India's maiden crewed spaceflight program, the Gaganyaan Mission, is anticipated to launch by the end of 2026. According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath, the mission's first uncrewed test flight is likely scheduled for early next year.
The Gaganyaan project aims to showcase India's human spaceflight capabilities by sending astronauts into orbit 400 kilometres above Earth for a three-day mission. Astronauts will be brought back safety to Earth with a safe landing in Indian sea waters.
If successful, the indigenous Rs 90 billion space project will make India the fourth country to send humans into space, joining the ranks of the Soviet Union, the United States, and China.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media Somanath, according to NDTV said, "We have been working on the Gaganyaan project for the last four years. Our rocket is completely ready. The (first uncrewed test flight) launch is scheduled for early next year. We wanted to do it in December this year but due to technical difficulties, it is slightly getting extended."
The ISRO Chairman further said that three other launches will take place before the crewed flight towards the end of 2026."Under the first launch, we will put a robot named Vyommitra inside. That launch will take place early next year. We will then have two more launches of similar nature. Once all the three launches are successful, we will have the crewed mission. All the astronauts are ready. We aim to launch Gaganyaan by the end of 2026," he said, as per NDTV.
In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the names of four astronauts undergoing training for the human spaceflight mission. The astronauts are Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla.
Further speaking about Chandrayaan 4, Somanath said, " The Union government has already given its approval for Chandrayaan 4. Chandrayaan (4) will again go to the same point, that is the south pole. We will see how we can go there, take some samples and bring them back on earth. It will demonstrate two types of technology – one, bringing back the sample, and two, going to the moon and coming back."