Gaganyaan project: India’s maiden mission to launch manned spacecraft – what we know so far

In terms of complexity and ambition, even the missions to the Moon (Chandrayaan) and Mars (Mangalyaan) are not considered to be as complex as a manned mission. This is primarily because such manned missions involve the ability to bring back the astronauts to a pre-determined landing ground. The mission also involves the simulation of Earth-like conditions in space.

The major challenge for the space agency happens to be the development of a launch vehicle that can carry heavy payloads into outer space. Any spacecraft that aims at carrying human beings into outer space has to have the extra payload of five to six tonnes.

Ever since Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian cosmonaut to be sent into outer space in 1984, there have been Indian astronauts who have ventured into space but with spacecraft provided by space agencies of other countries. Sharma, himself went to space on a Soviet spacecraft called Soyuz T11. The spacecraft led him to a space station called Salyut 7.

History and challenges of ISRO’s manned mission

While preparations for sending the first Indian astronaut via an Indian spacecraft have been going ever since ISRO Policy Planning Committee envisaged the idea, the Cabinet approval that came on Friday afternoon was the first official step that concretised the timeline of the Gaganyaan Project.

ISRO’s primary launch vehicle- Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which has successfully carried  Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions in the past can merely carry payloads weighing a maximum of two tonnes.

The major challenge for the space agency happens to be the development of a launch vehicle that can carry heavy payloads into outer space. Any spacecraft that aims at carrying human beings into outer space has to have the extra payload of five to six tonnes. ISRO’s primary launch vehicle- Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which has successfully carried Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions in the past can merely carry payloads weighing a maximum of two tonnes. Thus arose the need for the development of GSLV Mk-III.

After 30 years of efforts, mainly aimed at developing an indigenous cryogenic engine to power the rocket, ISRO successfully tested GSLV Mk-III, now called LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), in an experimental flight in December 2014. Then, in June last year, ISRO successfully launched the first “developmental” flight of LVM-3, which carried the GSAT-19 satellite into space.

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