ISRO chairman V Narayanan has confirmed that the Gaganyaan mission remains firmly on track for its first launch in the third quarter of 2027.

He revealed that more than 8,000 ground tests have already been successfully conducted, underscoring the scale of preparation behind India’s maiden human spaceflight program.

Narayanan was delivering the keynote lecture at the 17th annual Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture, organised by the Air Force Association (Karnataka) at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Management Academy. His address, titled “Indian Space Program: The Challenges and Way Forward”, highlighted the enduring partnership between ISRO and HAL. He emphasised that without HAL’s contributions, ISRO would not have been able to develop launch vehicles or sustain satellite programs.

He noted that since ISRO’s inception, 4,020 sounding rockets have been launched, 105 launch vehicle missions have been conducted, and 135 satellite missions have been accomplished. The number of missions carried out between 2015 and 2026 doubled compared to the 2006 to 2015 period, reflecting the rapid expansion of India’s space capabilities.

Narayanan further stated that ISRO has launched 463 satellites in the last decade, of which 399 were foreign payloads, demonstrating India’s growing role in the global space market. He also disclosed that during the 2025–2026 financial year, ISRO undertook more than 60 major tests or demonstrations, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to rigorous validation of its systems.

He added that work is currently underway on the first non-crew mission, a critical step before India attempts its first crewed flight under the Gaganyaan program.

The event also featured a speech by Air Marshal HB Rajaram (retired), who paid tribute to Air Chief Marshal LM Katre’s contributions to Indian aviation. Katre’s distinguished 42-year career spanned both the Indian Air Force and HAL, where he played a pivotal role in advancing India’s aerospace sector.

This lecture not only reaffirmed ISRO’s progress towards human spaceflight but also highlighted the collaborative spirit between India’s premier space and aviation institutions.

The scale of testing, the doubling of missions, and the emphasis on partnerships illustrate the depth of preparation behind Gaganyaan and India’s broader ambitions in space exploration.

Agencies