On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with officials from the Department of Space to deliberate on India\’s pioneering crewed space mission, Gaganyaan. This gathering took place shortly before the inaugural demonstration flight of the Crew Escape Test Vehicle, which was instrumental in assessing the mission\’s readiness and confirming its slated launch in 2025.
During this session, the Department of Space provided a comprehensive overview of the mission\’s progress to the Prime Minister, including advancements in various technologies such as human-rated launch vehicles and system qualification. The Prime Minister\’s Office (PMO) communicated that approximately 20 significant tests are in the pipeline, including three uncrewed missions utilizing the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3).
Within the meeting, Prime Minister Modi unveiled an ambitious vision for India, which encompasses the establishment of an \’Indian Space Station\’ (Bharatiya Antariksha Station) by 2035 and the endeavor to send the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
This significant meeting, attended by Science Minister Jitendra Singh and the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S. Somnath, was convened to explore these pioneering aspirations and lay the groundwork for their realization. Furthermore, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the Department of Space will formulate a comprehensive strategy for lunar exploration, encompassing a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), the construction of a new launch facility, and the establishment of human-centric laboratories and related technologies, as detailed in the PMO statement.