Genesis: Gaganyaan Programme ‘India’s first Human Space Flight’ mission was approved in December 2018.
Objective: The programme envisages to-
Transport a team of astronauts to an orbit 400 km above Earth for a three-day expedition before safely returning them in the short term.
Lay the foundation for a sustained Indian human space exploration programme in the long run.
Technological development: The pre-requisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies including:
Human rated launch vehicle (LVM 3)for carrying crew safely to space,
Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space,
Crew emergency escape provision and;
Evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.
Union cabinet has approved the building of first unit of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by extending the scope of Gaganyaan program.
More on the News:
Revised Gaganyaan Programme include:
Development of first module of BAS and four missions for demonstration & validation of various technologies for BAS by December, 2028.
Four missions under ongoing Gaganyaan Programme by 2026
The total funding for Gaganyaan Programme with the revised scope has been enhanced to over ₹20000 Crorefrom around ₹12000 Crore.
About Bharatiya Antariksh Station
BAS is India's planned space station for scientific research which will orbit around 400 – 450km above the Earth's surface
It will have five modules and will be built in phases.
Targets:The first module (the Base Module) will be launch in 2028 and BAS will be operationalized by 2035.
Current Status: BAS is currently in conceptualization phase, under which overall architecture, number and types of modules, docking ports etc. are being studied.
Significance of BAS
Spaceflight and human habitation: BAS will serve as a testing ground to study how to keep astronauts safe and healthy on long-duration missions. It will also support India’s other long-term space goals
Earth observation: Space Station can provide better spatial resolution and variable lighting conditions. It can assist in dealing with natural disasters.
Microgravity research: For example, muscles and bones react differently in space than on Earth.Thus, on BAScontrolled experiments can be fast-tracked to study health conditions such as muscle atrophy and bone density loss.
Fostering innovations: Small entrepreneurs can test their technology in space. This can generate increased employment opportunities in high-technology sectors related to space and allied industries.
Current size of the global Space economy is $ 546 billion and India's share is only 2%. (2023 report by NASSCOM and Indian Space Association)
India has a vision of increasing its share to 10%.
Technological spin-offs: Spin-off products are spacebased innovations and technologies that find application in other sectors like use of:
Space-derived data processing algorithm for environmental monitoring or
Advanced materials developed for, automotive, construction and spacecraft for aerospace.
International Prestige: By building a space station, India joins a select group of countries, elevating its global standing and potentially fostering international collaborations.
Challenges regarding Indian space station:
Project Development Related Challenges:
Low R&D budget: India's expenditure on research and development (R&D) as a percentage of GDP is relatively low, standing at just 0.7%.
Financial constraints could limit the pace and scope of the project and the experiments it can host.
Developing new technology: India has proved its capabilities in satellite development. But a space station requires a separate set of skills and systems.
It involves life support, radiation protection, structural integrity and orbital maintenance.
Managing geopolitical issues: A space station is not only a scientific endeavour, but also a strategic asset.
The country will have to deal with potential competition from, and build cooperation with, other space-faring nations, such as the US, Russia, China and the European Union.
Space Related Challenges:
Hazards to astronaut health: The space environment can be lethal without the correct protection equipment and precautions. The greatest threats are
a lack of oxygen and pressure in closed environments;
expansion of the cerebral ventricles (spaces in the middle of the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid which protects the brain by providing it a cushion in case of a sudden force or a jolt);
altered gravity fields;
radiation and the psychological effects of isolation and confinement.
Space debris: Increase in space debris pose significant challenges in space operations and require technological sophistication to avoid collisions.
Way Ahead
Securing adequate funding: India will have to seek international collaborations and private-sector involvement to ensure sufficient funding.
Capacity development: Upgradation needed in ISRO’s technological infrastructurefor components like life support, radiation protection, structural integrity and orbital maintenance, etc.
Long-Term Sustainability: India must develop a clear plan for regular maintenance, resupply missions, and upgrades to ensure its space station remains operational.
Managing geopolitical issues: India will have to balance its national interests and international obligations while pursuing its space station project.
India will also have to adhere to the existing norms and regulations of space law and governance.
International Cooperation: Collaboration with nations possessing space station (US, Russia) experience can provide valuable insights and reduce costs.
Other Space stations:
Inoperative
Salyut 1: It was world's first space station launched by the Soviet Union in April 1971.
Skylab: It wasUSA’s first space station, launched by NASA in 1973.
Operative
International Space Station (ISS): It is a large space station that was assembled in 1998 and operational since 2000.
It is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada).
China: Tiangong 1 launched in 2011, Tiangong -2 launched in 2016 were test space labs and Tiangong space station was launched in 2021 (fully operational since late 2022).
Upcoming:
Gateway Space Station: NASA-led Gateway Program is an international collaboration to establish humanity's first space station around the Moon as a vital component of the Artemis campaign.
Axiom Station: It is a commercial space station being developed by Axiom Space to operate in low-Earth orbit. It will be the first commercial space station in the world.
