India's Gaganyaan ("Sky Vehicle") program, announced in 2018 by Prime Minister Modi, aims to send three Indian astronauts — called "Gaganauts" — into a 400-kilometer low Earth orbit for up to seven days. If successful, India will become the fourth nation (after Russia, the United States, and China) to independently launch humans into space. The program has progressed through several milestones: four Indian Air Force pilots were selected and trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia, the crew escape system was successfully tested, and uncrewed test flights were conducted. ISRO developed new technologies including a human-rated launch vehicle (GSLV Mk III/LVM3), a crew module with life support systems, and crew escape mechanisms. Gaganyaan represents the culmination of six decades of Indian space development, from Vikram Sarabhai's bicycle-transported rockets to the threshold of human spaceflight.
Gaganyaan — India Prepares to Send Humans to Space
ISRO announced the Gaganyaan program, India's first crewed spaceflight mission, aiming to send Indian astronauts (Gaganauts) into low Earth orbit and join an elite club of spacefaring nations.
Historical Context
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