India’s space mission goals must align with its needs

THE ambitious roadmap for India's space programme outlined on National Space Day is in line with the mission to think big and expand the boundaries of technological prowess. The endless universe tells us that no frontier is the final frontier, the Prime Minister said, highlighting the commitment to stay the course on robust space exploration. India plans to launch 119 satellites in the next 15 years and expand its ground station networks. In the works are more unmanned Chandrayaan missions before an Indian sets foot on the moon by 2040. A 10-tonne module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station is slated for launch in 2028. The entire space station is expected to be in place by 2035. The big techno-scientific projects are markers of India's growing stature as a global space power.