India Gears Up for Gaganyaan Mission, Female Robot Vyommitra to be Launched by Year-End
New Delhi, March 19 – India’s ambitious human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, is nearing its final preparations, with the last test flight scheduled to send a female humanoid robot, Vyommitra, into space by the end of this year. Union Minister Jitendra Singh provided this update in the Lok Sabha while responding to supplementary questions related to the country’s space program.
Singh, who serves as the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and oversees the Department of Space, emphasized that the four astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan mission have been kept away from public attention to ensure their rigorous training remains uninterrupted. He stated that the last test mission, which will serve as a "dress rehearsal" for Gaganyaan, will see Vyommitra undertaking a journey into space and returning safely. Once all necessary procedures are completed, the final manned mission will proceed.
As per agency report, Singh acknowledged a coincidental connection between the parliamentary session and space developments, mentioning that Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams had returned to Earth earlier in the day. He also referred to a congratulatory message sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Williams, highlighting India’s continued engagement with global space advancements.
The minister clarified that keeping the selected Gaganyaan astronauts—Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Shubhanshu Shukla—away from the media was a deliberate move to prevent distractions that could affect their intensive training. Among them, Shukla is expected to join an international team for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Singh elaborated on India’s future space missions, revealing that Chandrayaan-4 will focus on collecting lunar samples while also providing critical experience for future deep-space explorations. The mission will test docking and undocking procedures, essential for upcoming interplanetary projects.
He outlined a roadmap for India’s space ambitions, announcing that the Chandrayaan-4 mission is scheduled for 2027, followed by the Venus mission in 2028. By 2035, India aims to establish its own space station, and by 2040, an Indian astronaut is expected to set foot on the Moon.
The minister also informed the Parliament that India is expanding its space launch infrastructure, with the country’s fourth launch pad being developed in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. He recalled that India’s first launch pad was established in 1979, followed by the second at Sriharikota a decade later. Now, alongside the ongoing construction of a third launch pad at Sriharikota, the fourth site in Tamil Nadu will further enhance India’s space capabilities.
With these developments, India is positioning itself as a formidable player in the global space race, marking a significant step towards human space exploration and interplanetary missions.
