India’s next giant leap: ISRO shifts from space missions to permanent presence with Bharatiya Antariksh Station

ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has formally reached out to Indian aerospace manufacturers to take part in building the first structural module of the station. (Representative image)

• ISRO begins work on Bharatiya Antariksh Station, India's planned space station
• First module BAS-01 targeted for launch in 2028, built entirely by Indian firms
• Station targets long-term human presence and advanced research in low Earth orbit.

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India has quietly crossed a critical threshold in its space journey. The Indian Space Research Organisation has begun foundational work on what will eventually become the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), a permanent Indian space station planned for low Earth orbit.

Envisioned as India’s long-term human presence in space, the project marks a transition from short-duration missions to sustained habitation beyond Earth.

According to information accessed by News18, ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has formally reached out to Indian aerospace manufacturers to take part in building the first structural module of the station.

This step, taken through an Expression of Interest, is the first tangible move towards placing Indians in a continuously occupied orbital laboratory, with the debut module targeted for launch in 2028.

The Bharatiya Antariksh Station is being positioned as the natural successor to the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.

ISRO sees it as the platform that will allow the country to conduct long-duration scientific experiments in microgravity while also mastering technologies essential for future exploration missions.

Once fully operational, BAS is expected to support advanced research, test human endurance in space, and prepare India for deeper forays into the solar system. The long-term roadmap involves launching the initial module later this decade and gradually expanding the structure into a full-fledged station by 2035.

Building the backbone of BAS

At the heart of ISRO’s latest move is the BAS-01 module, described as the backbone of the future station. Indian firms have been invited to manufacture two complete sets of this module on Earth before it is cleared for launch.

Each unit will measure 3.8 metres in diameter and stand roughly 8 metres tall, making it a substantial piece of orbital infrastructure.

The modules will be fabricated using AA-2219, a high-strength aluminium alloy already proven in human spaceflight missions.

Because astronauts will eventually occupy these modules, the structures must meet the same safety benchmarks as Gaganyaan. ISRO has stressed that these are “human-rated” systems, leaving no room for compromise.

The manufacturing demands are exacting. Companies will need to develop specialised fabrication and welding processes capable of achieving extreme precision.

Even the smallest deviation is unacceptable; errors of “half a millimetre” could lead to rejection. The work will also involve rigorous pressure testing, leak detection, and a full suite of nondestructive evaluations under strict quality controls.

An Indian-only, high-stakes effort

ISRO has made it clear that the project will be executed entirely within the country. The effort is being positioned as an “Indian-only effort,” with no foreign participation and no outsourcing of critical stages such as welding or final assembly.

Firms are expected to establish and operate all necessary facilities on their own, without government financial support for infrastructure.

While ISRO will provide Gaganyaan-qualified raw materials along with detailed drawings and three-dimensional models, accountability for execution rests squarely with the selected manufacturers. Oversight will be continuous, and approvals will be required at every major stage of production.

This approach signals a significant shift in how India’s space programme engages with industry. Rather than acting solely as a launch and mission agency, ISRO is now laying the groundwork for sustained human activity in orbit.

If the timelines hold, the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station could be circling Earth by 2028. When that happens, India would join a small and exclusive group of nations capable of building, launching, and maintaining their own space stations—turning a long-held ambition into orbital reality.