'Bharatiya Antariksh Station': First Module Of India's Own Space Station To Be Launched In 2028

The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (18 September) approved the building of first unit of the Bharatiya Anatriksh Station, India's own space station, by extending the scope of Gaganyaan programme.

The Cabinet approved the development of first module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1) and also the missions to demonstrate and validate various technologies for building and operating BAS.

Further, the the scope and funding of the Gaganyaan Programme will be revised to include new developments for BAS and precursor missions, and additional requirements to meet the ongoing India's mission for human spaceflight.

The first module of the Indian space station will be launched in 2028.

The Gaganyaan Programme approved in December 2018 envisages undertaking the 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.

The government has planned to set up an operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and is also aiming for a Indian crewed Lunar Mission by 2040. 

Through the Ganganyaan programme, the ISRO aims 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 and validation of various technologies for BAS by December 2028," a government release said.

"With a net additional funding of Rs 11,170 Crore in the already approved programme, the total funding for Gaganyaan Programme with the revised scope has been enhanced to Rs 20,193 crore," it added.

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