spacetoday.net: India contemplating manned space program

Posted: Fri, Nov 3, 2006, 7:17 AM ET (1217 GMT)
GSLV launch of EDUSAT (ISRO)

The Indian space agency ISRO is reportedly putting together a proposal that could result a manned spacecraft launch by early next decade and potentially a manned mission to the Moon by the end of the next decade. Indian publications reported this week that ISRO plans to unveil the human spaceflight program proposal next week. That plan calls for the development of a two-person capsule that could be launched on the country's GSLV launch vehicle, with the first manned flight planned for 2014. Those reports indicated the ISRO plan would also feature manned missions to the Moon by 2020, but few details about that phase of the effort were disclosed. India is also developing technology for a recoverable spacecraft that will be tested on a spacecraft scheduled for launch early next year. The total cost of the manned orbital program, which has yet to be approved by the Indian government, is estimated to be approximately $2-3 billion.