India completes crucial test in crewed space mission after delay
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The Indian Space Research Organisation has said it will explore ways to achieve a sustained human presence in space once Gaganyaan is completed.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MUMBAI – India on Saturday completed a key test in its ambitious crewed space mission Gaganyaan,
Isro posted on X, the platform formerly called Twitter that the reason for the launch hold had been “identified and corrected”.
“Crew escape system performed as intended. Mission Gaganyaan gets off on a successful note,” it added.
The agency did not specify the cause of the delay.
The test launch had been set for 8am (10.30am Singapore time) but could not initially be completed. It was successfully completed at 10am, Isro said.
The Gaganyaan mission is aimed at developing a human-habitable space capsule that will carry a three-member crew into an orbit of 400km for three days, before splashing down in the Indian Ocean.
Isro has said it will explore ways to achieve a sustained human presence in space once Gaganyaan is completed.
About 90 billion Indian rupees (S$1.5 billion) has been allocated for the mission, which follows the agency’s historic landing of its Chandrayaan-3 craft on the lunar south pole in August.
The Gaganyaan mission is expected to launch from the country’s main spaceport in Sriharikota before 2024, although a schedule has not been announced. REUTERS
