Made in India – Bharatiya Antriksh Station (BAS)

Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) is going to be a planned modular space station to be built by India and operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The space station will weigh approximately 52 tonnes and will maintain an orbit of approximately 400 kilometres above the Earth, where our astronauts can stay for 3 to 6  months.

Originally it was planned to be completed by 2030, but it was later postponed to 2035 due to delays caused by technical issues related with the Gaganyaan crewed spaceflight mission and the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The first module is expected to be launched in 2028 on an LVM3 launch vehicle, with the remaining modules to be launched by 2035 on the Next Generation Launch Vehicle.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath confirmed that he had been reviewing the designs of the Indian Space Station when speaking with media. Developmental tests for space station will run this year. ISRO is planning to establish a basic, preliminary model of the space station in 2028 before it builds the bigger and final version in 2035. The space agency is in discussions with industry to produce, evaluate, and introduce the first module by 2028.

In addition to offer wider insights into India’s Space Vision 2047, S. Somanath presented the idea of Bharatiya Antariksha Station serving as a base for lunar exploration on Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture. According to Jitendra Singh Rana, Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Science, SpaDeX’s achievement represents a significant step forward in the establishment of Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

Union cabinet has already approved the building of first unit of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by extending the scope of Gaganyaan program.

Visually, the BAS can look like this:

About Bharatiya Antariksh Station

• BAS is India’s planned space station for detailed scientific research which will orbit around 400 – 450km above the Earth’s surface
  • It will have 5 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.

Video Credits : IndiaTV on Youtube

Significance of BAS

•  Spaceflight and human habitation: BAS will be serving as a testing ground to study how to keep astronauts safe and healthy on long-duration missions. It will also support India’s further 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 ex, muscles and bones react differently in space than on Earth. Thus, on BAS controlled 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 global Space economy is about $ 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: These products are space based 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.

Working and Modules for BAS: Credits Daily Trending New on Youtube

Details of BAS with modules

Total Modules : 5

Dimensions : 27m × 20m

Crew Capacity : 6 (short duration) and 3 to 4 for nominal cases

Orbitting Distance/Inclination : 400 to 450 Kms/51.6 Degrees

Electronics Producer : U N Rao Satellite Centre

Two to four astronauts may stay in space on BAS. The crew module and rocket that will transport humans to and from the space station will dock at one end of the station. India is creating a unique docking port that will work with the International Space Station’s docking port. At least four pairs of solar panels and four distinct modules are possible for the Indian Space Station once it is finished. In case of an emergency, it will also feature a permanently docked safety crew module escape system. According to the existing blueprints, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station would be powered by two sizable solar panels in the initial phase.

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 can 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;
    • 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 is needed in ISRO’s technological infrastructure for 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 was USA’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.

More Information : ISRO Official

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