India is preparing to set up a dedicated pool of astronauts for upcoming human spaceflight missions, expanding opportunities beyond the Air Force and opening doors for women astronauts. Senior officials from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed the development to The Indian Express, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinted at this initiative during his National Space Day address.
According to ISRO officials, the astronaut pool will not be limited to Air Force personnel. Instead, it will include individuals from various backgrounds, including women. “It has been decided that the astronaut pool will not be restricted to the Air Force alone. It will have people from all walks of life. Globally, if you see, it’s not just researchers but also entrepreneurs who are travelling to space. The decision to include women in the growing astronaut pool has also been taken,” a senior ISRO official said.
For the initial Gaganyaan mission, ISRO had to rely on experienced Indian Air Force test pilots because of the high risks linked to developing and testing a new spacecraft. The first batch includes Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla, Prashanth Nair, Angad Pratap, and Ajith Krishnan, all of whom underwent extensive astronaut training in Russia and India.
“The first batch of astronauts had to be selected from the Air Force because we needed very experienced pilots. For the initial flights, the vehicle is still under development and testing,” the official explained.
This move reflects the vision Prime Minister Modi set out in 2018, when he declared from the Red Fort that “An Indian boy or girl will unfurl the Tricolour in space.”
In his recent address, the Prime Minister praised Group Captain Shubhanshu for his courage and urged young Indians to contribute to space exploration. “In my conversation with Group Captain Shubhanshu, I saw the boundless courage and infinite dreams of the youth of New Bharat. To take these dreams forward, we are also preparing an astronaut pool for Bharat. On this Space Day, I invite my young friends to join this astronaut pool and give wings to the dreams of Bharat," PM Modi said.
He also revealed earlier that India should maintain a pool of 40–50 astronauts to ensure readiness for future missions.
As per ISRO’s current plan:
By 2027: Launch India’s first astronaut crew into space under the Gaganyaan mission.
By 2035: Establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, India’s own space station.
By 2040: Send an Indian manned mission to the Moon.
So far, the government has approved eight flights under Gaganyaan—six uncrewed and two crewed missions. One of the uncrewed launches will carry the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
The Prime Minister also spoke about increasing India’s launch capacity with private sector involvement. “At present, we witness about five to six major launches annually from Indian soil. I would like the private sector to take the lead so that in the next five years, we reach a stage where we launch 50 rockets every year. One every week,” he said.
Highlighting India’s achievements in reaching the Moon and Mars, PM Modi added, “Now we must delve deeper into those regions of space where many vital mysteries for the future of humanity are concealed. Beyond galaxies lies our horizon.”
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