Human Spaceflight and Space Habitation

Human Spaceflight — India Goes to Space

Every nation that has sent humans to space has been forever changed by the experience. The USA did it in 1961 (Alan Shepard), the Soviet Union in 1961 (Yuri Gagarin), China in 2003 (Yang Liwei). India is next. The Gaganyaan programme is not just a prestige project — it is the foundation for India’s space station, deeper space exploration, and a new era of human achievement.

Gaganyaan — India’s First Crewed Space Mission

Gaganyaan (meaning ‘sky vehicle’ in Sanskrit) is India’s first human spaceflight mission. When it succeeds, India will become the 4th nation to independently launch a human into space — after the USA, Russia, and China. Russia and France are cooperating with ISRO for training and technology support.

Mission Profile

Parameter	Detail
Orbit	Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at ~300–400 km altitude
Launch Vehicle	HLVM3 (Human-rated LVM3)
Crew capacity	3 Indian astronauts (called ‘Gaganauts’)
Mission duration	3 days in orbit
Recovery	Controlled splashdown in Indian Ocean; crew recovery by Indian Navy
Missions planned	Revised to 8 missions total: 2 crewed + 6 uncrewed
Vyommitra	Female-looking humanoid robot for uncrewed missions — monitors parameters, tests systems

Modules of the Gaganyaan Spacecraft

• Crew Module (CM):  Pressurised, habitable capsule for 3 astronauts. Contains life support (ECLSS — Environmental Control and Life Support System), heat shield, parachute system, and Crew Escape System interface. Recovered from the ocean after splashdown.
• Service Module (SM):  Unpressurised support module. Provides propulsion (orbital manoeuvres), electrical power, thermal control, and avionics. Separates and burns up in atmosphere before re-entry.
• Together (CM + SM):  Called the Orbital Module (OM) — total mass ~8,000 kg

How Gaganyaan Will Complete Its Mission — Step by Step

Step 1: Launch from Sriharikota HLVM3 lifts off. Crew Escape System (CES) remains armed throughout ascent — can pull the Crew Module away from the rocket at any point if anomaly detected.

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Step 2: Orbit Insertion (~300-400 km LEO) After stage separations, spacecraft is injected into LEO. Solar panels deploy. Service Module circularises the orbit with small burns.

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Step 3: In-Orbit Operations (3 days) Astronauts conduct microgravity experiments, test life-support systems, and perform scientific observations. Multiple Earth orbits per day. Continuous communication with ground stations.

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Step 4: De-orbit Burn Service Module engines fire in retrograde — reduces orbital velocity, allowing Earth’s gravity to pull the spacecraft into re-entry trajectory.

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Step 5: Module Separation + Re-entry Crew Module separates from Service Module. SM burns up. CM re-enters at ~28,000 km/h. Heat shield protects crew from ~1500°C temperatures.

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Step 6: Parachute Deployment + Splashdown Drogue chutes stabilise, then main parachutes deploy, reducing descent to safe speed. Controlled splashdown in Indian Ocean. Indian Navy vessels recover crew and module.

🎯 Vyommitra:  Vyommitra is India’s first space humanoid robot, developed by ISRO for uncrewed Gaganyaan test missions. It is a female-looking android that monitors cabin pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels; responds to life-support systems; and simulates astronaut interaction with onboard systems. The name combines ‘Vyom’ (space/sky in Sanskrit) + ‘Mitra’ (friend).

Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) — India’s Space Station

After Gaganyaan establishes India’s human spaceflight capability, the next logical step is a permanent outpost in space — the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS). Targeted for ~2035, BAS will be India’s equivalent of the International Space Station, but smaller, indigenous, and fully under India’s control.

Feature	Details
Orbit	Low Earth Orbit (~400 km altitude)
Mass	~50–60 tonnes — modular construction
Modules	5 modules: base, core, science, lab, and common working modules
Crew stay	Initially 15–20 days; longer stays as systems mature
Launch vehicles	Initial modules: HLVM3; heavier modules: NGLV (post-2030)
Target timeline	~2035 (subject to Gaganyaan success and approvals)

Why India Needs Its Own Space Station

• Strategic autonomy:  Reduces dependence on ISS (which may be decommissioned by 2030) and gives India sovereign control over its human presence in space
• Scientific research:  Long-duration microgravity research in biotechnology (protein crystallisation, drug development), materials science, fluid physics, and space medicine
• Technology development:  Docking technology, life-support systems, long-duration human survival — all essential for future deep-space missions to the Moon and Mars

Major Space Stations — Homes in the Sky

Space stations are essentially orbiting research laboratories — placed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) so that humans can live there for extended periods and conduct research in microgravity.

International Space Station (ISS) (1998–Present)

The ISS is the largest international scientific collaboration in space — a joint project of NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada).

Launch and Assembly

• The first module, Zarya, was launched in 1998, beginning ISS assembly in orbit.
• The ISS has had continuous human presence since 2000, starting with the Expedition 1 crew.
• It was built through modular assembly — separate components launched and joined in orbit, using NASA’s Space Shuttle, Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, robotic arms, and astronaut spacewalks.

