In pics: Gaganyaan's first test flight looks stunning in these pictures

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Saturday conducted the third biggest test part of the ambitious development of the Gaganyaan Mission to send Indian astronauts into space.

The test launch of the Test Vehicle (TV-D1), a single-stage liquid rocket, is a part of ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.

The launch was scheduled for 8 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. However, it was called off seconds before launch. 

 It lifted-off at 10 am and demonstrated the functioning of the Crew Escape System.

The flight sequence began with the launch of the TV-D1. Six seconds into the flight, the fin enabling system was activated, followed by the activation of the Crew Escape System Pillbox at a speed of Mach number of 1.25, at an altitude of 11.8 km.

The High Energy Motor (HEM) then fired, propelling the vehicle further into the atmosphere.

Isro chief S Somnath declared the mission complete and the objectives achieved.

The launch was initially halted due to an anomaly,which was corrected, and the spacecraft lifted-off at 10 am.

The Gaganyaan mission represents India's aspiration to join the elite league of nations capable of launching crewed spacecraft.