India plans to have its exclusive space station as the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) works on a new launch vehicle, R Umamaheswaran, the director of the Human Space Flight Centre announced on Thursday.
According to the initial plan, the 20 tonne-space station would serve as a facility where astronauts can stay for 15 to 20 days.
“We have plans for launching an India-specific space station by 2030-35. At present it is in the discussion stage,” Umamaheswaran said on the sidelines of the India Space Congress 2022 in New Delhi.
The next-generation launch vehicle (NGLV) is at the design stage and expected to be ready by 2030. The reusable NGLV will be “cost-conscious, production-friendly, which can be built in India and operated globally.”
The space exploration agency is aiming to launch the country’s first crewed space mission by either the end of 2024 or early 2025.
“As regards the crew module - where the humans are supposed to sit and fly - designs have been completed. And it is currently in the application stage. In three to six months, it will be ready,” Umamaheswaran said.
The agency would also carry unmanned test flights at the end of 2023.
“A test vehicle, which is the modified liquid stage of NGLV, will go up to an altitude of 15 to 20km. Then at different altitude levels, we will chart failures and test whether the crew escape system works,” he explained.