India's space agency ISRO is set to conduct the first uncrewed test flight of the Gaganyaan programme, designated Gaganyaan-G1, in the second half of 2026. This mission represents a critical milestone in India's human spaceflight programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts (Gaganyatris) to low Earth orbit by 2027. The Gaganyaan-G1 mission will carry Vyommitra, a half-humanoid female robot developed by ISRO, to simulate astronaut conditions aboard the crew module. The mission will test critical systems including the crew module, service module, reentry sequence, parachute deployment, and safe splashdown in the Bay of Bengal. ISRO has already made significant progress: in February 2026, ISRO and DRDO conducted the final qualification level load test for the Gaganyaan programme at TBRL (Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory), Chandigarh. This test evaluated high-speed aerodynamic loads and changes in the ballistic trajectory of the capsule. The ISRO START (Space Science and Technology Awareness Training) 2026 programme was also conducted in online mode from March 11 to April 2, 2026, with the theme 'Observation from Space', building public and academic awareness of ISRO's upcoming missions. Following G1, two more uncrewed test flights — G2 and G3 — are planned for 2026 before the first crewed flight H1 in 2027. The Gaganyaan programme demonstrates India's indigenous capability in human spaceflight technology and positions ISRO alongside NASA, Roscosmos, and CNSA. India's participation in Axiom Mission 4 through astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla (June 2025) has already generated valuable human spaceflight experience.