The Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (IHSP) is an ongoing programme by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop the technology needed to launch crewed orbital spacecraft into low Earth orbit. Three uncrewed flights, named Gaganyaan-1, Gaganyaan-2 and Gaganyaan-3 are scheduled to launch in 2024 followed by crewed flight in 2025 on an LVM3 rocket.
Before the Gaganyaan mission announcement in August 2018, human spaceflight was not a priority for ISRO, but it had been working on related technologies from 2007 and it performed a Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment and a Pad Abort Test for the mission. In December 2018, the government approved further 100 billion (US$1.5 billion) for a 7-days crewed flight of 2–3 astronauts.
If completed successfully, India will become the fourth nation to conduct independent human spaceflight after the Soviet Union/Russia, United States and China. After conducting the first crewed spaceflights, the agency intends to start a space station programme, crewed lunar landings, and crewed interplanetary missions in the long term.
History
On 9 August 2007, the then Chairman of the ISRO, G. Madhavan Nair, indicated the agency is "seriously considering" the creation of the Human Spaceflight Programme. He further indicated that within a year ISRO would report on its development of new space capsule technologies. Development of a fully autonomous orbital vehicle to carry a two-member crew into low Earth orbit (LEO) began a few months after that when the government allocated for pre-project initiatives for 2007 through 2008. A crewed orbital spaceflight would require about and a period of seven years for development. The Planning Commission estimated that a budget of was required for initial work during 2007–2012 for the crewed spaceflight. In February 2009, the Government of India authorized the human space flight programme, but fell short of fully funding it or creating the programme.
The trials for crewed space missions began in 2007 with the 600 kg Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE), launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, and safely returned to Earth 12 days later. This followed with the Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment, and the Pad Abort Test in 2018. This enables India to develop heat-resistant materials, technology and procedures necessary for human space travel.
As per memorandum of understanding (MoU), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will provide support for Human Space Mission with critical human-centric systems and technologies like space grade food, crew healthcare, radiation measurement and protection, parachutes for the safe recovery of the crew module and fire suppression system etc. Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) has worked on the space food for the crew and has been conducting trials on a G-suit for astronauts as well. A prototype called 'Advanced Crew Escape Suit' weighing 13 kg and built by Sure Safety (India) Private Limited has been tested and performance verified. While the crew module is designed to carry a total of 3 passengers, the maiden crewed mission may only have one or two crews on board.
Having shown success in all preliminary tests, the decisive push for the creation of the Human Spaceflight Programme took place in 2017, and it was accepted and formally announced by the Prime Minister on 15 August 2018. The funding is approximately Rs 10,000 crore. The testing phase was expected to begin in December 2020 and the first crewed mission was to be undertaken in December 2021. However, on 11 June 2020, it was announced that the overall schedule for the Gaganyaan launches had been postponed due to impact of COVID-19 pandemic in India, in turn revising the timetable for the HSP. As of December 2022, the first uncrewed test flight is scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-2024, with the uncrewed second and crewed third flights to follow afterward. As per ISRO, the initial review process is complete for food, potable water, emergency first aid kits and health monitoring systems for Gaganyaan mission until 16 March 2021. ISRO and CNES joint working group on Human Spaceflight Programme are collaborating on space medicine for Gaganyaan project.
Spacecraft developments
The first phase of this programme is to develop and fly the 3.7-ton spacecraft called Gaganyaan with capacity to carry a 3-member crew in low Earth orbit and safely return to Earth after a mission duration of a few orbits to two days. The extendable version of the spaceship will allow flights up to seven days, rendezvous and docking capability.