Science TechnologySaturday, 30 May 2026·The Hindu
Gaganyaan mission update: Shubhanshu Shukla, IADT-02 and India’s human spaceflight timeline
Shubhanshu Shukla said Gaganyaan is a crucial stage for India’s human spaceflight programme, with the mission tentatively set for mid-2027.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In June 2026, Shubhanshu Shukla said ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission was a crucial stage for India’s human spaceflight programme, as the mission was tentatively scheduled for mid-2027.
Key specifics
- Shubhanshu Shukla was one of the 4 astronauts on NASA’s Axiom-4 mission last June and spent 18 days aboard the ISS.
- He is one of the 4 astronaut-designates selected for ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission and is based in Bengaluru.
- Gaganyaan is tentatively scheduled for mid-2027 and aims to send a 3-member crew to 400 km low-Earth orbit for 3 days.
- ISRO conducted the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) in April 2026 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
- If successful, India would become the 4th nation to demonstrate manned spaceflight capability after the U.S., Russia and China.
Exam lens
Question type: Science and technology, space mission chronology and match-the-following; Axiom-4, ISS, IADT-02, Sriharikota, mid-2027 and 400 km are the key TNPSC facts.