India Approves Chandrayaan-4 and Its First Space Station: A Major Leap Toward Global Space Leadership

India has taken two historic steps toward becoming a major global space power. The government has officially approved Chandrayaan-4, a 2028 lunar sample-return mission designed to bring back 3 kg of Moon soil, and has also given the green light to the country’s first national space station, targeted for completion by 2035.

These decisions mark a major leap in India’s long-term human and robotic space-exploration roadmap.

Chandrayaan-4: India’s First Moon Sample-Return Mission

India’s next major lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4, is set to launch in 2028 and will become the nation’s most technically complex lunar operation to date. For the first time, ISRO will attempt to collect lunar soil and safely return it to Earth, placing India alongside the US, Russia, and China—the only countries to have accomplished this feat.

Mission Complexity & Architecture

According to ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, Chandrayaan-4 will be “India’s most complex lunar endeavour.” The mission will rely on:

Two separate rockets

Five individual modules

Docking operations in Earth orbit

A lander–ascent module system

A safe Earth re-entry capsule carrying Moon samples

This multi-stage architecture is similar to advanced lunar missions conducted by global space leaders.

How Chandrayaan-4 Will Return Lunar Soil

Two rockets will launch and position the modules in Earth orbit.

The modules will dock in space before heading toward the Moon.

A lander module will make a soft landing near the lunar surface.

The lander will collect up to 3 kg of lunar regolith (soil and rock).

The samples will be transferred to an ascent module.

The ascent module will lift off from the Moon, rejoin the return system, and bring the samples back to Earth.

If successful, Chandrayaan-4 will be India’s most sophisticated robotic space mission and a major scientific milestone.

Bharatiya Antariksh Station: India’s Own Space Station by 2035

In parallel with Chandrayaan-4, India is preparing to establish its first-ever national space station, named the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). This next-generation orbital facility highlights India’s goal of becoming a long-term human spaceflight nation.

Timeline and Construction Plan

2028 – Launch of the first space-station module

2035 – Completion of the full, five-module Bharatiya Antariksh Station

Once completed, India will join an elite group of nations—the United States and China—operating an independent space station in Earth orbit.

Purpose and Scientific Goals

The Bharatiya Antariksh Station will support:

Long-duration astronaut missions

Microgravity scientific research

Technology demonstrations

Space medicine research

Advanced engineering experiments

Future deep-space exploration initiatives

The facility will also complement India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.

A Major Leap for India’s Space Future

Both Chandrayaan-4 and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station represent a significant expansion of India’s space capabilities. From retrieving Moon soil to building an indigenous orbital station, ISRO is positioning the nation as a major player in global space exploration.

These missions will not only advance India’s scientific understanding of the Moon and microgravity environments but also strengthen the country’s strategic presence in outer space for decades to come.