First phase of Space Station is just 4 years ahead
The project, named Bharatiya Antariksha Station is in the final stages of design, revealed ISRO Chairman S Somanath. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced its plans to launch the first phase of the country’s space station project in 2028.
India’s space exploration efforts is set set to reach new heights as the construction of the complete full fledged permanent station is anticipated to be completed by 2035, marking a significant milestone in India’s space ambitions.
According to ISRO Chief, Gaganyatris will be sent to the station after the successful launch of the first phase. The hardware for the station would be developed at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the electronics components would be manufactured at the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bangalore.
The ISRO chief further said that India would soon launch a mission to bring lunar soil – fine fractions of Chandrama Regolith – to Prithvi. The Shukra mission – Shukrayaan-1 – would soon follow.
Somanath said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set ISRO a target of 2040 to land a man on Chandrama. All the projects would need the government’s approval, he said.
The ISRO chief said presently no plan has been made to select a second team of Indian space travellers. However, select people were being trained for the space mission. The Prime Minister has also instructed them to continue the missions to send man to space.
Ahead of the Gaganyaan Mission, the ISRO would take up the G-1 Mission in July to send a robot, Vyommitra, to space. The ISRO has been expecting to launch the unmanned crew module mission, G-2, by year-end, and G-3 by mid-2025. The Gaganyaan Mission (H-1), to send man to space, would be launched after G-3.
Though the crew module could accommodate three space travellers, only one person would be selected since H-1 would be Bharat’s maiden mission. The module would spend a day in orbit before returning to Prithvi, though it has been designed to remain in space for three days.
Somanath said the Gaganyaan Mission would prove India’s capability to send a man to space and return the traveller safely back to Prithvi.
