Isro to send half-humanoid 'Vyommitra' into space this Dec: V Narayanan

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Chief V. Narayanan, interacting with the media on Thursday in Coimbatore, mentioned that a half-humanoid called Vyommitra, instead of a human being, will be sent this December.

"Right now, we are in the advanced stage... This December, we plan to send the first uncrewed mission, which will include a half-humanoid called Vyommitra instead of a human being. Once this is successful, two more uncrewed missions will be completed next year," informed the Isro Chief.

Adding further on "Gaganyatri", V. Narayanan said, "By the first quarter of 2027, we aim to send our own 'Gaganyatri' to space and bring it back safely. The crew for Gaganyaan are already selected, has undergone training, and we are preparing for our own mission."

In addition, Isro successfully conducted its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01), marking a key milestone in the preparation for India's Gaganyaan Mission.

According to Isro, the successful trial was a collaborative effort involving multiple defence and research organisations, including the Indian Air Force, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Navy, and the Indian Coast Guard.

In a post on X, Isro wrote, "Isro successfully accomplishes first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) for end-to-end demonstration of parachute-based deceleration system for Gaganyaan missions. This test is a joint effort of Isro, Indian Air Force, DRDO, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard."

Earlier, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that development and ground testing of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) of India's first human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan have already been completed.

"Orbital Module: The Propulsion systems for the Crew Module and the Service Module have been developed and tested. ECLSS engineering model realised.

Crew Escape System (CES): 5 types of motors developed and static tested. Infrastructure established: Orbital Module Preparation Facility, Gaganyaan Control Centre, Gaganyaan Control facility, Crew training facility, Second Launch pad modifications," Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The human spaceflight programme is aimed at fulfilling the aspirations of an established spacefaring nation. The technological and manufacturing capabilities towards the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' will hinge on a transformative shift in the national research and technology development landscape.

He said that after proving the basic capabilities for human space activities under the Gaganyaan Programme, the next logical step is to initiate the development activities for a human habitat or a space station in low Earth orbit to enable more extended human space missions. In this regard, the long-term vision of the Indian Human Space Programme includes the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) by 2035 and the Indian Moon Landing by 2040.