Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somnath has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could potentially fly to space during India's inaugural human mission, 'Gaganyaan'. Expressing pride in this possibility, Somnath highlighted the significance of involving the head of state in such a historic endeavor.

"While PM Modi has numerous critical responsibilities, developing a human spaceflight program is a capability we aim to nurture. His involvement would greatly contribute to the Gaganyaan program, especially in astronaut training for the International Space Station (ISS)," Somnath stated.

Key Details of Gaganyaan Mission
ISRO's Gaganyaan Mission aims to send three astronauts into a 400 km orbit for a 3-day mission, marking a monumental achievement in India's space exploration endeavors. The project, costing ₹90 billion, is named after the Sanskrit word for 'vehicle to the sky'.

India's Lunar Ambitions by 2040
During the India Space Congress 2024, Somnath discussed PM Modi's ambitious 'Amrit Kaal' vision, which includes plans for lunar exploration and a potential moon landing by 2040. However, current rocket capabilities, including the GSLV MKIII (LVM3), are insufficient for round trips to the moon, necessitating the development of higher payload capacity rockets.

"While GSLV MKIII is our largest rocket, it lacks the capacity for return trips from the moon. We must enhance our capabilities to retrieve samples and facilitate future manned missions," Somnath explained.

Enhancing India's Space Industry
Somnath emphasized the importance of enhancing India's industrial capacity to produce launch vehicles and urged for increased participation from private companies to bolster production capabilities. He highlighted the upcoming launch of GSAT-20 aboard Falcon 9 in mid-August as a step towards integrating commercial viability into India's space missions.

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