Tirunelveli: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr. S. Somanath Narayanan announced that India will send its first human to space in 2027 under the ambitious Gaganyaan mission.

Speaking at an event at S.A. Raja College in Vadakankulam, Tirunelveli district, he said over 80,000 tests have been conducted so far as part of the project, with the mission now in its final phase. “Before sending humans, three unmanned missions will be launched to ensure complete safety. We have also successfully tested the Crew Escape System that ensures the safe recovery of astronauts during emergencies,” he said.

Dr. Narayanan added that ISRO has developed more than 1,000 mobile applications to provide maritime information in Tamil and other regional languages. The organisation aims to expand India's global share in commercial rocket launches from 2 per cent to 10 per cent in the coming years.

He further stated that ISRO has successfully launched rockets capable of carrying 10,000 kg payloads into orbit and has received approval to build rockets with a capacity of up to 40,000 kg. “The necessary work for developing these high-capacity launch vehicles is in progress,” he said.