NEW DELHI, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Indian government Friday approved a project under which humans will be sent into space for at least a week, officials said.

The announcement was made by Indian Minister of Electronics and Information Ravi Shankar Prasad during a media briefing.

The project named Gaganyaan (skycraft) will incur a cost of 1.43 billion U.S. dollars.

"Gaganyaan program is a great program in pursuit of India's space autonomy, which is designed to carry about three human beings for a period of minimum seven days," Prasad said. "It will be launched about 40 months after the approval."

According to Prasad, the mission will be undertaken by 2022.

The announcement of the Gaganyaan project was first made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on India's 72nd Independence Day speech.