On the occasion of India’s Independence Day, PM Narendra Modi revealed some bold plans for India’s space exploration plans. The country’s space agency plans to establish its own space station by 2035 and launch its first crewed mission by 2027. These bold targets were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and later further detailed by ISRO Chief Dr. V. Narayanan in an exclusive interview with Times Now.
At the Independence Day program at the Red Fort, PM Modi, said, “We will make our own space station. Thousands of youth are working on it. This is the power of our youth… This is the confidence we have in our youth”. Furthermore, he said, “The nation is proud of our space sector, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is back from the space station… in the days to come he will return to India.”
Chandrayaan 4, 5 missions approved
Dr. Narayanan highlighted the remarkable growth within the Indian space sector, noting a massive increase in the number of startups contributing to ISRO‘s efforts, from just one to over 300. He also confirmed that several other major projects have been approved, including Chandrayaan-4, Chandrayaan-5, and the Venus Orbiter Mission, thus showcasing a diverse collection of future space missions.
The Gaganyaan mission updates
Giving an update on the highly anticipated Gaganyaan project, Dr. Narayanan assured that development is “going on well.” He specified that the orbiter module is in its final development stages and the crew escape system is “almost ready.” The timeline for this crucial mission is set, with the first uncrewed flight scheduled for 2025. This will be followed by the crewed mission in the first quarter of 2027.
ISRO is approaching a cautious and methodical path toward sending Indian astronauts into space.
The program aims to send a three-person crew to a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission before safely returning them to Earth. This mission is part of a larger plan to lay the foundation for a sustained human space exploration program and is a crucial step for India to join an elite group of nations, including the US, Russia, and China, that possess the capability for independent human spaceflight. To ensure the safety of the crew, the mission involves the development of new technologies, including a human-rated launch vehicle, a crew escape system, and a life support system.