India’s human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, is moving swiftly towards its first crewed mission, with key development and testing stages nearing completion, the government said on July 22, 2025. The country is also targeting the launch of a national space station by 2035 and a manned lunar mission by 2040 as part of its broader space ambitions.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, junior science minister Jitendra Singh outlined the programme’s progress and plans for India’s long-term space strategy, which includes deep-space exploration and enhanced international cooperation.

Progress on Gaganyaan

Gaganyaan aims to demonstrate India’s ability to send humans into space. Key components such as the Human-Rated LVM3 (HLVM3) rocket, the crew and service modules, and the Crew Escape System (CES) have undergone successful development and ground testing. The environmental control and life support systems – crucial for human survival in space – are also in advanced stages of development.

Preparations for the first uncrewed test flight, G1, are well underway. The crew module and service module structures are complete, and stacking of the rocket’s motors has been initiated. Recovery operations have also been mapped out with infrastructure in place for crew retrieval.

The programme includes multiple test vehicle missions, with the CES successfully validated through the TV-D1 flight. Additional tests (TV-D2 and IADT-01) are progressing.

Ground communication systems have been finalized, including feeder stations and data links via the Indian Data Relay Satellite System (IDRSS). Dedicated training and mission control facilities have been established, along with modifications to the launch pad.

From Low-Earth Orbit to Lunar Ambitions

“After demonstrating the fundamental capability for human spaceflight, the next logical step is to develop a long-duration habitat in low-earth orbit,” Singh said.

India plans to establish the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) by 2035. Five modules are envisaged, with approval granted for the first. Preliminary configuration and engineering studies have begun.

A manned lunar landing by 2040 is also on the cards. ISRO is working on launch configurations, mission planning, and life-support systems aligned with astronaut training modules.

Expanding International Cooperation

India has signed space cooperation agreements with 61 countries and five multilateral bodies, covering domains such as Earth observation, communications, navigation, and planetary exploration.

Notable projects include:

• NISAR: A joint Earth observation satellite with NASA, in advanced stages of preparation.
• TRISHNA: A thermal imaging satellite being developed with France’s CNES.
• Lunar Polar Exploration: A feasibility study was conducted with Japan’s space agency, JAXA.
• ISS Collaboration: ISRO is working with NASA and Axiom Space to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station.

Private Sector Gains Ground

India’s space sector has been liberalized to encourage private participation, with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) overseeing non-governmental space activities.

As of March 2025:

• 79 MoUs have been signed with private entities.
• 77 authorizations have been issued.
• Indian startups conducted sub-orbital flights in 2022 and 2024.
• Six companies have launched 14 satellites.

New incentives include technology funds, seed and venture capital schemes, pricing support, and access to government infrastructure.

Indigenous Technology Push

While India manufactures most of its satellites and launch vehicles domestically, it still imports certain high-tech components such as solar cells, detectors, and specialized electronics. Efforts are underway to develop these technologies indigenously.

ISRO has demonstrated key capabilities in missions such as Chandrayaan-3 (lunar lander and rover), Aditya-L1 (solar observation), and the Spadex mission (space docking).

A partially reusable launch vehicle with LOX-methane propulsion is also being developed to reduce the cost of space access. An autonomous runway landing test of a winged body vehicle has been completed, with orbital re-entry trials planned.

Roadmap Ahead

The revised Gaganyaan programme, approved in October 2024, includes three uncrewed and one crewed mission. Precursor missions for the space station include a crewed orbital mission, ISS docking, and BAS module testing.

India’s expanding space portfolio – from orbital human missions to deep-space exploration – is part of a broader vision to position the country as a major player in the global space arena.

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