PM Modi tells ISRO: Set up Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035, send first Indian to Moon by 2040

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to assess the progress of the Gaganyaan Mission and to outline the future of India’s space exploration endeavours. The Department of Space presented a comprehensive overview of the Gaganyaan Mission, highlighting the progress made in developing human-rated launch vehicles and system qualifications. They outlined a plan for approximately 20 major tests, including three uncrewed missions of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3). The first demonstration flight of the Crew Escape System Test Vehicle is set for October 21, and the meeting confirmed the mission's readiness, with a scheduled launch in 2025.

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Drawing on the achievements of recent Indian space endeavours, such as the Chandrayan-3 and Aditya L1 Missions, the Prime Minister urged India to aim for more ambitious objectives. This includes the establishment of the 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040. To realize this vision, the Department of Space will create a roadmap for lunar exploration, encompassing a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), the construction of a new launch pad, and the establishment of human-centric laboratories and associated technologies.

The Prime Minister also encouraged Indian scientists to explore interplanetary missions, which may include a Venus Orbiter Mission and a Mars Lander. Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence in India's capabilities and reaffirmed the nation's commitment to reaching new milestones in space exploration.

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