Godrej Enterprises Group's Aerospace business delivered India's first human-rated L110 Stage Vikas Engine to the Indian Space Research Organisation on Thursday, marking a milestone in the country's ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
The delivery comes as ISRO prepares for its first uncrewed test flight, now scheduled for January 2026, with the first crewed mission targeting early 2027.
The mission aims to place India among an elite group of nations, including the United States, Russia, and China, capable of independent human spaceflight.
This delivery represents more than four decades of collaboration between Godrej and ISRO, culminating in a component that will directly support human life in space for the first time in Indian history.
What Makes the L110 Vikas Engine Critical for Human Spaceflight
The human-rated L110 Stage Vikas Engine will power the core liquid stage of the LVM-3 rocket, which will carry Indian astronauts to a 400-kilometer orbit around Earth.
The L110 stage uses two Vikas engines in a clustered configuration, producing a combined thrust of 1,532 kilonewtons and burning for approximately 200 seconds during flight.
This thrust is essential for propelling the crew module through the critical phase of atmospheric exit.
Human rating represents the highest certification standard in aerospace engineering, requiring engines to meet stringent reliability and safety criteria far beyond those for satellite launches.
The engine must demonstrate consistent performance across multiple failure scenarios, provide real-time telemetry for monitoring, and incorporate redundant safety systems.
Every component undergoes enhanced quality control processes, with testing protocols designed to simulate extreme conditions that astronauts might encounter during launch, orbit insertion, and emergency abort scenarios.
Did you know?
The first crew consists of four astronaut-designates, all of whom are pilots from the Indian Air Force: Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla.
How Does Godrej Legacy Support India's Space Ambitions
Godrej has supplied over 175 engines to ISRO missions over four decades, including for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, and landmark missions such as Chandrayaan and NISAR.
The Vikas engine, named after space pioneer Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, uses unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide as oxidizer.
This propellant combination provides high performance while remaining stable at ambient temperatures, a critical advantage for launch operations.
Maneck Behramkamdin, Executive Vice President and Business Head of Godrej Enterprises Group's Aerospace business, emphasized the significance of this delivery.
This is not just a milestone for Godrej Enterprises Group, but also a matter of immense national pride, he stated. Contributing to India's first human spaceflight program is both an honour and a responsibility that we carry with the highest commitment.
The company's manufacturing facilities in Mumbai have become centers of excellence for liquid propulsion systems, employing advanced materials and precision engineering techniques.
What Is the Current Status of Gaganyaan Mission Development
ISRO has completed 90 percent of the development work for the Gaganyaan mission and has conducted over 8,000 tests to date.
On November 3, the space agency successfully tested the mission's central parachute system at the Babina Field Firing Range in Uttar Pradesh, simulating extreme conditions to validate the crew module's descent and landing capabilities.
The parachute system is critical for ensuring astronaut safety during the return phase, when the crew module reenters Earth's atmosphere at speeds exceeding 25,000 kilometers per hour.
The first uncrewed G1 mission, carrying the humanoid robot Vyommitra, will demonstrate all critical systems without a human crew aboard.
Vyommitra, designed to mimic astronaut movements and interactions, will test life support systems, communication protocols, and emergency procedures.
Two additional uncrewed flights will follow before the historic crewed launch, allowing engineers to validate every aspect of mission operations and address any anomalies discovered during testing.
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Which Nations Will India Join in Human Spaceflight Capability
Successful completion of Gaganyaan will place India in an exclusive group of nations capable of independent human spaceflight, currently comprising only the United States, Russia, and China.
The United States conducted its first crewed mission in 1961 with Alan Shepard aboard Freedom 7, while the Soviet Union launched Yuri Gagarin into orbit the same year aboard Vostok 1.
China became the third nation to achieve independent human spaceflight in 2003 when Yang Liwei orbited Earth aboard Shenzhou 5.
This capability represents more than a symbolic achievement, providing India with strategic autonomy in space operations and establishing the technological foundation for future deep space exploration missions.
Human spaceflight capability requires mastery of life support systems, radiation protection, precision guidance, crew safety protocols, and recovery operations.
Nations with this capability can pursue more ambitious goals, including lunar bases, asteroid mining, and interplanetary missions, positioning India as a major player in the emerging space economy.
When Will Indian Astronauts Actually Launch to Space
The program timeline has faced multiple delays from its original 2021 target due to technical challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic. ISRO Chief S Somanath confirmed in November 2025 that the first uncrewed test flight is now scheduled for January 2026, with the crewed mission targeting early 2027.
The delays reflect ISRO's commitment to ensuring absolute reliability before risking human lives, a principle that has guided all successful human spaceflight programs.
The January 2026 uncrewed mission will serve as the final comprehensive systems test, validating orbital mechanics, environmental control systems, communication networks, and abort procedures under actual flight conditions.
If successful, ISRO will proceed with two additional uncrewed missions to verify consistency and reliability.
The crewed mission in 2027 will carry three Indian astronauts, selected from the Indian Air Force and trained in collaboration with international partners, on a multi-day orbital mission that will mark India's definitive entry into the era of human space exploration.
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