ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath announced on Thursday a firm timeline for India's maiden crewed space mission, Gaganyaan. The three-astronaut crew will launch aboard a GSLV Mk III rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota during the first quarter of 2027.
Milestones Completed
The announcement comes after the successful completion of the Crew Escape System test in February and the uncrewed orbital mission (G1) in December 2025. Both tests validated critical safety systems that will protect astronauts during launch and in-orbit emergencies.
The four astronaut-designates, trained at Russia's Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and ISRO's own facility in Bengaluru, have completed their mission-specific training. Their identities will be publicly revealed closer to the launch date.
What the Mission Entails
- Three-day orbital mission at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers
- Crew will conduct microgravity experiments in the pressurized orbital module
- Splashdown recovery planned in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast
- Indian Navy ships and helicopters will be deployed for crew recovery
"Gaganyaan represents not just a technological achievement but a statement of India's capabilities as a spacefaring nation," Dr. Somanath said at the press briefing.
If successful, India will become the fourth country to independently send humans to space, after Russia, the United States, and China. The mission's estimated cost is ₹12,000 crore, a fraction of comparable programs by other space agencies.
