India has set its sights on a monumental achievement in space exploration: developing a spacecraft capable of landing humans on the Moon and bringing them back safely to Earth by the year 2027. This ambitious timeline was revealed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan during a keynote address in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Roadmap to the Moon and Beyond
Speaking as the chief guest at Gujarat University's 74th annual convocation, Narayanan outlined the nation's stellar space trajectory. He confirmed that the foundational Gaganyaan mission, India's first human spaceflight program, is already in motion to enable this lunar ambition. Furthermore, preparations for a Mars mission are progressing and expected to advance significantly by 2028.
Reflecting on India's space journey since 1962, the ISRO chief highlighted the successful launch of 133 satellites for domestic purposes. He particularly noted the recent milestone achieved by the LVM-3 'Bahubali' rocket, which carried the heaviest satellite so far at 164 kilograms.
Expanding Infrastructure and Global Leadership
To support these future endeavors, significant infrastructure expansion is underway. Narayanan announced that the central government has granted approval for the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). Currently, satellites are launched from two pads in India, but a third launch pad, approved at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore, will be built specifically for launching heavy-lift NGLV satellites.
India's prowess as a global launch service provider was underscored with the statistic that it has launched 434 satellites for 34 countries. The nation also holds a world record for the remarkable feat of launching 104 satellites in a single day.
Sun Studies, Navigation, and Public Tech
Narayanan also shed light on other critical missions. India has now joined an elite group of nations studying the Sun and will soon launch the Aditya solar mission. In the realm of navigation, while four GPS navigation satellites are currently operational, three more will be launched soon to enhance the network.
In a significant announcement for public technology, the ISRO chairman revealed plans to launch the 'Bhuvan' portal, a homegrown mapping service comparable to global platforms like Google Maps.
Social Impact and Private Sector Growth
Emphasizing the down-to-earth benefits of space technology, Narayanan stated that Indian satellites have been instrumental in saving lives. Practical applications are vast: telecom tracking systems monitor the movement of 8,700 trains across the country, and satellite data is used to identify potential fishing zones for the maritime industry.
Marking a shift in the space industry's ecosystem, he noted that while satellite component manufacturing was earlier the domain of government companies, this responsibility is now extended to three private and start-up companies, fostering greater participation in the sector.
The convocation was also attended by Education Minister Trikam Chhanga and IIM Director Dr Bharat Bhaskar.
