Union Minister for Science and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, informed Parliament that the target is to make the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) operational by 2035. ISRO has finalized the overall configuration of the five-module Indian space station. The government has approved the development and launch of the first module, BAS-01. System engineering and technical development activities for the various subsystems of BAS-01 are currently underway at various ISRO centers and units.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Jitendra Singh stated that the first uncrewed experimental mission—aimed at validating various technologies, including the ‘Vyommitra’ half-humanoid—is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026. Following this, the plan is to launch two additional uncrewed missions (featuring configurations similar to the crewed mission) and the first crewed Gaganyaan mission by 2027.
According to the Department of Space, development activities to certify the standards required for human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan mission include the following:
Human-Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3): Development and ground testing of all propulsion stages and structures have been completed.
Orbital Module: Development, testing, and certification of the propulsion systems for the Crew Module and Service Module are complete. An engineering model of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) has been prepared. Development and testing of the descent system, crew module uprighting system, thermal protection system, and end-to-end avionics have also been completed.
Crew Escape System (CES): Five types of motors have been developed and statically tested. All structures for the CES have been fabricated and certified.
Infrastructure: Necessary modifications have been completed at the Orbital Module Preparation Facility, Gaganyaan Control Center, Gaganyaan Control Facility, Astronaut Training Center, and the Second Launch Pad complex. Test Missions: The first test vehicle mission, TV-D1, aimed at validating the Crew Escape System during flight, has been successfully completed. Integrated Air Drop Tests (IADT-01 and IADT-02) to test the descent system have also been successfully concluded. Preparations for the TV-D2 mission are underway.
Flight Operations and Communication Network: The configuration of the ground network has been finalized. The IDRSS-1 feeder station and terrestrial communication links have been established. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed to facilitate collaboration with other space agencies.
Crew Recovery Operations: Recovery resources have been finalized, and a recovery plan has been prepared.
Approval of ₹20,193 Crore Budget Allocation
Simultaneously, various ground qualification tests are ongoing to evaluate the performance of new systems developed for Gaganyaan. The Cabinet had approved a budget allocation of ₹20,193 crore for the completion of eight missions by September 2024.
ISRO’s Collaboration with International Space Agencies for the Human Spaceflight Programme
ISRO is collaborating with several international space agencies across various domains of the human spaceflight programme. Network operations support for Gaganyaan missions is being provided in collaboration with the European Space Agency. An agreement with the Australian Space Agency facilitates cooperation in the recovery of the crew and the crew module for Gaganyaan missions. ISRO’s flight surgeons and ground support teams have received training in collaboration with the French national space agency.
Furthermore, an agreement exists between ISRO and Russia’s state space agency, Roscosmos, for cooperation on the human spaceflight programme. This includes the supply of systems such as crew seats, viewports, flight suits, and wind tunnel testing, as well as the provision of generic spaceflight training to the first batch of Gagannauts at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
