Astronaut designate Group Captain Angad Pratap describes the Gaganyaan mission as a complex prototype developmental program, urging the nation to focus on the upcoming G1 mission as a key milestone toward India’s human spaceflight objectives.
Gaganyaan Mission: A Developmental Milestone
Gaganyaan astronaut designate Group Captain Angad Pratap on Saturday noted that the Gaganyaan human space flight mission is a prototype developmental program which is bound to take some time before it fructifies. Speaking to ANI after attending the 39th National Convention on Aerospace Engineering (NCAE), organised by The Institution of Engineers, Group Captain Pratap highlighted the historical significance of the venture, attributing its momentum to decisive leadership across political and scientific spheres. “I feel the very decision to send humans to space itself was a big milestone, and the political leadership of the country and the scientific leadership of the country have shown that big heart, and they’ve taken that strong decision. We have to understand that the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission is a prototype developmental program. There are bound to be, you know, not delays; we term them as delays. There is bound to be a substantial amount of time before this fructifies. Please remember that success comes to those who wait,” he said.
Focusing on the G1 Mission
Addressing public anticipation surrounding the mission timeline, Pratap emphasised the inherently complex nature of pioneering space technology, framing the venture as a developmental endeavour that requires rigorous validation. “We must wait for the right time, and when I say we wait for the right time, it is not very long either. In the very near future, we will indeed see the next immediate milestone, which is G1. Let’s go A, B, C, D one at a time. So let’s concentrate as a country, as a nation, on the G1, the success of the G1 mission,” Pratap stated. “Whosoever in whatever capacity is part of the G1 mission, I urge them to support the mission in its best in their best possible way and let’s work together and hope for a successful G1 mission. Once we have done the G1 mission, the G2, which is the next important milestone, is going to be an absolute replica of the final human mission, which is going to fly,” he added.
Mission Scope and Future Goals
The uncrewed mission G1 is targeted for launch in 2026. Meanwhile, the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme was approved in January 2019. Its scope was expanded and revised in September 2024 to a total outlay of Rs 20,193 crore encompassing 8 missions, including precursor flights for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-01). It aims to launch a crew of 3 Indian astronauts to a 400-km orbit for a three-day mission. The first uncrewed experimental mission to validate various technologies, including Vyommitra, a half-humanoid, is targeted for Q4 of 2026. The crewed mission is targeted for 2027.
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