Indian Human Space Flight (HSF) Program is a national strategic initiative that heralds the aspiration of India to join the major space powers: United States, Russia and China with their own full-fledged human spaceflight program capabilities and Europe and Japan with significant human spaceflight resources.

The rationale for the Indian HSF program mirrors that of other major space powers such as advancing economy through science & technology, national security, education and inspiration, scientific discovery, shared destiny and aspiration to explore and national stature & international relations. It is imperative for India to have a sustainable HSF program to be a valuable collaboration partner in future international deep space human missions to Moon and Mars.

Since 2007, ISRO has developed several critical technologies for the Human Spaceflight Program. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched the Gaganyaan Mission (“Sky Craft”) project with the mandated goal of a first crewed spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and safe recovery by 2023-2024. ISRO is aiming for the first uncrewed flight test of the Gaganyaan spacecraft by December 2021.

The Indian HSF program is a national endeavor that aims to bring together expertise in diverse disciplines and realize capacity building, spur technological innovation, and inspire youth in science & technology.

The Indian HSF Program has accelerated the path towards space commercialization for routine space launch development and operations, satellite & subsystems development, and commercial space services.