Major Modules

• Zarya (Russia): Propulsion, power, and storage
• Zvezda (Russia): Primary habitation and life-support
• Destiny Laboratory (USA): NASA’s primary research module
• Columbus (Europe): ESA’s laboratory module
• Kibo (Japan): The largest laboratory module on the ISS

Orbit and Physical Features

• Altitude: approximately 400 km (LEO)
• Speed: ~28,000 km/h, completing one full orbit every 90 minutes — meaning astronauts witness around 16 sunrises and sunsets every day!
• Mass: about 420 tonnes — the largest artificial object ever placed in orbit
• Powered by large solar arrays

Objectives

• Microgravity research — space medicine, biotechnology, materials science
• Human health and long-duration studies — effects on bones, muscles, vision, and immunity
• Technology demonstration — for future deep-space missions
• International cooperation — promoting the peaceful use of outer space

Significance of the ISS

• A symbol of post-Cold War cooperation — bringing former rivals like the USA and Russia together in peaceful partnership
• Over 3,000 scientific experiments have been conducted aboard it
• Serves as a testing ground for future Moon and Mars missions

Decommissioning

• NASA and its partners have committed to operating the ISS through 2030
• After that, a controlled deorbit will follow — most of it will burn up, with remaining debris directed to a remote Pacific area
• Reasons: structural ageing, rising maintenance costs, and the shift toward commercial space stations

Independent Space Stations

• Salyut Programme (USSR, 1971–1986): Salyut 1 (1971) was the world’s first space station, proving the feasibility of sustained orbital habitation.
• Mir Space Station (USSR/Russia, 1986–2001): The world’s first modular space station, deliberately deorbited in 2001. It served as the predecessor to the ISS.
• Skylab (USA, 1973–1979): NASA’s first space station. Its uncontrolled re-entry in 1979 scattered debris over Australia and the Indian Ocean, highlighting the need for better orbital debris management.
• Tiangong-1 (2011–2018) and Tiangong-2 (2016–2019), China: Prototype space laboratories that became direct precursors to China’s current modular Tiangong Space Station.
• Tiangong Space Station (China, 2021–Present): The core module Tianhe launched in 2021, later joined by Wentian and Mengtian. Became fully operational in 2022. China became the third entity, after USSR/Russia and the USA-led ISS partnership, to operate a long-term space station.
• Bharatiya Antariksha Station (India, Planned ~2035): India’s proposed space station, to be placed in LEO.

Space Station	Country/Agency	Operational Period	Key Feature
Salyut	USSR	1971–1986	World’s first space station
Mir	USSR/Russia	1986–2001	First modular station
ISS	International	1998–Present	Largest collaborative station
Tiangong	China	2021–Present	Independent Chinese station
BAS (Planned)	India	~2035	Proposed Indian station

Major Human Spaceflight Missions

Let us talk about the programmes that actually carried human beings into space.

Vostok Programme (1961–1963) — Soviet Union

• The Soviet Union’s first human spaceflight programme.
• On 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space aboard Vostok 1 — the first human orbital flight around Earth (~108-minute mission).
• It proved that humans could survive and function in microgravity conditions.

Soyuz Programme (1967–Present) — Russia

• Russia’s long-running human spaceflight programme.
• The Soyuz spacecraft serves as a crew-transport vehicle and emergency-return capsule for space stations — Salyut, Mir, and the ISS.

Mercury Programme (1958–1963) — USA

• NASA’s first human spaceflight programme.
• In 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space (suborbital flight), and John Glenn later became the first American to orbit Earth.

Gemini Programme (1965–1966) — USA

• Designed to develop techniques necessary for lunar missions.
• Conducted America’s first spacewalks (extravehicular activities).
• Successfully tested orbital docking and rendezvous — crucial for the later Apollo missions.

Space Shuttle Programme (1981–2011) — NASA

• Introduced a partially reusable spacecraft system, aimed at reducing launch costs.
• Played a major role in the construction and servicing of the ISS.

Shenzhou Programme (2003–Present) — China

• China’s human spaceflight initiative.
• In 2003, Yang Liwei became China’s first astronaut in space aboard Shenzhou 5, making China the third nation, after the USA and USSR/Russia, to independently send a human into orbit.
• The spacecraft now supports regular crewed missions to the Tiangong Space Station.

Gaganyaan Programme (Upcoming) — India

• India’s first human spaceflight mission (planned), aiming to send three astronauts for three days to LEO.

Country	First Human in Space	Human Moon Landing	Current Human Missions
USSR/Russia	1961 – Yuri Gagarin (Vostok 1)	No	Soyuz, ISS
USA	1961 – Alan Shepard (Mercury)	1969 (Apollo 11)	ISS, Artemis
China	2003 – Yang Liwei (Shenzhou 5)	No	Shenzhou, Tiangong
India	Upcoming	No	Gaganyaan (planned)