Former ISRO chief A.S. Kiran Kumar outlines Gaganyaan’s next big leap
At a recent event in Mangaluru, A.S. Kiran Kumar—the former chairman of ISRO—announced that the Gaganyaan mission is now targeting a crewed spaceflight within the next one to two years, making India the fourth country globally to send astronauts into space. This announcement follows delays due to the pandemic and reflects a renewed commitment to human spaceflight after successful robotic missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and Aditya.
Kiran Kumar underscored ISRO’s legacy in non‑military applications—such as weather monitoring and communication—and called on students to contribute to India’s growing space programme. Setting up a national space station by 2035 was also highlighted, showcasing India’s long‑term ambition to establish a continuous presence in low Earth orbit.
