Indian Plans for 2024: Gaganyaan-1

In 2024, India is gearing up for a significant milestone in its space exploration journey with the Gaganyaan spacecraft. Named "Orbital Vehicle," Gaganyaan is a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), marking a significant step towards the realization of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The mission was scheduled for July 2024.

Gaganyaan-1

The Gaganyaan-1 spacecraft is envisioned to be a crewed orbital spacecraft designed to accommodate a team of three astronauts, symbolizing India's ambitions in crewed space exploration. This ambitious project represents a critical stride in India's space endeavors and underscores the nation's commitment to venturing into uncharted territories of space.

An upgraded version of the Gaganyaan spacecraft is in the pipeline, set to boast enhanced capabilities such as rendezvous and docking functionality. This enhancement will pave the way for advanced operations and maneuvers in space, demonstrating India's technological prowess and readiness to tackle sophisticated space missions.

The upcoming year is expected to witness the initial phase of the Gaganyaan spacecraft's journey through two planned flight tests, serving as crucial preparatory steps leading up to the groundbreaking crewed mission. These tests will play a pivotal role in validating the spacecraft's performance, ensuring its readiness to embark on a historic voyage to space.

India's foray into crewed space exploration with the Gaganyaan spacecraft exemplifies the nation's ambitious spirit, technological ingenuity, and steadfast commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. With the launch of this pioneering spacecraft on the horizon, 2024 holds promise for India's exciting advancements in the realm of space exploration.

The launch was initially planned for December 2020, then rescheduled for December 2021, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following this mission, ISRO will conduct four additional abort tests before the launch of Gaganyaan 2, which will carry the humanoid robot Vyommitra. It was later decided that Vyommitra will also be sent on G-1