India to conduct key test in crewed space mission on Oct 21

FILE PHOTO: A security guard stands behind the logo of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at its headquarters in Bengaluru, India, June 12, 2019. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will conduct a key test in its ambitious space mission Gaganyaan on Oct. 21, launching an empty module into outer space and bringing it back to earth, deputy minister for science and technology Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

The final mission, expected to take place next year, is the first of its kind for the country and will cost about 90.23 billion Indian rupees ($1.08 billion). It will involve launching a human-habitable space capsule with a crew of three to an orbit of 400 km (250 miles) before bringing them safely back to land in Indian waters.