India successfully launched the first unmanned test of its future orbital mission

India takes another important step in its space ambitions. The country successfully launched, on Saturday October 21, the first unmanned test of its future crewed orbital mission, scheduled for 2025. This launch tested the emergency evacuation system of the crew module, which separated from the propeller and made a smooth landing approximately 10 minutes after takeoff. In total, Indian space agency ISRO will carry out a series of 20 major tests, including carrying a robot into space, before the Gaganyaan mission takes place.

“I am very pleased to announce the success of the mission.”

Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, Director General, ISRO

quoted by AFP

Gaganyaan is the first such mission for India and is estimated to cost $1.08 billion, according to ISRO. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans to send a man to the Moon by 2040, India has continued to match the achievements of established space powers at a fraction of their cost. In August, the country became the fourth nation to place an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon, after Russia, the United States and China. According to industry experts, India manages to keep costs low by replicating and adapting existing space technology for its own purposes, in particular thanks to the large number of highly qualified engineers paid much less than their foreign counterparts.