ISRO Chief S Somanath unveils plans for launch of Indian Space Station in 2028

S Somanath, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), announced on Friday that the first module of the Indian Space Station will be launched by 2028. This announcement was made during the 6th Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan event held at Science City in Ahmedabad, which was organized by Vijnana Bharati. Somanath provided details about the roadmap for this pioneering project.

India’s space station launch by 2028

“The goal is clear: by 2028, our goal is to launch the first module. However, due to the limitations of our current LVM-3 rocket, which has a payload capacity of 10 tons, the original module will weigh eight tons,” stated. Somanath. He elaborated that the next modules, which range from 20 to 25 tons, will require a more powerful launch vehicle, which is currently under development. AIR reports that ISRO expects the approval of this advanced rocket seven years after its completion, in line with the goal of making the space station fully operational by 2035.

Human research after 2035

India’s space station launch in 2028 will introduce a robotic module that will act as a satellite for docking, experiments and return. Human space missions to the station are planned after 2035, when the heavier modules are successfully launched and integrated.

Somanath emphasized the need for a solid connection between industry and academia, stressing the synergy between science and technology. Embracing the vision of India becoming a defense equipment manufacturer and potential exporter in the future, he emphasized the important role of academia-industry collaboration.

“Connecting academia to industry is crucial. The current link is still weak, and just publishing in journals is not enough. Research in universities and institutions should contribute to industrial product innovations that immediately reach market revenues. These revenues should then be reinvested further into research – the chain that we have to be set up for each sub-area,” said Somanath.

He emphasized that the new education policies focus on developing capabilities to transform knowledge creation into wealth creation, which demonstrates the government’s commitment to this transformative science policy. It is essential to transform knowledge into concrete value for the nation’s progress.