• Material Selection: The skull is made from an aluminium alloy (AlSi10Mg) known for its flexibility, light weight, and heat resistance.
• Strength and Durability: The skull is designed to withstand extreme vibrational loads during rocket launches, with a yield strength of over 220 MPa.
• Additive Manufacturing (AM) Technique: The skull was created using AM, which allows for the incorporation of lattice structures, significantly reducing the overall weight. AM follows a layered creation process, similar to 3D printing.

Vyommitra

• About: A female humanoid robot designed for space travel.
• Developed by:  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) 
• Function: To aboard the spacecraft Gaganyaan,a crewed orbital spacecraft. 
• Features: Resemble the upper human body, featuring movable arms, face, and neck equipped with sensors to perform human-like functions and assess the impacts of space travel.

oUpper torso of a human body and will primarily demonstrate operations such as Crew Console related tasks.