HELSINKI — The Indian government has given approval to a number of major space projects including the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return and a first space station module.
The union cabinet, chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Chandrayaan-4 moon sample return mission Sept. 18. The ambitious project will use two LVM 3 rockets. These will separately launch spacecraft stacks comprising propulsion, lander and ascender modules, and transfer and reentry modules respectively. The mission has been granted a budget of around 21 billion rupees ($253 million).
The mission’s complexity will provide foundational technologies and capabilities for India’s goal of landing its astronauts on the moon by 2040. This includes ascent from the lunar surface, docking and undocking in lunar orbit, and safe return and reentry to Earth to deliver samples.
“The mission would enable India to be self-sufficient in critical foundational technologies for manned missions, lunar sample return and scientific analysis of lunar samples. Towards realization there would be a significant involvement of Indian Industry,” a government statement read.
The approval follows the successful Chandrayaan-3 lander in 2023 which made India then the fourth country to land on the moon.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is still seeking approval for a joint lunar south pole landing with Japan. Known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), it is now designated as Chandrayaan-5 in India.
Venus orbiter go-ahead
India will also have Venus in its sights with approval of the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM). A cabinet statement indicated that ISRO will develop and launch the spacecraft, with the mission targeted for launch in March 2028.
Science goals include studying Venus’s atmosphere, geology, and evolution, offering insights into how planetary environments can diverge significantly from Earth’s. Venus is of keen interest, in part through the possible presence of potential biomarker phosphine.
The mission’s budget is approximately 12.36 billion rupees ($149 million), with 8.2 billion rupees ($99 million) allocated for spacecraft development.
A cabinet statement indicated that the mission would once again involve extensive collaboration with the Indian industry and academic institutions, generating employment and technology benefits for various sectors.
Space station module
The cabinet also expanded the scope and budget of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program Sept. 18 with approval of the first Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1) module. Gaganyaan was approved in 2018 with the goal of India developing independent human spaceflight capabilities.
“Now the human spaceflight program of technology development and demonstration is through eight missions to be completed by December 2028 by launching [the] first unit of BAS-1,” a statement read.
“To achieve this goal, ISRO will undertake four missions under [the] ongoing Gaganyaan Programme by 2026 and development of [the] first module of BAS and four missions for demonstration and validation of various technologies for BAS by December, 2028.”
The Gaganyaan budget was expanded by 111 billion rupees ($1.35 billion) to 201 billion rupees ($432 million) to accommodate the expansion.
Reusable launcher
The Modi government also approved the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). This is noted as a significant step towards India’s vision of establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and enabling crewed lunar landings by 2040.
The NGLV is designed to carry three times the payload of the current LVM3 at 1.5 times the cost, according to a government statement. It will feature reusable components and modular green propulsion systems, providing a low-cost and efficient means of accessing space.
The project has been allocated 82.4 billion rupees ($994 million). Its development phase will include three test flights over eight years.
The NGLV will enhance India’s capabilities for various space missions, including human spaceflight, lunar exploration, and satellite deployments, significantly boosting the country’s space ecosystem, according to the government statement.
As a whole, the developments represent a significant investment of resources into India’s space sector and an expansion of ambitions, with diverse targets including lunar and planetary exploration, launch and human spaceflight.
