The “Desi Space Villa” that could make India the world’s third space superpower. An exclusive look at ISRO’s ambitious plan that has the world watching
The gleaming model that stole the show at Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam during National Space Day 2025 wasn’t just another spacecraft mockup. The 3.8-meter by 8-meter display of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) module represented India’s boldest leap yet into the exclusive club of space superpowers. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood before the model, his words echoed what every Indian space enthusiast was thinking: “The moment when Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was showing me the tricolour on the International Space Station is beyond words.” But soon, India won’t need to visit other nations’ space stations. We’ll have our own.
The Space Race Gets a New Player
Picture this: By 2035, when you look up at the night sky, there will be three major space stations orbiting Earth. The aging International Space Station (ISS), China’s Tiangong “Heavenly Palace,” and India’s Bharatiya Antariksh Station. This will make India only the third nation in the world to operate its own space station, joining the league of the US-led International Space Station and China’s Tiangong.
The numbers tell a compelling story. The complete BAS will weigh 52 tonnes, maintain an orbit of 400-450 kilometers above Earth, and house 3-4 astronauts for missions lasting 3-6 months. But these aren’t just statistics – they represent India’s ticket to space sovereignty.
Why BAS Matters: More Than Just National Pride
When current ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan talks about India’s space ambitions, and former Chairman S. Somanath previously outlined BAS serving as “a base for lunar exploration,” they’re not just dreaming big – they’re outlining India’s space strategy for the next two decades. The space station will provide a unique platform for conducting scientific experiments in microgravity and foster advancements in space technology, potentially leading to economic activities based on lunar resources by 2047.
Think of BAS as India’s “laboratory in the sky.” The station will promote microgravity research, understanding the effects of low gravity on the human body, medicines, and materials. From developing new medicines that can only be created in zero gravity to testing technologies for Mars missions, BAS will be India’s gateway to scientific breakthroughs that seemed impossible just decades ago.
The Technology That Makes It Truly “Swadeshi”
What makes BAS special isn’t just that it’s Indian-made – it’s how Indian it is. The station features indigenously developed Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), Bharat Docking System, Bharat Berthing Mechanism, and automated hatch system.
The Bharat Docking System alone represents a technological milestone. ISRO tested space docking capabilities aboard the SpaDeX mission and plans to deploy it on Chandrayaan-4 and future missions to Gaganyaan and BAS. This isn’t borrowed technology – it’s Indian innovation that will serve as the backbone of our future space missions.
Even more impressive is the indigenous fuel cell power system. ISRO successfully launched a polymer electrolyte membrane Fuel Cell Power System on January 1, 2024, as part of the PSLV-C58 mission to evaluate the possible power supply for the future Indian Space Station. When BAS astronauts flip a switch to turn on the lights, they’ll be using purely Indian technology.
The Global Context: A Three-Way Space Race
While India prepares for BAS, the global space landscape is shifting dramatically. The ISS faces an uncertain future, potentially transitioning into a commercial venture, as nations reposition themselves for the next frontier of deep-space exploration. China’s Tiangong is fully operational, serving about 340-450 kilometers above Earth with a 10-15 year lifespan.
This creates a unique opportunity for India. BAS will orbit between 400–450 km with an inclination of 51.6° making it accessible to American, Russian, Japanese as well as ESA’s spaceports. Unlike the exclusionary policies that kept China out of the ISS program, India is positioning BAS as a collaborative platform.
A Joint Statement of Intent on Human Space Exploration was signed by ISRO and the European Space Agency (ESA) on 7 May 2025, emphasizing Low Earth orbit operations and collaboration in astronaut training. ESA is planning to use BAS with possibility of future visits and research by European astronauts.
The Economic Space Rush
Beyond national prestige, BAS represents serious economic potential. Through BAS, India will enter the space tourism market, which is estimated to be worth $13 billion by 2030. Imagine Indian space tourists experiencing weightlessness in a facility designed and built entirely in India.
Enhanced industrial participation and economic activity in human space programme will result in increased employment generation, especially in niche high technology areas in space and allied sectors. The ₹20,193 crore investment in the Gaganyaan program, which includes BAS development, isn’t just about space exploration – it’s about creating a entire ecosystem of space-based industries.
The Road to 2035: What Happens Next
The journey to BAS isn’t a sprint – it’s a carefully planned marathon. Developmental tests for the space station could begin from 2025, with ISRO planning to establish a basic, preliminary model in 2028 before building the larger, final version in 2035.
The timeline is ambitious but achievable:
– 2025-2027: Technology validation and testing
– 2028: Launch of BAS-1, the first module weighing 10 tonnes
– 2028-2035: Progressive assembly of five modules
– 2035: Full operational capability with space tourism potential
By 2028, ISRO plans to complete eight missions, including an additional uncrewed mission, to enhance capabilities for human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit, aiming to establish an operational BAS by 2035.
Beyond Earth: The Bigger Picture
BAS is more than a space station – it’s India’s launching pad for interplanetary exploration. The initiative envisions an Indian crewed lunar mission by 2040. When Indian astronauts eventually walk on the Moon, they’ll train and prepare on BAS.
The station will also serve as a testbed for technologies needed for Mars missions. BAS will be a scientific research centre for understanding the effects of low gravity in space, developing new medicines, and testing materials for future deep space exploration.
The Youth Connection: Inspiring the Next Generation
Perhaps most importantly, BAS represents hope and aspiration for India’s youth. This programme will provide a unique opportunity, especially for the youth of the country, to take up careers in the field of science and technology as well as pursue opportunities in microgravity based scientific research.
The theme for National Space Day 2025 is “Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan: Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities,” perfectly capturing how India’s space program connects our ancient scientific heritage with future aspirations.
The Bottom Line: India’s Space Sovereignty
As the world watches three major powers establish permanent human presence in space, BAS ensures India won’t be left behind. With the BAS, India will be a big name in the global space race, showing India is a leading space-faring nation.
The unveiled model at National Space Day 2025 wasn’t just a display – it was a declaration. India is no longer content to be a space program that launches satellites for other nations. We’re building our own piece of the final frontier, one module at a time.
When the first Indian astronaut looks out from BAS’s viewport at the Earth below, they’ll see not just our blue planet, but the culmination of a dream that began with Aryabhatta and now reaches toward the stars. For India, the sky is no longer the limit—it is only the beginning.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. Contact: [email protected])
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