Gaganyaan: India's mission to send Indians into space
India's human spaceflight mission: the plan to fly three astronauts to a 400 km orbit, the four astronaut-designates, the robot Vyommitra and the key tests.
Rohit Tandon · 17 October 2026 · 4 min read
On 3 April 1984 Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, aboard the Soviet craft Soyuz T-11. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked him how India looked from space, he replied "Saare Jahan Se Achha" — better than all the world. Now India is preparing to send Indians into space on its own rocket and its own spacecraft. The mission is called Gaganyaan.
The aim of Gaganyaan
The Gaganyaan programme was announced from the Red Fort on 15 August 2018. According to ISRO, its aim is to send three astronauts to an orbit about 400 kilometres above Earth on a mission of up to three days, and then bring them back safely to a landing in Indian waters. When it does this, India will become the fourth country, after the Soviet Union/Russia, the United States and China, to send humans into space on its own.
The main parts of Gaganyaan
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| HLVM3 rocket | The "human-rated" version of the LVM3, with extra safety features |
| Crew module | The capsule the astronauts will sit in; air, pressure and temperature are controlled |
| Service module | The part that provides engines, fuel and power |
| Crew escape system | A system that pulls the crew capsule away at once if the rocket fails |
| Vyommitra | A human-like robot that will fly on the uncrewed test flights |
The chosen astronauts
On 27 February 2024 the Prime Minister announced the names of the four astronauts chosen for Gaganyaan. All four are Indian Air Force test pilots: Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap and Shubhanshu Shukla. They have gone through tough training in Russia and India — at ISRO's astronaut training facility in Bengaluru they practised for weightlessness, emergencies and operating the craft's instruments. In June–July 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla flew to the International Space Station (ISS) on the "Axiom-4" mission — becoming the first Indian on the ISS and the second Indian in space. That experience will help Gaganyaan. Read also about the Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams.
Tests: safety first
- TV-D1 (21 October 2023): this test flight tried out the crew escape system. The capsule separated from the rocket, came down by parachute into the Bay of Bengal and was recovered by the Navy.
- Parachute and landing tests: the multi-stage parachutes needed for a safe landing at sea were tested again and again.
- Uncrewed flights: before humans fly, uncrewed flights carrying the Vyommitra robot are planned. Check ISRO's website for the latest flight dates, as they change with the safety checks.
Did you know? The name "Vyommitra" is made of two Sanskrit words — "vyom", meaning space, and "mitra", meaning friend. The robot can speak, keep an eye on the craft's instruments and send information to scientists on the ground.
The dream ahead
Gaganyaan is only the beginning. The government has set targets of building India's own space station — the "Bharatiya Antariksh Station" — by 2035 and landing an Indian on the Moon by 2040. Read the list of ISRO's missions so far in ISRO's major missions.
Key points
- Gaganyaan is India's first human spaceflight programme.
- The aim: three astronauts, a 400 km orbit and a mission of up to three days.
- The four chosen astronauts are Air Force test pilots.
- Rakesh Sharma (1984) was the first Indian in space.
- The targets are an Indian space station by 2035 and an Indian on the Moon by 2040.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first Indian to go into space?
Rakesh Sharma, who went into space on 3 April 1984 aboard the Soviet craft Soyuz T-11.
How many astronauts will Gaganyaan carry?
Three astronauts, according to the plan, to an orbit of about 400 kilometres.
India's scientists: Science and space · More articles: Science · Science questions.
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