Bengaluru, Jan 31 (IANS) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Thursday that it has launched a Human Space Flight Centre here.

"Human Space Flight Centre is operational now... The facility is next to ISRO headquarters," the city-based space agency tweeted.

The Centre is dedicated to developing critical technologies for human space missions.

The facility, unveiled by former ISRO chairman K. Kasturirangan and current chairman K. Sivan, will be headed by S. Unnikrishnan Nair as the Director.

The ISRO aims to send humans to space by December 2021 through its Gaganyaan mission.

A full-scale Gaganyaan crew module model was also unveiled at the Centre, the agency said.

R. Hutton, who was the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Director, will be heading the Gaganyaan project.

--IANS bha/ksk/mr