India prepares for human spaceflight and moon landing by 2040

New Delhi, Jul 23: India’s ambitious human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, is progressing steadily, with major technological milestones achieved, the government informed Parliament on Wednesday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said that key components such as the Human-Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3), Crew Module, Service Module, and Crew Escape System have completed development and testing. Dedicated facilities, including a Gaganyaan Control Centre, crew training centre, and upgraded launch pad, are now in place.

The first uncrewed mission (G1) under Gaganyaan is being prepared, with major hardware, such as motors and modules, already realised and stacked. The groundwork for future missions is underway, including test vehicle flights (TV-D2 and IADT-01) and a finalised crew recovery plan.

The long-term vision includes building a Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) in low Earth orbit by 2035 and landing an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040. Approval has already been granted for the development of the first module of the space station. Training for astronauts is being conducted in phases to meet both the current Gaganyaan goals and the future lunar mission timeline. These efforts, the minister noted, aim to establish India as a spacefaring nation and transform its scientific and technological landscape under the broader goal of Viksit Bharat.