The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has, for the first time, shown a concept design for a manned space capsule.

This could allow India to undertake its first manned space mission within six years - with a moon mission as a possible longer-term objective.

The design was revealed by Isro chairperson G Madhavan Nair at the Aero India 2009 exposition at Bangalore.

The proposed spacecraft would comprise a crew module, capable of accomodating three astronauts, and a service module, which would contain the life support and mission management systems, as well as the spacecraft's manoeuvreing thrusters.

Russia will help with the development of India's manned space programme.

The vessel would be launched by a modified version of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark 2 (GSLV Mk2).

The GSLV Mk 2 is currently under development, with Russian assistance, and the rocket should make its first flight later this year.

The capsule might also, in due course, be launched on the planned GSLV Mk 3.

Both rockets will have to achieve the necessary safety and reliability standards to be rated for manned flight.

Nair stated that "if the necessary funding comes through, we hope we can have such a [manned] mission in 2015. [The] next target could be the Moon."

Isro is currently developing the launch abort system (which would separate the capsule from the rocket should anything go wrong during the launch, thereby saving the crew) and the life support system.

Addressing the Indian Science Congress early last month, Nair had stated that the capsule would have a mass of 3 t and be able to orbit the Earth at an altitude of 400 km, with an endurance of seven days, assuming a crew of two.

An Isro spokesperson last month told US journal Space News that India's manned space programme is expected to cost some $2-billion over eight years, starting in 2007.

Preliminary work worth $19,4-million was carried out in the 2007/8 financial year (Isro's total budget being $834-million).

An astromaut training centre is to be set up in Bangalore, and a new launch pad constructed at Isro's Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

Isro first proposed a manned space flight programme to the Indian government in 2006.

The agency has already (in January 2007) successfully flown and recovered what was designated a Space Capsule Recovery Experiment, as part of its programme to develop heat shields to protect spacecraft during re-entry into the atmosphere.