'India will soon build its first space station': PM Modi unveils nation’s next space frontier

India will soon build its own space station, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, marking a bold leap in the country’s ambitions in space. “With your [scientists’] hard work, Gaganyaan will take flight soon… and in the coming time, India will build its own space station,” the PM said in a post on X, spotlighting the country’s push into breakthrough technologies like semi-cryogenic engines and electric propulsion.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come as ISRO gears up for the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, expected this December. The mission—dubbed G1—will feature Vyommitra, a half-humanoid robot designed to simulate human physiological responses in space.

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed the timeline at a press briefing in New Delhi, noting that 80% of the required tests—around 7,700—have already been completed. The remaining 2,300 will be wrapped up by March 2026. Narayanan described the program’s progress as “on track,” with a focus on delivering a successful crewed flight soon after.

The space station announcement signals a major policy shift. India has so far been a contributor to global missions but never operated its own orbital facility. A dedicated Indian space station would mark a new phase of independent human spaceflight capability, scientific research, and commercial satellite deployment.

ISRO’s 2025 track record is already impressive. So far this year, the agency has achieved 196 milestones, including the development of a high-thrust electric propulsion system and contributions to the GLEX-2025 conference. ISRO will also launch a 6,500-kg US communications satellite from Indian soil—another marker of its growing global relevance.

Narayanan also credited ISRO scientists with resolving a critical LOX leak in SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket ahead of the Axiom-4 mission, helping avoid a potential launch disaster.