Over the next three weeks, India is targeting to send its first uncrewed or experimental mission as part of Gaganyaan - which envisages a demonstration of ISRO’s human spaceflight capability - while a crewed spaceflight mission is targeted for October-December of 2026, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

India is preparing for the first uncrewed spaceflight of the Gaganyaan mission, which is expected to occur within the next three weeks, likely by the end of December 2024. This mission, referred to as G1 is a crucial step in demonstrating the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) human spaceflight capabilities.

The Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, provided updates on the timeline during a recent session in the Rajya Sabha, indicating that this uncrewed flight will precede a crewed mission scheduled for late 2026.

The Gaganyaan initiative was first announced in 2018 and aims to make India the fourth country to send humans into space, following Russia, the United States, and China.

Key Details of The Gaganyaan Mission

The first uncrewed mission aims to test various systems necessary for human spaceflight. Following this, two additional uncrewed missions (G2 and G3) are planned for 2025. This mission will serve as an experimental launch to demonstrate ISRO's human spaceflight capabilities.

ISRO is technologically ready for the mission. According to Singh, the solid and liquid propulsion stages of the human-rated launch vehicle are ready for integration, and critical components like the C32 cryogenic stage are nearing completion. The crew module and service module structures have been finalized.

Timeline Overview

Two additional uncrewed missions are planned:

  Q3 2025

  Q1 2026

The first crewed flight is targeted for a window between October and December 2026.

Minister Singh reported that the solid and liquid propulsion stages of the human-rated launch vehicles are ready for flight integration, with the C32 cryogenic stage nearing completion. He highlighted that the Crew Module and Service Module structures have been realized, and flight integration activities are actively in progress. However, he noted significant challenges, particularly in securing a consistent supply of semiconductor components, which are critical for the mission's hardware.

To address these challenges, multiple sources have been identified to ensure timely delivery of essential components. The Gaganyaan Industry Meet was organized to enhance industry awareness regarding quality requirements for human space missions.

Regarding astronaut training, Singh mentioned that two out of three semesters of training for the selected astronauts, referred to as "Gaganyaatris," have been completed. This training includes the use of Independent Training Simulators and Static Mock-Up Simulators.