The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are at loggerheads over who will be on board the spacecraft when the country’s first manned mission into space is launched in 2015.

Traditionally, countries that have sent men into space have chosen Air Force pilots as astronauts. Rakesh Sharma, the only Indian to have travelled to space so far, was also from the Air Force. He was a Squadron Leader—who retired as Wing Commander—when he went into space in 1984 aboard Soyuz T-11, the spacecraft of the then Soviet Union. So was his back up, Ravish Malhotra, who retired as Air Commodore.

But ISRO, which will plan and execute the mission, is challenging the conventional wisdom. It wants its own scientists on board the spacecraft. “It is not necessary that only men from the Services can be selected to become astronauts. Scientists from within ISRO can also be sent on the spacecraft,” says S. Satish, director of public relations at ISRO.

Satish says several scientists from NASA have travelled to space before and ISRO was not asking for anything unusual. He says even in 1984, a couple of ISRO scientists had trained alongside Rakesh Sharma and Ravish Malhotra and had been standbys for the mission. Besides, scientists are better suited for carrying out experiments in space, he claims. “Scientists enjoy a natural advantage in such complicated and highly challenging missions,” he says.

The Air Force obviously contests this. It is of the opinion that its officers who are experienced in handling flights are more suited for the job. Besides their aviation experience, Air Force pilots have a very high level of physical fitness and are better prepared to endure the physical demands of space travel, they say.

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