New Delhi: India is all set to achieve major landmarks in space exploration with plans and focus to set up its own space station, "Bharat Antariksha Station", by 2035, and to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040, said Mr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and  Technology and Space,  announced on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.  The station will be a significant milestone for India, positioning the country among the select few to have its own space station, after the United States and a few other nations.

At a press meet in New Delhi on December 11, Jitendra Singh said that the space station will be functional by 2035, with plans to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040.  He emphasized that this achievement would mark a significant leap for India in space exploration.

India is preparing to launch its own space station, becoming one of the first countries to do so, alongside the U.S. and a few others, the Minister said. The space station will be named Bharat Antariksha Station, and by 2040, India is hopeful of landing its first astronaut on the Moon.

The Minister also provided updates on the Gaganyaan mission, which will send India’s first astronaut into space. Singh announced that the first crewed spaceflight under the Gaganyaan program is expected to take off by late 2024 or early 2026.

Alongside these ambitious space endeavors, India is also embarking on a Deep Sea Mission aimed at sending a human to the ocean’s seabed. The mission will target depths of up to 6,000 meters, which is the ocean's deepest known point. Singh shared, “By the end of next year, or perhaps by 2026, we will see an Indian astronaut in space under the Gaganyaan mission, while also sending a human 6,000 meters deep into the seabed.”

The Union Minister further highlighted India's success in satellite launches, mentioning that in the last decade, India has launched 397 foreign satellites from Sriharikota, with a total of 432 satellites launched under the Narendra Modi government. He praised the government's ongoing support for the space and biotechnology sectors, noting that India is also one of the first countries to implement a biotechnology-related policy, Biotechnology E3.

These developments signal India's increasing prominence in space exploration and technology, as the nation strives to reach new heights in both space and marine research.