Our Bureau
Ahmedabad
India is working towards establishing its own space station, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station, by 2035, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said on Sunday. The first module of the proposed station has already received approval, marking a major step in the country’s long-term human spaceflight programme.
Speaking at the third National Space Day celebrations in Ahmedabad, Narayanan said the space station was among the major programmes being pursued alongside Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight programme. The announcement underlines India’s ambition to move from individual space missions towards establishing a sustained human presence in low Earth orbit.
The space station plan is part of a broader expansion of India’s space capabilities. ISRO has also set an ambitious target of placing at least 300 satellites in orbit over the next five to six years, with increasing participation from industry and startups.
The first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission is expected to launch by the end of 2026. The mission is an important precursor to India’s planned human spaceflight programme and will help demonstrate technologies required for safely carrying astronauts into space and bringing them back.
Narayanan also highlighted the growing role of space technology in everyday life. According to him, space-based applications are now being used across more than 50 areas, including sectors that directly serve citizens.
The proposed space station would further strengthen India’s capabilities in human spaceflight, scientific research and microgravity experiments. It also represents a significant shift in the country’s space ambitions, from launching satellites and conducting planetary missions to developing infrastructure capable of supporting long-duration activity in orbit.
India’s space programme has expanded considerably in recent years, with achievements including the Chandrayaan missions and the successful SpaDeX docking demonstration.