NEW DELHI: PM Modi directed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to aim for setting up Bharatiya Antriksha Station, or an Indian space station, by 2035, and seek to land the first Indian on the moon by 2040. The statements were a part of a meeting chaired by Modi to assess the progress made by ISRI on India’s manned space mission, Gaganyaan.
During the meeting, the department of space affirmed that the first unmanned demonstration launch under Gaganyaan, which will test the mission’s ‘Crew Escape System Test Vehicle’, will take place on October 21. India’s first manned space mission under Gaganyaan is on track to launch in 2025.
In a statement, a department of space spokesperson said, “The department of space will develop a roadmap for moon exploration. This will encompass a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a next generation launch vehicle (NGLV), construction of a new launch pad, setting up human-centric laboratories, and associated technologies.
The Prime Minister also called upon Indian scientists to work towards interplanetary missions that would include a Venus Orbiter Mission and a Mars Lander.
