India Delays the First Crewed Gaganyaan Launch To 2027
India has once again shifted the goal line for the nation’s first human spaceflight, aiming to send people into space no earlier than 2027.
During a press conference on Tuesday, May 6, Indian space minister Jitendra Singh detailed the current delay, gave an update on the country’s maiden Gaganyaan crewed missions timeline, and reviewed the status of the country’s crewed spaceflight program.
ISRO Gaganyaan Mission New Launch Date
Originally scheduled to fly in 2022, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is now aiming for the first quarter of 2027 for its maiden manned launch. To properly qualify the rocket and base infrastructure, three uncrewed launches will take place prior to the historic human spaceflight.
Gaganyaan Mission Timeline and Astronaut Details
The fourth quarter of this year will see the launch of G1, the first of the three long-delayed uncrewed Gaganyaan missions. It will carry a half-humanoid robot called Vyomitra (Sanskrit for “space friend”) to gather data while in flight.
Vyomitra will also be carried by the G2 and G3 Gaganyaan missions, which are scheduled to begin in 2026. In the first quarter of 2027, the first crewed mission, known as H1, will take to the skies.
In February 2024, the Gaganyatris, or Indian astronauts, were chosen for the H1 and H2 missions. They are Shubhanshu Shukla, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, all of whom were test pilots in the Indian Air Force.
India will become just the fourth nation to launch humans into orbit on its own, following the United States, China, and the Soviet Union/Russia. The Gaganyatris will launch in pairs onboard H1 and H2. Prior to a splashdown back on Earth, the missions will place them in low Earth orbit for roughly three days. As stated by Singh, the foursome is presently in the latter stage of their training.
Key Features of HLVM3
India’s Gaganyaan spacecraft will be launched on an ISRO Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3, or HLVM3, rocket as part of the missions. With two solid rocket boosters and a newly built capsule ejection tower to separate the crew and spacecraft from the rocket in an emergency, the four-stage launch vehicle is 143 feet (43.5 meters) tall.
Gaganyaan Mission Nears Readiness with 90% Infrastructure Completed
Singh also provided development updates on the Gaganyaan mission infrastructure, including as communications systems, a mission control center, launch pad interfaces, and crew evacuation plans, during his presentation. According to Singh, development of the launch vehicle and ground support hardware is 90% finished, with only the last stages of qualification remaining.
