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India is set to achieve major milestones in space exploration with plans to establish its own space station, Bharat Antariksha Station, by 2035, and to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Space, Jitendra Singh, announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi on the achievements of science ministries, Singh highlighted the government's ambitious space initiatives. "We are going to have our own space station, we will be among the first to have that, after the U.S. and one or two other countries. It will be known as Bharat Antariksha Station by 2035. And by 2040, we might be landing an Indian on the surface as well," he said. The minister also provided updates on the Gaganyaan mission, India's first human spaceflight program. He revealed that by the end of 2024 or early 2026, the first Indian astronaut will travel to space under the Gaganyaan mission. Simultaneously, India plans to send a human to the seabed, exploring depths of up to 6,000 meters as part of its Deep Sea Mission. "And while next year ends, or maybe by 2026, we will have the first Indian human being in space, called Gaganyaan, simultaneously also sending one human being down into the seabed, 6,000 meters deep, which is possibly the maximum depth of the sea," the Minister said. Singh also emphasized the significant progress made in satellite launches under the current government. He noted that India has launched 432 foreign satellites from Sriharikota, with 397 of them, nearly 90 per cent, launched in the last decade alone. He also spoke about India's growing focus on biotechnology, referring to the Biotechnology E3 policy, which integrates biotechnology for economic growth, employment, and environmental sustainability. Singh underlined the importance of bio-economy in driving the next industrial revolution, transitioning from the IT revolution. "Prime Minister Modi is very supportive in all these measures, which is, again, evident from the fact that we are among the first countries in the world to have come out with a bio-economy-related policy called Biotechnology E3," Singh added. Discussing marine resource exploration, Singh highlighted the Deep Sea Mission, which aims to unlock the potential of India's marine wealth. He pointed out that the mission's importance has been reiterated by Prime Minister Modi in consecutive Independence Day addresses in 2022 and 2023, signifying its priority in the government's agenda. The minister highlighted India's advancements in space, biotechnology, and marine exploration underline its commitment to becoming a global leader in science and technology by 2047. (ANI)
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