New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will conduct a series of tests to validate the design and construction of the missile and orbital module system for the country’s prestigious space programme Gaganyaan.

The space agency would soon build its own astronaut training facility and launch its first small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) or small rocket in a few months.

“The design and construction of the launcher and orbital module system for Indian spaceflight has been completed. A number of tests must be performed to validate the design and construction of the systems in 2020,” said ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan.

He was addressing the 70th Annual General Meeting and the National Conference on “Latest Developments in Aerospace and Defence Technology” organised by the Aeronautical Society of India.

Sivan said ISRO’s goal is to have the first unmanned flight by the end of next year.

The demonstration of human spaceflight is planned before India’s 75th Independence Day in 2022. Four Indians are undergoing astronaut training in Russia.

The ISRO Chairman said that the new small rocket being built by ISRO is designed as an inexpensive space access option to cover a large number of small satellite launch programmes.

He said the land purchase programme for the construction of India’s second missile launch centre in Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu was underway to ship the small missiles.

Sivan said using the existing rocket launch centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh to launch small rockets would hamper ISRO’s regular launch programmes.

According to him, SSLV’s first development flight will take place in a few months.

Sivan said the space agency is working to develop a 10-tonne missile for the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and semi-cryogenic engine.

He said ISRO has transferred its lithium-ion cell technology to industry and its commercial space, New Space India Ltd, will work to transfer technologies developed by ISRO.

Sivan said New Space will also market ISRO’s spin-off technologies inside and outside of India. It will be responsible for the transfer of small satellite and SSLV manufacturing to the industry.

He said the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will soon be manufactured by the industry as a full rocket.