India’s space ambitions were given a new dimension on Saturday as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) unveiled the model of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) in New Delhi on the occasion of National Space Day.
The proposed orbital station, which will mark India’s entry into long-duration human spaceflight, is expected to have its first module launched by 2028. ISRO has set 2035 as the target year for making the station fully operational. The BAS will serve as a dedicated hub for indigenous research, including microgravity studies and advanced technology tests crucial for future deep-space missions.
Unveiling the roadmap, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said the project would define India’s leadership in global space exploration. “Based on his direction and vision, we are going to have a Chandrayaan-4 mission. We are going to have a Venus Orbiter Mission. We are going to have a space station called BAS (Bharatiya Antariksh Station) by 2035, and the first module will be lifted off by 2028. The Prime Minister has given approval for an NGL (Next Generation Launcher)... By 2040, India will land on the moon and we are going to bring back safely. Thereby by 2040, Indian Space Program will be at par with any other space program of the world...” Narayanan said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed the event virtually, said India’s strides in space have become symbolic of the country’s determination to break new ground. Recalling the achievement of Chandrayaan-3, he remarked, “Achieving new milestones one after another in the space sector has become the nature of India and Indian scientists. Just two years ago, India became the first country to create history by reaching the South Pole of the Moon.”
The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s progress in space docking technology and praised astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for his role in the Axiom-4 mission. “We have also become the fourth country in the world to have the capability of docking and undocking in space. Just three days ago, I met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. He filled every Indian with pride by hoisting the tricolour on the International Space Station. The moment, the feeling when he was showing me the tricolour, is beyond words. In my discussion with Group Captain Shubhanshu, I have seen the immense courage and infinite dreams of the youth of the new India,” Modi said.
The unveiling of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station marks not only a milestone for ISRO but also a reaffirmation of India’s vision to cement its place among the foremost spacefaring nations in the decades to come.
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