A national space-based facility will boost microgravity based scientific research & technology development activities
In a major leap forward for India's space exploration ambitions, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) approved the construction of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), or the Indian Space Station, to take scientific research to the next level. The Union Cabinet also gave its nod to the Chandrayaan-4 mission to the Moon, a scientific mission to Venus, and the development of a next-generation reusable launch vehicle.

The vision for space in the years to come envisages the creation of an operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and an Indian Crewed Lunar Mission by 2040. 

"Great news for the space sector! The Union Cabinet has approved the first step towards the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), expanding the Gaganyaan programme! This landmark decision brings us closer to a self-sustained space station by 2035 and a crewed lunar mission by 2040!" Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. 

The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi approved the building of the first unit of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by extending the scope of the ongoing Gaganyaan program. Wednesday's approval covers development of the first module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1) and missions to demonstrate and validate various technologies for building and operating BAS. 

A national space-based facility such as the Bharatiya Antariksh Station will boost microgravity based scientific research & technology development activities. This will lead to technological spin-offs and encourage innovations in key areas of research and development, an official statement said.

Revision in the Gaganyaan Programme will include the scope of development and precursor missions for BAS, and factoring one additional uncrewed mission and additional hardware requirement for the developments of ongoing programme. Now the human spaceflight program of technology development and demonstration is through eight missions to be completed by December 2028 by launching the first unit of BAS-1.

The Gaganyaan Programme approved in December 2018 envisages undertaking a human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and to lay the foundation of technologies needed for an Indian human space exploration programme in the long run. 

"All leading space faring nations are making considerable efforts & investments to develop & operationalize capabilities that are required for long duration human space missions and further exploration to Moon and beyond," the official statement noted.

The target of the Gaganyaan Programme is to develop and demonstrate critical technologies for long duration human space missions. To achieve this goal, ISRO will undertake four missions under ongoing Gaganyaan Programme by 2026 and development of first module of BAS & four missions for demonstration & validation of various technologies for BAS by December, 2028.