First Uncrewed Gaganyaan Mission with Robot in December: ISRO

Aug 22, 2025 - The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Thursday, August 21, that the first uncrewed mission under the Gaganyaan programme, designated as G1, will be launched in December this year. A half-humanoid robot named Vyommitra will be sent onboard this landmark mission.

According to ISRO, the robot will help simulate human presence in space, performing tasks, monitoring module conditions, and communicating in both Hindi and English. The Vyommitra will plays a vital role in testing life-support systems and environmental controls, serving as a key step before astronauts are sent on the mission.

The first crewed mission is planned for early 2027.

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan shared this update at a press conference, saying that 80% of the work for the Gaganyaan mission has been completed, with the remainder expected to be finished by March 2026.

The press meet was also attended by Minister of State for the Department of Space Dr Jitendra Singh and Indian Air Force officers Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla and Prashant Nair, both of whom are among the four potential crew members for the Gaganyaan mission. Shukla recently completed a visit to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

The ISRO chief highlighted that Shukla’s experiments during the mission have resulted in a 4,000-page document, which will serve as a valuable resource for future generations. He also revealed that, in the coming months, India will launch a 6,500-kg American communication satellite and a satellite on behalf of G20 nations.

So far, India has launched 433 satellites from 34 countries.