The Indian Space Research Organisation has confirmed a December 2026 launch date for the Gaganyaan crewed mission following the successful completion of all critical test flights and emergency escape system demonstrations, marking India's entry into the exclusive group of nations capable of independent human spaceflight.

The mission will carry three Indian Air Force officers — Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, and Group Captain Angad Pratap Singh — to a 400-kilometre orbit for a 72-hour mission that will conduct microgravity experiments and demonstrate life support systems for future extended missions.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath described the mission as "transformative for India's space programme," noting that it enables the subsequent development of an Indian Space Station — a project approved by the government with a ₹35,000 crore investment for deployment by 2035.

The ₹9,000 crore Gaganyaan programme has involved the development of indigenous crew module capsule technology, a new Crew Escape System, the LVM3 launch vehicle certification for crewed payloads, and the training of four astronauts at Russia's Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.