Tue Dec 24 10:52:30 UTC 2024: ## India Aims for Moon Landing by 2040, Unveils Ambitious 25-Year Space Program
**NEW DELHI** – India has unveiled an ambitious 25-year space program, culminating in a planned human lunar landing by 2040, ISRO Chairman Dr. S Somanath announced. The program, backed by a record Rs 31,000 crore (approximately $3.7 billion USD) in government funding, includes the construction of India’s own space station, Bhartiya Antariksha Station, by 2035.
This bold initiative follows a year of significant achievements for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), including recent successful missions. The program’s roadmap, spanning until 2040, envisions a series of milestones, starting with the launch of a space station module in 2028. Before the 2040 lunar landing, India will also conduct Chandrayaan-4, a lunar sample return mission.
The program will also see the development of a reusable, eco-friendly, modular rocket to support human spaceflight and lunar missions, addressing India’s growing payload needs. Furthermore, ISRO has approved a Venus exploration mission.
Dr. Somanath highlighted the economic benefits of the space program, citing over 250 thriving space startups contributing to India’s burgeoning space sector. The program’s success is further evidenced by a reported return of Rs 2.52 for every rupee invested. The ambitious goal of landing an Indian astronaut on the moon by 2040, coinciding with India’s 100th year of independence, underscores the nation’s commitment to becoming a major player in global space exploration.
First Piper 