The Indian government has approved a number of major space projects. These include missions to the Moon and Venus, a reusable rocket and the first space station module.
Indian missions to Venus and the Moon
One of the most ambitious projects that has been given the green light is the Chandrayaan-4 mission. Its goal is to deliver lunar soil samples to Earth. It will use two LVM3 rockets. They will launch a pair of spacecraft into space, which will dock and then head for the Moon. The mission’s budget is estimated at $250 million, with implementation scheduled for 2027.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) also has a project in plans for a joint mission with Japan to land a vehicle on the South Pole of the Moon. However, it hasn’t been approved yet.
But the Venus Orbiter Mission, which is scheduled for launch in 2028, has received funding. Its goal will be to study the atmosphere, geology and evolution of Venus. The project will have a budget of approximately $149 million, of which $99 million will be spent on the development of the spacecraft.
Manned program and reusable rocket
The Indian government has also increased the budget for the Gaganyaan manned spaceflight program by $432 million. It now includes eight missions that are expected to be completed by December 2028 with the launch of India’s first orbital station module, BAS-1.
Finally, the development of the next-generation NGLV launch vehicle has been approved. It is stated that it will carry three times the payload of the current LVM3 at 1.5 times less cost. It will consist of reusable components and modular green propulsion systems, providing an inexpensive and efficient means of accessing space.
The NGLV project has been allocated $994 million. During the development phase, three test flights are planned over eight years. The new rocket should be a significant step toward a national orbital station and the Indian government’s announced goal of landing humans on the Moon by 2040.
According to Spacenews
