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India on Saturday successfully launched the first unmanned trial run of its upcoming crewed orbital mission, in the latest milestone for its spacefaring ambitions, reports AFP.
The Gaganyaan (Skycraft) mission is slated to send three astronauts into Earth's orbit in 2025, an important yardstick of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) technical capabilities.
Saturday's rocket tested the emergency escape system of its crew module, which separated from the thruster and made a soft sea landing about 10 minutes after the launch.
"I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the mission," ISRO chief S Somanath said afterwards.
ISRO will conduct a series of 20 major tests, including carrying a robot to outer space, before the final manned mission takes place in 2025.
Gaganyaan is the first mission of its kind for India and comes with an estimated price tag of $1.08 billion.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
