| Summary |
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| Mission Name | Gaganyaan |
| Initiated By | ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) |
| Launch Date | TBD (2024 expected) |
| Objective | First crewed spaceflight mission of India |
| Primary Vehicle | Gaganyaan Crew Module |
| Mission Duration | Approximately 5-7 days (planned) |
| Official Website | Click |
India’s human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan’s test flight, will not lift off in December 2024 as once planned. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) now expects its first uncrewed test flight, carrying the humanoid robot Vyommitra, to launch by late 2025.
The crewed mission, originally scheduled for a 2025 launch and later delayed to 2026, is now scheduled for early 2027, ex-ISRO chairman Dr. S. Somanath confirmed. The delay reflects the agency’s cautious approach to astronaut safety as it prepares India to become the fourth country to send humans into space independently.
The uncrewed flight, known as G1, will be powered by ISRO’s Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), the same rocket that carried Chandrayaan-3 to the Moon in 2023. G1 will test critical systems: rocket performance, crew and service modules, life-support functions, reentry procedures, parachute deployment, and splashdown in the Bay of Bengal.
Vyommitra, a half-humanoid robot designed to mimic astronaut activity, will monitor controls and collect data in microgravity.
Rocket hardware for G1 has already reached the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The service and crew modules are being assembled at the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
ISRO has also received a full set of parachutes from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Agra. These include drogue, pilot, and main parachutes designed to ensure a safe landing.
After G1, ISRO will conduct two more uncrewed tests (G2 and G3) in 2026, both carrying Vyommitra to validate further systems. Only after their success will the first crewed flight, H1, take place. Four Indian Air Force astronauts, currently training in Bengaluru, are expected to fly into low Earth orbit in early 2027.
Dr. Somanath also outlined other milestones in India’s space program. ISRO has finished design work for the Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 lunar missions and is awaiting government approval to proceed. Plans for a five-module Indian space station, with the first module scheduled for launch in 2028, were also confirmed.
The Gaganyaan program is seen as a major step in boosting India’s space technology sector. Success will not only advance India’s capabilities in crewed spaceflight but also cement its position among the world’s leading space powers.
