Gaganyaan Uncrewed Mission: ISRO Eyes March Lift-Off After Repeated Delays

After missing multiple deadlines, India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme is finally edging closer to a crucial milestone. According to the latest update, the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (HLVM3 G1/OM1) is now likely to lift off before March 2026, marking a major step toward India’s goal of sending astronauts to space.

This mission will test the entire end-to-end spaceflight sequence — from launch to splashdown — using an unpressurised crew module, ensuring systems are safe before humans fly.

📊 Gaganyaan Uncrewed Mission: Key Details

🛰️ What This Mission Will Demonstrate

The upcoming uncrewed flight is designed to validate every critical phase of a human space mission. The human-rated launch vehicle will place the spacecraft in low Earth orbit, after which the crew module will safely re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, deploy parachutes, and perform a controlled splashdown — followed by recovery.

This test is essential before astronauts can be onboard.

⏳ Why Gaganyaan Has Faced Delays

First announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, Gaganyaan was initially targeted for 2021, coinciding with India’s 75th Independence anniversary. However:

• COVID-19 disrupted supply chains
• Manufacturing and system integration faced setbacks
• Revised timelines in FY22, FY23, and FY24 were missed

Even though ISRO committed to multiple missions in FY25 and FY26, the schedule has remained fluid.

🔧 Systems Already Tested & Certified

Despite the delay, ISRO has made significant technical progress:

• Crew Escape System motors tested for high & low altitudes
• Crew Module Thermal Protection System validated
• 10-parachute system successfully tested, including air-drop trials
• Half-humanoid robot performance verified
• Communications, onboard computers & vibration tests completed
• Safety items like survival kits and dosimeters certified

These milestones ensure astronaut safety once crewed missions begin.

🗓️ What Lies Ahead in the Gaganyaan Calendar

The programme has expanded from 3 missions to 8 missions — including:

• 6 uncrewed missions
• 2 crewed missions
• Launch of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station

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