Cabinet Approves Chandrayaan-4, First Module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station Set for 2028
The Union Cabinet has approved the fourth mission in the Chandrayaan series, along with plans for the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), set to be completed by 2028.
Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet greenlit Chandrayaan-4 to develop and demonstrate essential technologies for astronauts to safely return to Earth after landing on the Moon. The mission aims to collect lunar samples and bring them back for analysis on Earth.
According to a Cabinet communique, “The Chandrayaan-4 mission will establish foundational technologies for a future Indian Moon landing, planned for 2040, ensuring a safe return to Earth.” The mission will demonstrate key technologies for docking, undocking, landing, and sample collection.
Following the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3, which showcased critical lunar landing technologies, the next challenge is to collect lunar samples and return them safely.
The estimated cost for the Chandrayaan-4 mission is ₹2,104.06 crore, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) responsible for the spacecraft development and launch. The budget includes spacecraft development, two LVM3 launch missions, deep space network support, and special design validation tests.
The mission is expected to be completed within 36 months of approval.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the development of the first module of the BAS-1, aligning with the vision for an Indian space station by 2035 and a manned lunar landing by 2040. The Gaganyaan Programme was also revised to include precursor missions for BAS, with an additional uncrewed mission planned.
With a net additional funding of ₹11,170 crore, the total budget for the Gaganyaan Programme has been increased to ₹20,193 crore. The program aims to develop and validate critical technologies for long-duration human space missions, encompassing eight missions: four under the current Gaganyaan framework by 2026 and another four for technology demonstration and validation by December 2028.
