Key Points

The ISRO chief emphasised that by the year 2035, India will establish the "Bhartiya Space Station" whose first module will be lifted off in the year 2035.

He stated that India will land on the moon by the year 2040 which will make India's space program at the top other than any country in the world.

"Based on his direction and vision, we are going to have a Chandrayaan-4 mission. We are going to have a Venus Orbiter Mission. We are going to have a space station called BAS (Bharatiya Antriksh Station) by 2035, and the first module will be lifted off by 2028. The Prime Minister has given approval for an NGL (Next Generation Launcher)... By 2040, India will land on the moon and we are going to bring back safely. Thereby by 2040, Indian Space Program will be at par with any other space program of the world...," V Narayanan said.

Referring to the success of the Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's mission to the International Space Station, the ISRO chief said that India managed to send its "Gaganyatri" to the International Space Station and thanked PM Modi for the achievement.

He revealed that it was PM Modi's idea to send a "Gaganyatri" to the ISS before sending them to space in India's own rocket.

"One of the major achievements is sending one of our 'Gaganyatris' to the International Space Station. It is again the Prime Minister to be thanked. It was his idea that before sending a 'Gaganyatri' to the space through our rocket, we should send one of them to the ISS. His vision led to a great success today... Shukla Ji has gone to the ISS and come back safely... Three of his colleagues cannot be forgotten. There are four people, the four 'Gaganyatris'. I used to say all the four people are equally important to us. Finally only one person got the opportunity," he said.

Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi while virtually addressing the event, recalled the success of the Chandrayaan 3 mission, stating that India created history by becoming the first country to reach the south pole of the Moon.

He emphasised that achieving new milestones every day has become the nature of India and its scientists.

"Achieving new milestones one after another in the space sector has become the nature of India and Indian scientists. Just two years ago, India became the first country to create history by reaching the South Pole of the Moon," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also lauded the success of the Axiom 4 mission, stating that Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla has filled India with pride by hoisting the tricolour at the International Space Station.

Referring to his meeting with Group Captain Shukla, the Prime Minister asserted on India's immense courage and infinite dreams amongst its youth.

"We have also become the fourth country in the world to have the capability of docking and undocking in space. Just three days ago, I met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. He filled every Indian with pride by hoisting the tricolour on the International Space Station. The moment, the feeling when he was showing me the tricolour, is beyond words. In my discussion with Group Captain Shubhanshu, I have seen the immense courage and infinite dreams of the youth of the new India," PM Modi said.

Shubanshu Shukla returned to Earth on July 15 after completing NASA's Axiom-4 (AX-4) space mission and landed in Delhi on August 17.

Shukla was part of NASA's Axiom-4 Space Mission, which took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, US, on June 25. He returned to Earth on July 15, splashing down off the coast of California. He became the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space.

India's first human Space mission, "Gaganyaan" programme, has entered its final phase, with the first human spaceflight now scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair and Shubanshu Shukla will be a part of the crew for the Gaganyaan mission.

- ANI