Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, recently unveiled significant initiatives in the field of science and technology. These developments mark a major upgrade in India’s space technology and deep-sea exploration capabilities. Notably, India is poised to achieve two groundbreaking milestones by 2025: sending the first human into space and exploring the depths of the ocean through deep sea and human space missions.

deep sea and human space mission
Image Source: ET Government

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is spearheading the Gaganyaan mission. This ambitious project aims to launch a manned three-day mission into space, with the spacecraft orbiting approximately 400 kilometers above Earth before safely returning. Four distinguished individuals from the Indian Air Force—Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubanshu Shukla—have been selected for this historic mission.

Samudrayaan: India’s Deep-Sea Expedition

Under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the ‘Samudrayaan’ initiative will undertake a crewed expedition to explore the central Indian Ocean’s depths. The mission will utilize Matsya6000, an indigenously developed manned submersible vehicle, to reach a depth of 6,000 meters. This endeavor represents India’s commitment to scientific exploration beyond our planet’s boundaries.

Minister Jitendra Singh emphasized the broader impact of the space sector. Beyond launching rockets and satellites, this domain is poised to drive growth across various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, communication, and healthcare. Notably, India has witnessed a surge in space startups since 2022, with nearly 200 startups now contributing to the global space industry. Private sector investments totaling ₹1,000 crore have poured into this dynamic field within just a few months.

Historical Milestones

The Soviet/Russian space program achieved several historic milestones, including launching the first satellite, Sputnik 1, and conducting the first moon mission (Luna-24) that returned with lunar samples in 1976. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into space, while Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma of the Indian Air Force made history as the sole Indian astronaut aboard Soyuz T-11, spending eight days aboard the Salyut 7 Space Station.

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