India Blasts Off: 4 Ambitious Space Missions Greenlit, Chandrayaan-4 to Uncover Moon’s Secrets and Bring Back Precious Soil Samples
India Approves Budget for Four Ambitious Space Missions
The Indian government has approved funding for four space missions, with a total cost of over Rs 227.5 billion (90 billion baht). The missions include Chandrayaan-4, a spacecraft to land on the moon, an orbiter around Venus, the first module of the Indian space station, and a new rocket model.
Chandrayaan-4 Mission: Exploring the Moon’s Surface
The Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to send a spacecraft to land on the moon, collect soil and rock samples, and bring them back safely to Earth. With a budget of 21,040.6 million rupees (8,350 million baht), the mission will launch in 2027 after India successfully launches the vehicle. Chandrayaan-4 is a continuation of Chandrayaan-3, which achieved the first successful landing on the Moon and was the first country to land a spacecraft on the south pole of the Moon.
Mission 2: Unveiling the Secrets of Venus
The second mission involves sending a spacecraft into orbit around Venus, the closest planet to Earth. With a budget of 12,360 million rupiah (4,900 million baht), the mission will allow scientists to study the atmosphere and geology of Venus. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028.
Mission 3: Building the First Module of the Indian Space Station
The third mission is to build the first module (BAS-1) of the space station called Bharatiya Antariksh (BAS). With a budget of 111.7 billion rupees (44.32 billion baht), the module will be built on Gaganyaan and is scheduled to launch into orbit in 2028. The BAS space station will be fully assembled in 2035, weighing 52 tonnes and orbiting 400 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. It will serve as a research facility for Indian astronauts and scientists in orbit around the Earth.
Mission 4: Developing a New Reusable Rocket
The fourth mission involves the development of a new rocket that can carry three times the payload, but costs 1.5 times the cost of LVM-3 and is also reusable. With a budget of 82.4 billion rupiah (32.69 billion baht), the mission will help make a profit in commercial space transportation. The development of three rocket flights, including tracking and launch costs, is also part of the mission.