India to have its own space station: ISRO

The International Space Station is seen over the Earth. File photo. 

The detailed project report on setting up a space station will be submitted to the government after the Gaganyaan mission.

India plans to have its own space station in the future and modalities for it will be worked out after the first manned mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled to be launched by August 2022, Dr. Sivan, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Thursday.

“We want to have a separate space station. We will launch a small module for microgravity experiments...,” Dr. Sivan said addressing the media. “That is our ambition,” he stated.

The detailed project report on setting up a space station will be submitted to the government after the Gaganyaan mission.

Giving out broad contours of the planned space station, Dr. Sivan said it has been envisaged to weigh 20 tonnes and will be placed in an orbit of 400 kms above earth where astronauts can stay for 15-20 days. The time frame is 5-7 years after Gaganyaan, he stated.

Gaganyaan project on track

Speaking about the progress of Gaganyaan, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minster of State for Space, said the project was on track to be realized by India’s 75th Independence Day or even earlier. “Cost approved by Union Cabinet just before the Model Code of Conduct came in was ₹10,000 crore,” Dr. Singh said.

A Gaganyan National Advisory Council has been created, comprising members from different institutions and industries to oversee and advise on the mission. Selection of 2-3 crew for Gaganyan will begin in six months, Dr. Singh said and added that they will undergo training for a year or year-and-a-half after that.

The initial phase of training will be in India and the advanced stage will be done abroad, said Dr. Sivan, as the facilities did not exist to complete the project on a short timeline.

Dr. Sivan also added that ISRO will join the international space community for a manned mission to moon in the future.

ISRO will use its GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, which has the necessary payload capability to launch Gaganyaan. Prior to that, two unmanned missions will be undertaken — the first one in December next year and the second, six months after that.

Gagayaan mission aims to send a 2-3 person crew to space for a period of seven days. The spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400km.