ISRO aims to land Indians on Moon by 2040
What's the story
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has set an ambitious target to land Indians on the Moon by 2040. The announcement was made by ISRO Chairman V Narayanan during an exclusive interview with PTI. He also confirmed that India's first human spaceflight mission, 'Gaganyaan,' is on track for launch in 2027.
Future projects
National space station by 2035
Narayanan also revealed plans for a national space station by 2035. He said the first of three uncrewed 'Gaganyaan' missions is targeted for December 2025. This mission will carry a half-humanoid robot named 'Vyommitra.' The other two uncrewed missions are scheduled for next year, ahead of the crewed 'Gaganyaan' mission in early 2027.
Space exploration
Plans for Venus mission and BAS
Narayanan also confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directive for an indigenous crewed lunar mission by 2040. He also said a Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) has been approved to study the planet. The ISRO Chairman also revealed plans for the Bharatiya Antriksh Station (BAS) by 2035, with initial modules expected as early as 2027.
Future missions
Updates on other ISRO missions
ISRO's future projects include Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5, a new Mars mission, and AXOM, an astronomical observatory mission. The Aditya-L1 mission has already provided over 15 terabits of solar data. Narayanan stressed the importance of international collaborations in climate science and space research while maintaining India's commitment to self-reliance in these fields.
Sector transformation
Over 300 start-ups now involved in India's space sector
Narayanan highlighted how the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) has transformed the space sector by integrating start-ups and private players into the national ecosystem. He noted that there are now over 300 start-ups working on satellite manufacturing, launch services, and space-based data analytics. These efforts are crucial to meet India's growing demand for satellite-based applications across various sectors.
Global standing
India's achievements in space exploration
Narayanan said India has become the world's fourth-largest economy with a thriving space sector that is matching and often exceeding global standards. He emphasized ISRO's achievements from discovering water on the Moon with Chandrayaan-1 to soft landing near the lunar south pole with Chandrayaan-3. He also noted India's successful docking and undocking in space through the SPADEX mission, making it only the fourth country to do so.