ISRO Space Station: India To Build Its Own Space Station, Says Chief S Somanath

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is riding an unstoppable ride with the smashing success of various ambitious space exploration projects including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1. Now, the Indian space agency is all set to take a step further to construct a space station of its own.

ISRO Chief S. Somanath said, "that the space agency is exploring various possibilities for future missions, including the construction of a space station and long-duration human spaceflight," in an interview with CGTN.

"We are looking at all the possibilities after the success of the Moon mission," Somanath said. "We are looking at what kind of science you can do. We are looking at how the space station can become beneficial for the Indian space economy."

Following the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed on the Moon's south pole on August 23. The mission including Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover was launched on July 14, ISRO is now focusing on developing its human spaceflight capabilities through the Gaganyaan program. This initiative aims to send astronauts into space, marking a significant step towards the construction of a space station.

"We have a plan that in the near future we must start building a Space Station and start with robotic operation," Somanath explained.

"We still don't have manned flight capability, and we are working on it. The Gaganyaan program is towards human spaceflight capability, and once that happens, we will be able to look at Space Station building in subsequent modules in the next 20-25 years."

ISRO chief also mentioned that they are considering manned exploration and long-duration human spaceflight as part of its future agenda. If successful, India would join the ranks of countries like the United States, Russia, and China, which have already established their presence in human spaceflight.