India Expands Gaganyaan Mission to Launch National Space Station

India has unveiled plans to enhance its Gaganyaan mission, incorporating a national space station development. The mission aims to execute two crewed and six uncrewed spaceflights by 2028. The initiative adopts advancements due to COVID disruptions and resource constraints. India targets having its space station operational by 2035.

In a significant stride for its space ambitions, India plans to expand the Gaganyaan mission, its inaugural human spaceflight initiative, including the creation and operation of a national space station. This expanded mission aims to complete two crewed and six uncrewed missions by 2028, as announced by the deputy minister on Thursday.

The mission is intended to propel a space capsule into a 400 km orbit and is hailed as a showcase of India's prowess in space exploration, making it the fourth nation, alongside the U.S., Russia, and China, to achieve this feat. Initially announced in 2019, Gaganyaan faced delays due to the global pandemic, supply chain issues, and extra safety precautions.

Jitendra Singh highlighted the revised budget of 201.93 billion rupees, covering essential test flights and system advancements. Developing an indigenous life support system remains a challenge, aiming for operational readiness by 2035 and a crewed mission to the Moon by 2040. The mission's extension underscores India's strategic foresight in space capability expansion.

(With inputs from agencies.)