India’s 1st human spaceflight scheduled for first quarter of 2027: Minister

New Delhi: India’s first human space mission ‘Gaganyaan’ has entered its final phase, with the first human spaceflight now scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

Dr 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,” the minister 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 at an event here.

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.

The minister 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 minister informed that 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.

“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.

ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan echoed the view that ‘Gaganyaan’ is catalysing India’s emergence as a self-reliant space power, inspiring a new generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

With the crewed mission expected in 2026, India is poised to join an elite group of nations that have independently developed the capability for human spaceflight.

IANS