Gaganyaan by ISRO: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · Gaganyaan uncrewed test G1

Gaganyaan mission concept approved2018Complete.
Vyommitra humanoid qualification tests2024Complete.
Gaganyaan uncrewed test G1Target Oct 2026Not yet reached.
Crewed Gaganyaan missionTarget Jan 2027Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Gaganyaan uncrewed test G1 scheduled for late 2026 with Vyommitra humanoid aboardMay 2025

Upcoming

Oct 2026Gaganyaan uncrewed test G1 (next)
Jan 2027Crewed Gaganyaan mission

Current obstacles

Autonomous docking never flown by IndiaOrbital rendezvous and docking are complex; India has not yet demonstrated these capabilities in spaceflight.
Crew certification timelinesAstronaut training, medical certification, and procedures add 1–2 years per test, pushing crewed flight past original targets.
Launch-pad abort capabilityCrewed vehicles need quick-escape systems if launch fails. LVM3 lacks proven crew-abort systems.

Physics limits

Low Earth orbit is a proving groundA 400 km, 7-day mission is relatively short and uses proven return technology. Beyond-LEO crewed missions require additional capability (lunar landing, long-duration life support).
Limited reusabilityLike Apollo and Soyuz, Gaganyaan is a capsule design; the orbital module is expended, limiting cost efficiency for frequent crewed missions.

How it works

3 parts

Orbital module

Crewed capsule design

Carries 3 astronauts, life support for 7 days, backup deorbit thrusters. Links to service module for main power/propulsion.

Docking system

Autonomous orbital rendezvous

Automated rendezvous and docking with service module in orbit, similar to Apollo and Soyuz.

Return and recovery

Parachute and airbag landing

Parachutes and airbags slow descent into Arabian Sea for Navy recovery of crew.

Spec sheet

Spec	Gaganyaan
Crew capacity	3 astronauts^R (reported)
Mission duration	7 days^R (reported)
Orbital altitude	400 km^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

1 update

May 2025

Major: Gaganyaan uncrewed test G1 scheduled for late 2026 with Vyommitra humanoid aboardPressTest

About ISRO

The team behind Gaganyaan

ISRO

Indian space agency, LVM3 launcher, Gaganyaan crewed mission

India's space agency, developing indigenous launch vehicles, satellites and deep-space probes. Founded 1969. Primary launcher is LVM3, capable of 8,000 kg to LEO or 4,000 kg to GTO.

ISRO operates LVM3, India's most powerful launcher, which has successfully deployed Chandrayaan-3 to the Moon and OneWeb satellite batches.
Gaganyaan (crewed program) targets uncrewed test G1 late 2026, crewed launch Q1 2027, sending 3 astronauts to 400 km for 7 days.
If successful, India will become only the fourth country to independently achieve human spaceflight, after Russia, USA, and China.

isro.gov.in (opens isro.gov.in)Company profile →

Founded: 196957 yrs
Headquarters: India
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Works in: SpaceflightLaunch
Coverage: 2 programs · 3 updateslatest 1 May 2025checked 10 Oct
Partners: European Space Agency (opens esa.int)NASA (opens nasa.gov)Government of India (opens gov.in)
People: Dr. V. Narayanan (opens isro.gov.in)Chairman

Spec

Gaganyaan

Crew capacity

3 astronauts^R (reported)

Mission duration

7 days^R (reported)

Orbital altitude

400 km^R (reported)