Gaganyaan’s 1st uncrewed mission may lift off by March

THE TIMELINE FOR the country’s human spaceflight programme has been a moving target — with another year passing without the first of three uncrewed missions taking off despite a revised deadline.

- ANONNA DUTT New Delhi, January 2

Now, as per the new timeline, the first uncrewed mission — HLVM3 G1/ OM1 — is likely before March this year. This mission will use an unpressurised crew module to demonstrate the complete mission — the human-rated launch vehicle will put the spacecraft in a low earth orbit, ensure reentry of the crew module, a smooth splashdown and recovery of the module.