Composite image of Gaganyaan crew module and Bharat Antariksh Station (BAS)

Here's a detailed report expanding on the article, drawing out implications for India's Gaganyaan programme amid recent setbacks. I've structured it into short paragraphs for readability, using British English throughout.

Recent back-to-back failures of ISRO's reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) have raised serious concerns about the timeline for India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Suppliers of critical hardware report a noticeable slowdown in activities, with fewer technical reviews and delayed inspections stalling progress.

The PSLV, long considered ISRO's workhorse, encountered issues in missions C-61 and C-62, prompting intensive failure analysis. This shift has diverted resources, leaving Gaganyaan vendors in limbo as ISRO prioritises root-cause investigations over routine oversight.

One vendor supplying human-rated crew module hardware, constructed from aluminium and titanium alloys, highlights significant delays. The module, earmarked for delivery by December 2025, remains pending pressure testing—a vital step for crew safety—yet ISRO has shown little engagement.

"We completed the human-rated crew module for the uncrewed mission," the vendor's promoter explained. "It still requires pressure testing, as modules carrying humans must be pressurised, but they are not showing interest. They are just delaying."

The first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (G1), originally planned for late 2025 or early 2026, has not materialised. Vendors note that even prior to the second PSLV failure, minor delays existed, but the latest mishap has led to radio silence.

A senior official from a firm providing crew module escape subsystems echoed these sentiments. Recent launch setbacks appear to have confined ISRO teams to closed-door assessments, curtailing interactions with industry partners.

"Honestly, after this failure, the whole ISRO team seems to be in failure-analysis mode," the executive said. "They are not even talking much about Gaganyaan now." This reticence has cascading effects, as inspections are prerequisites for advancing hardware integration.

Uncertainty now permeates manufacturing decisions, particularly for firms investing in specialised tooling and capacity. One supplier described a "psychological impact" from the PSLV failures, with ISRO demanding exhaustive documentation from raw materials onwards, slowing processes.

"These PSLV failures seem to have had a psychological impact," the vendor noted. "They are conducting many more tests. The focus now is on documentation rather than evaluating the actual product."

Spacetech insiders emphasise that launch failures invariably trigger industry-wide introspection. With launches still infrequent, each incident demands thorough scrutiny to prevent recurrence, affecting the broader ecosystem.

A company that prepared a new facility for ISRO evaluation reports frustration: a planned inspection visit evaporated post-failures. "After this failure, they haven't even come to inspect the facility," an executive lamented.

Not all suppliers perceive a uniform slowdown, however. A firm delivering multiple subsystems for the crew module and escape system insists work proceeds in the background, albeit discreetly.

"They are doing everything in the background," its promoter stated. "Perhaps they don't want to make it public because of the pressure, especially after the consecutive PSLV failures." This company completed and delivered nine subsystems two to three months ago, after three years of effort.

Similarly, avionics suppliers report some workstreams adhering to schedules, with orders and timelines duly communicated. Yet, the overall mood reflects caution amid public scrutiny.

Gaganyaan's ambitions remain lofty: sending Indian astronauts into orbit by late 2026 or early 2027, marking a milestone in self-reliance. The programme integrates indigenous tech, from crew modules to life support, but hinges on reliable launchers like the human-rated LVM3, not PSLV.

While PSLV does not directly launch Gaganyaan, its failures underscore risks in ISRO's ecosystem. Lessons from these incidents could bolster future missions, yet short-term delays threaten the uncrewed G1 flight, critical for validating systems before crewed attempts.

Vendors urge clearer communication to mitigate impacts. Heightened paperwork and testing, though prudent, risk eroding private sector confidence in a programme vital to India's space economy.

As ISRO navigates this phase, balancing failure probes with Gaganyaan momentum will test its resilience. Success here could reaffirm India's ascent as a spacefaring nation.

TOI