Bengaluru, October 16, 2026 — ISRO has completed a fresh round of Crew Module–Service Module separation tests for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, marking another ground-validation step before the first uncrewed mission, G1, which is targeted for 2026.
The tests were carried out at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. According to ISRO, they were meant to confirm the sequence by which the Crew Module will detach from the Service Module before atmospheric re-entry, a critical phase in the mission profile.
How the Gaganyaan Orbital Module is arranged
The Gaganyaan Orbital Module includes two major parts. The Crew Module is the section that will carry astronauts on crewed flights and, on uncrewed missions, systems and the half-humanoid robot Vyommitra. The Service Module provides power, propulsion and other support functions.
The two modules are joined by a separation system and are also connected through umbilical links that carry electrical power and fluids. Before launch, they function as one integrated unit through liftoff and the on-orbit phase. The separation becomes necessary later, when the Crew Module must cleanly separate from the Service Module before returning through Earth’s atmosphere.
What the ground tests checked
To simulate that sequence, ISRO built a test setup at VSSC that replicated the integrated CM–SM assembly and included extensive instrumentation. The trials recreated the separation event, including the cutting of several umbilical connections between the two modules.
ISRO said the sequence involved multiple precisely timed events using pyrotechnic devices and jettisoning systems. The agency stated that the tests confirmed the design adequacy of the CM–SM separation systems.
Subsystems that showed robustness
ISRO also said the tests demonstrated the robustness and shock-survivability of several critical Crew Module subsystems. These include the avionics systems, inertial navigation systems, the thermal protection system on the aft and conical heat shields, the Crew Module deployable umbilical shield, and pyrotechnic devices associated with the Crew Module uprighting system as well as the thermal and humidity control system.
The agency described the results as providing the necessary confidence in the implemented separation system for G1. The uncrewed flight is intended to validate spacecraft systems, life-support functions and recovery procedures before any crewed mission.
Why the result matters for Gaganyaan
Gaganyaan aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three to a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission and returning them safely to Earth for splashdown in Indian sea waters. The first uncrewed flight is targeted within 2026, and additional uncrewed missions are planned before the maiden crewed flight.
This latest test campaign follows earlier qualification work on Crew Module systems completed earlier in 2026, including the uprighting system, umbilical connect-disconnect mechanisms and apex cover separation loads. Together, these ground tests support preparations for the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle and the wider Gaganyaan programme as India advances toward its first indigenous orbital human spaceflight.
