The Indian Space Research Organisation’s first test flight for its Gaganyaan mission launched at 10 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota after an initial glitch.

The maiden Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission aims to demonstrate a crew escape system, reported the Hindustan Times. The module successfully touched down in the Bay Bengal minutes after the launch.

The Gaganyaan mission is aimed at launching humans into space and placing them in a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometres for a three-day mission.

The escape system will ensure that the astronauts safely return if there is an emergency during the actual crew mission launch, which is scheduled for 2025.

The test was originally scheduled for a take-off at 8 am but it was halted.

“Test vehicle lift-off could not happen today,” ISRO chief S Somanath said, reported the Hindustan Times. “Engine ignition has not happened in the nominal course. We have to find out what went wrong; vehicle is safe.”

The test was then rescheduled for 10 am after the issue was resolved.