India’s space story: Isro shows how Bharatiya Antariksh Station will look; to support space tourism

NEW DELHI: Isro unveiled a model of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) module, on the occassion of the national Space Day celebrations held at Bharat Mandapam on Friday.The BAS, which will be India’s first home-built space station, is set to have its first module launched by 2028. This will place India among a select group of countries operating orbital laboratories.At present, there are only two such stations in service, the International Space Station, run jointly by five space agencies, and China’s Tiangong space station.Under its long-term plan, India aims to assemble five modules of the BAS by 2035 as part of its ambitious space programme, PTI reported.The first unit, BAS-01, is expected to weigh 10 tonnes and will orbit at an altitude of 450 km above Earth. Standing 3.8 metres in diameter and 8 metres in length, the model of BAS-01 was the star attraction at the National Space Day event.The BAS will come with several key features. These include an indigenously developed Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), a Bharat Docking System, Bharat Berthing Mechanism, automated hatch systems, platforms for microgravity research and technology demonstration, as well as viewports designed for scientific imaging and crew recreation.It will also provide refuelling capabilities for propulsion and ECLSS fluids, alongside radiation, thermal and Micro Meteoroid Orbital Debris (MMOD) protection. Other features include space suits, airlocks to support extra-vehicular activities, and plug-and-play integrated avionics.The BAS will serve as a research platform for studying space, life sciences, medicine and interplanetary exploration. It will enable scientists to observe the effects of microgravity on human health while testing technologies vital for long-term human presence in space.The station will also open doors to space tourism, with India planning to tap into the commercial space sector by leveraging the resources of its orbital lab.In addition to fostering international collaboration, the BAS is expected to inspire future generations to take up careers in space science and technology.India’s space sector is stepping into a new era of growth and innovation, with reforms giving private players a greater role while freeing Isro to push the boundaries of advanced research and deep space exploration, senior government official P K Mishra said on Friday.Mishra, who is the principal secretary to the prime minister, highlighted how the government’s reforms have changed the outlook for the industry. "Space sector reforms have made the future of the sector scalable, innovative and resilient," he said. He explained that technology transfers from Isro, creation of a venture capital fund and a technology adoption fund are driving transformation in the sector. "Isro is now free to focus on frontier technologies and deep space, much of the application will be done by the private sector which is developing," Mishra said. Highlighting the need to integrate cutting-edge tools into space missions, he urged scientists to embrace artificial intelligence, quantum computing and big data analytics for future satellites and ground systems. Mishra also called for deeper international cooperation, pointing to recent collaborations such as the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite launch and the proposed G-20 climate satellite. "India should be seen as a hub of affordable, inclusive and innovative space solutions for the world," he said, as cited by PTI. He concluded by stressing that the country’s space journey is not only about science and technology but also about national progress. India’s space efforts, he said, are aimed at empowering citizens, reducing inequalities, and building a confident, self-reliant nation.