Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is making significant strides in its Gaganyaan mission, with ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan emphasizing the crucial support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army. The mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space, is drawing valuable lessons from the development of the indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft program.
Speaking at the Tejas-25 national seminar in Bengaluru, which marked 25 years of the Tejas fighter program and outlined India's aviation vision up to 2047, Narayanan highlighted the national collaboration that is driving the Gaganyaan mission forward. This collaboration involves ISRO, DRDO, the Armed Forces, and various industry partners.
DRDO is extending its technological expertise beyond traditional defense applications to support Gaganyaan. The organization has developed specialized food items and advanced landing gear systems, including parachute assemblies designed for astronaut recovery operations. B K Das, Director General of Electronics and Communication Systems at DRDO, highlighted the breadth of work in progress for the mission during the DRDO Industry Synergy Meet in Bangalore. DRDO scientists have said that they are about 90% ready with the products developed for the astronauts, called "Gaganyaatris". These technologies and devices are slated for testing during the first uncrewed mission.
The DRDO's contributions include innovative food formulations to meet the nutritional demands of astronauts and precision parachute mechanisms for the safe re-entry and landing of the crew module. These advancements align with the national objective of indigenous capability development, aiming to enhance self-reliance and reduce dependence on foreign technology partners. Collaboration between DRDO and ISRO has been crucial in realizing these developments, with several technologies undergoing rigorous laboratory and field trials with successful outcomes. DRDO is also providing space food, health monitoring systems, emergency kits, radiation protection, and fire suppression systems. They have also designed textile-based electronic health kits, or Bio-Vests, that will monitor astronauts' health and send alerts to the ground station.
The Indian Army, along with the Indian Navy and Air Force, is also involved in the training of the astronauts. The Army Sports Institute (ASI) will provide specialized physical and mental endurance training, as well as survival training, based on ISRO's requirements. The Indian Navy and ISRO have also conducted "Well Deck" recovery trials, simulating the recovery of the crew module off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
ISRO plans to launch the Gaganyaan mission in March 2027. This timeline follows three uncrewed test missions, with the first, G1, expected in March 2026. G1 will carry the female humanoid robot Vyommitra to collect data in flight. The second and third missions, G2 and G3, will also carry Vyomitra and are scheduled for late 2026. The first crewed mission, H1, is planned for the first quarter of 2027.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan has emphasized that these uncrewed tests are crucial to validate the life support, re-entry, and recovery systems before astronauts embark on the mission. He also highlighted that about 90% of the Gaganyaan's development work has been finished.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to send three people to low Earth orbit and safely return them to Earth. The largely autonomous 5.3-metric tonne capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km altitude for up to seven days. The mission represents a significant step in India's space journey, demonstrating its growing capabilities in space exploration.
