A focus on Moon and International Space Station is Part of the BJP’s Election Manifesto

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 14th April. The Indian Space Station is presently in the conceptualization phase, with a completion target of 2035 set by ISRO, which is undertaking feasibility studies.

As the nation prepares to hold elections for the Lok Sabha in 2024, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) declared in its electoral manifesto that India would send an astronaut to the moon.

The space agency has set a goal to complete the feat by 2040. On August 23, of last year, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) achieved a historic first when, on its second try, it became just the fourth nation in history to land on the moon and the first to do so close to the lunar South Pole.

But as part of Chandrayaan-3, an automated lander and a rover were launched into space to accomplish this accomplishment. To date, no Indian astronaut has left Indian territory to journey to space.

The party declared that it would direct the launch of Gaganyaan, India’s first-ever human space mission, and its landing on the moon if it wins the next elections. Preparations for Gaganyaan have already started, with a number of technological demos scheduled for the next two years. An additional unmanned Test Vehicle flight (TV-D01) is scheduled for the next few months, following the first one that took place in October of last year.

Four astronaut-designates have also been shortlisted by the space agency, led by ISRO chief S Somanath, to participate in the historic mission scheduled for launch in late 2025. The Soviet Union (now Russia), the United States, and China are the only four nations in the world with successful human spaceflight programs. In addition, it is carrying out feasibility studies for additional robotic lunar exploration using orbiters, landers, and rovers as well as for the gathering and return of lunar samples, which will eventually lead to human lunar landings.

A Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Indian Space Station is another goal of the “Sankalp Patra” agenda. Nevertheless, the overall architecture, quantity and kind of modules, and docking ports of this space station are still only being conceptualized.

It might be finished by 2035, but it will take another ten or so years. Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh recently informed the Parliament, “The allocation of funds for setting up the space station shall be sought once the feasibility studies are completed and the proposal is put up for formal Government approval at an appropriate stage.”

The manifesto also pledges to establish a Space Academy under IIST and ISRO, with fellowships available to students from both domestic and foreign universities. “We aim to significantly increase the value of the space economy and position India as a leading space power,” it continues.

After taking office for two consecutive terms beginning in 2014, the BJP-led administration is about to confront its biggest challenge coming April and May as the 1.3 billion people prepare to pick a new government. The two-month Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to begin on April 19 and go through June 1. On June 5, the results will be announced. Nyaya Patra, the manifesto of the Indian National Congress (INC) party, has previously been made public and emphasizes the provision of jobs for the youth and justice for all groups.