Two crewed missions under Gaganyaan by 2028: Govt in RS

There will be at least two crewed missions to space by 2028 under the Gaganyaan programme, Union Minister of State in the PMO Dr Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha Thursday. There will be a total of eight launches under the mission, with six uncrewed launches demonstrating technologies towards setting up India’s own space station.

“…the scope of the programme has been enhanced to demonstrate and validate various technologies of Gaganyaan programme and for building and operating Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) through a total of eight missions (2 crewed+6 uncrewed) in a phased manner by 2028,” the Minister said in his reply. Initially, two uncrewed and one crewed launches had been approved under Gaganyaan.

Last year, the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of Gaganyaan mission and setting up of BAS at a cost of Rs 20,193 crores. The first module of the BAS — which will only see robotic and not human operations — has been scheduled to be launched by 2028. The other modules, meant for humans, would require a heavier NGLV to be ready. The space station is planned to be completed by 2035.