India’s space ambitions took a significant step forward at the Russian Space Forum, part of the inaugural Russian Space Week commemorating the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight in 1961.

Speaking at the event, Asir Packiaraj, Director of the ISRO Propulsion Complex, emphasised India’s interest in collaborating with Russia on the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).

He highlighted the potential for cooperation in developing common subsystems for control, power, communication, and tracking. Packiaraj noted that ISRO values the rich experience of Russian space scientists and engineers, and is keen to partner with them in building India’s first space station.


He also underlined that ISRO is open to partnerships with various agencies from other spacefaring nations to advance the BAS project.

ISRO has set out an ambitious timeline for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, planning to assemble it in Earth orbit between 2028 and 2035. The first module of the orbital complex, designated BAS-1, is scheduled for deployment by 2028 as part of the expanded Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. 

The design of BAS-1 has already been completed, and it includes docking ports compatible with the International Space Station (ISS).

This compatibility will allow the Gaganyaan Crew Module to execute autonomous dockings with both the ISS and BAS-1, marking a major milestone in India’s human spaceflight capability. By 2035, ISRO intends to deploy all five modules and assemble the full BAS orbital complex.

At present, only two operational space stations orbit the Earth: the International Space Station and China’s Tiangong Space Station. China remains the only nation to operate its own station, but this landscape is expected to change dramatically over the next decade.

India’s BAS project and Russia’s planned Russian Orbital Station (ROS) will add new players to the field. Meanwhile, the United States is preparing to transition from the ISS to Commercial Low Orbit Destinations (CLDs), which will be developed by private companies such as Vast, with its Haven station, and Blue Origin, with its Orbital Reef project.

NASA has also announced plans to de-orbit the ageing ISS in the 2030s, using a specially modified SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

The coming years will therefore see a transformation in the future of orbital complexes, with India, Russia, China, and private American companies all contributing to a new era of human presence in low Earth orbit.

ISRO’s pursuit of international cooperation, particularly with Russia, signals India’s determination to play a central role in shaping this future.

RT News