New Delhi

India said on Tuesday (Oct 17) that it aims to send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued instructions to the space department that include plans for a space station by 2035. Prime Minister Modi also called on scientists to work on missions to Venus and Mars.

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According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, Modi on Tuesday addressed a high-level meeting to assess the progress of India’s Gaganyaan Mission and to outline the future of the country's space exploration endeavours.

"Building on the success of the Indian space initiatives, including the recent Chandrayan-3 and Aditya L1 Missions, Prime Minister directed that India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending first Indian to the Moon by 2040," the statement said.

During the meeting, the Department of Space presented a comprehensive overview of the Gaganyaan Mission, including various technologies developed so far such as human-rated launch vehicles and system qualification.

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"It was noted that around 20 major tests, including 3 uncrewed missions of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) are planned. First demonstration flight of the Crew Escape System Test Vehicle is scheduled on 21 October. The meeting evaluated the mission’s readiness, affirming its launch in 2025," the statement further said.

To realise the 2040 mission, the space department will develop a roadmap for Moon exploration. This will encompass a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), the construction of a new launch pad, and the setting up of human-centric Laboratories and associated technologies.

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