New Delhi:
India’s first human spaceflight from Sriharikota will lift off in 2027. There have been repeated delays in the launch of the human space flight, but the technology is complex, and India is mastering it on its own. No country shares this critical technology.
India is spending Rs 10,000 crores on the human space programme – Gaganyaan Mission. The mission has entered its final phase, and the first spaceflight has been scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said, “The successful completion of the TV-D1 mission and the first uncrewed Test Vehicle Abort Mission earlier this year have laid a strong foundation for the upcoming test schedule”.
The second Test Vehicle mission (TV-D2) is slated for later in 2025, followed by the uncrewed orbital flights of Gaganyaan. These milestones will culminate in India’s maiden human spaceflight in 2027, launching Indian astronauts into orbit aboard an Indian rocket from Indian soil.
Calling it a “historic mission,” Dr Jitendra Singh underlined that the Gaganyaan programme goes far beyond scientific achievement. “It represents India’s rise as a global space power built on indigenous technology, fiscal prudence, and visionary political leadership,” he said. He also recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had clearly laid out India’s long-term ambitions in space, including setting up the ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
The Human-rated LVM3 vehicle, the Crew Escape System, and the Crew Module and Service Module are all undergoing final stages of testing and integration. He confirmed that the uncrewed orbital Gaganyaan mission is on track for launch later this year, with recovery trials already conducted with the Indian Navy and more sea recovery simulations planned.
Training of astronauts is also progressing steadily.
The media was informed that the four Indian Air Force pilots, selected as astronaut-designates, have completed training in Russia and are undergoing further mission-specific training in India. Their health, psychological fitness, and simulation-based operational readiness are being continuously assessed at India’s astronaut training facility.
While sharing these technical advancements, the Union Minister emphasised the cost-efficiency of the mission. “The expenditure being incurred on the Gaganyaan project is minimal when compared to similar human spaceflight missions conducted by other countries,” the Minister said. He added that the mission’s returns, both in terms of technological innovation and economic stimulus, far exceed the costs involved.
The programme has already given rise to multiple spinoffs – advancements in robotics, materials, electronics, and medicine- and is fostering deeper collaboration with Indian industry. “Today, Gaganyaan is not just ISRO’s mission. It is India’s mission,” Dr Jitendra Singh said, noting the vital role played by the private sector and startups following policy reforms initiated by the government.
