India is now eyeing the opportunity to build its own space station. (Representational)
From being a rocket and satellite maker, India is now eyeing the opportunity to build its own space station.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced earlier this year that India will have its space station by 2035. Sharing the progress of this ambitious goal, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath told NDTV that the first phase of the space station will be built by 2028.
"We are currently designing it. The space station's first phase has to be built by 2028. We have completed or rather engineered the detailed design, which is capable of being launched by the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3). So, in 2028, we will start launching the first module," he said.
The ISRO chief also informed that his team has made the full project report and cost estimate for government approval.
The space station will initially be developed and designed to handle robotic activity.
"It will only be robotics to start with because the process has to succeed and we have to build the capability for human spaceflight. A lot of confidence has to be built to operate for a long period. So, that will only happen in 2035. Until then, the space station will be developed and designed to handle robotic activity with an external robot mechanism," he said.
Mr Somanath also mentioned that India might not participate in a global effort to replace the International Space Station if it is decommissioned.
"We are limited by our resources and efforts required. We have to be on equal footing to talk about it," he said.
The Indian space agency chief also asserted that it's not easy to decommission the ISS: "ISS decommissioning is something we have heard many times, but it never happens because it's a huge infrastructure with a lot of value; it's not easy to decommission at any point. However, if it deteriorates, it creates problems for operation. Maybe we will decide at an appropriate time."
"Its life has been extended till 2030. And before that, we are going to have our first module of the space station. So we would like to focus on the independent space activity for the time being because we would like to have Gaganyaan connected to it," he added.
NASA plans to deorbit the ISS after it is replaced with a new space station at the end of 2030. It is collaborating on developing a space station owned, built, and operated by a private company.
Mr Somnath indicated that India "will of course" collaborate with other countries who are developing space stations "in terms of joint missions etc."