Prime Minister Narendra Modi has outlined a bold vision for India’s space exploration endeavors, urging ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to achieve significant milestones in the coming years. During a briefing by ISRO Chairman S Somanath on the progress of the Gaganyaan mission, it was revealed that India’s first human space flight is now expected in 2025.
Prime Minister Modi set ambitious goals for ISRO, including the establishment of an Indian Space Station by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
He emphasized the need for interplanetary missions, such as a Venus Orbiter Mission and a Mars Lander, in addition to a more comprehensive exploration of the Moon.
“Building on the success of Indian space initiatives, including the recent Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1 missions, the Prime Minister directed that India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up the ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ (Indian space station) by 2035 and sending first Indian to the Moon by 2040,” said the statement during the meet.
To realize this vision, the Department of Space will develop a roadmap for Moon exploration, which will involve a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a new rocket called the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), the construction of a new launchpad, and the establishment of human-centric laboratories and associated technologies. The Gaganyaan Mission, initially planned for 2022, will now launch in 2025 due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the mission’s complexity.
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This strategic meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister, followed India’s successful lunar landing near the unexplored south pole of the Moon in August. Within a short span of ten days after this achievement, India launched the Aditya L-1 mission to study the Sun from the Lagrange Point (L1), located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. The Aditya L-1 mission will focus on studying the solar atmosphere, solar magnetic storms, and their impact on the Earth’s environment. Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence in India’s capabilities and reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to reaching new heights in space exploration.
