Bharatiya Antariksh Station: Budget, timeline and everything you need to know about India's first space station

India is gearing up to make history in space exploration with its first-ever space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), which is expected to become fully operational by 2035. Aiming to put Indian astronauts in low-Earth orbit (LEO) for extended durations, the project promises to usher in a new era of scientific discovery, technological innovation, and global prestige.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh informed that the space station will be built in phases, with the first module, BAS-01, set to launch in 2028. By 2035, it is expected to be fully operational with multiple interconnected modules, putting India in an elite group of nations capable of sustaining long-term human presence in space.

“Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) will fulfil the objectives of an orbiting Indian human spaceflight platform in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This will enable to undertake medium to long duration human spaceflight missions to LEO, as part of the sustained Indian human space program,” the minister said.

“Similar to other operational space stations, BAS will also comprise of multiple modules and state of the art technological capabilities for carrying out cutting edge scientific research and technology development activities in microgravity environment, targeted towards national priorities and societal applications,” he added.

The Bharatiya Antariksh Station will serve as a floating laboratory in space, allowing scientists to conduct experiments that are impossible on Earth due to gravity. From developing new materials to studying the effects of long-term space travel on the human body, BAS will push the boundaries of knowledge and open doors to innovations that could transform industries back home.

This ambitious project is an extension of the Gaganyaan Programme, India’s flagship human spaceflight mission. Initially approved in 2018, Gaganyaan aims to send Indian astronauts into space for a short-duration mission. Now, with the government’s approval to expand its scope, the program includes building BAS and conducting a series of missions to test the technologies needed to sustain human life in space.

The road to BAS isn’t without its challenges, but India is taking a structured approach. Over the next four years, ISRO will carry out several missions under the Gaganyaan Programme to test critical technologies.

The revised programme includes eight missions to be completed by December 2028, which will demonstrate and validate critical technologies for BAS operations. The initial phase includes four missions under the Gaganyaan Programme by 2026, followed by the development and deployment of BAS-01 and subsequent missions to validate its functionality.

To make this vision a reality, the government has increased the funding for the Gaganyaan Programme to ₹20,193 crore, adding ₹11,170 crore to the initial budget.

The Bharatiya Antariksh Station is not just about science—it’s about positioning India as a global leader in space exploration. For years, countries like the United States, Russia, and China have dominated human spaceflight and orbital research. Now, India is stepping up with a platform that will allow Indian astronauts to live and work in space for months at a time. By enabling microgravity research, BAS could also lead to breakthroughs in healthcare, materials science, and other fields.

“The nation will acquire essential technological capabilities for human space missions to Low Earth Orbit. A national space-based facility such as the Bharatiya Antariksh Station will boost microgravity based scientific research & technology development activities. This will lead to technological spin-offs and encourage innovations in key areas of research and development,” a recent government release said.