India and space exploration

India and space exploration

India's development in the field of space is increasing rapidly, as it has been sending missions to explore various aspects of space. This week, for example, the Indian Space Research Organization launched a 260-ton rocket, carrying an advanced astronomical observatory that aims to study black holes and neutron stars, in what is considered a new achievement for the Indian space program.

With this launch, India became the second country after the United States to possess such a specialized “observatory” to study black holes, which represent a major mystery in space. The Exposat satellite will help study radiation emanating from nearby black holes and neutron stars. In what has now become a general trend, India launched its satellite at a cost equivalent to a fraction of the amount that similar missions cost to the United States.

India has become known for its low-cost space programme, conducting many launches in a more cost-effective manner than other countries. For example, the cost of the Exposat satellite is approximately $30 million, and its mission is expected to last for at least five years.

This is the latest achievement in a series of achievements achieved by India in relation to space exploration, as it had previously successfully launched the Chandrayaan mission to the moon, and is also the only country to have achieved a smooth landing near the south pole of the moon. With this successful landing, India joined an elite club of countries that have achieved a soft landing on the moon after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.

This is a major achievement for the Indian Space Agency. India followed its space mission to the moon with a similar mission to the sun with the aim of observing the sun and carrying out scientific studies, and it was called “Suriyah”. This is also a very important mission, as it is expected to expand our current understanding of the Sun. It also carried out an important test flight before its expected mission to transport Indian astronauts into space in 2025. The Indian Space Agency announced that it is planning at least 12 missions in 2024. However, this number may rise further, depending on our ability to produce devices and complete tests.

India intends to send an astronaut to the International Space Station as part of a joint effort with NASA in 2024. In the future, India has set itself some very ambitious goals, as it aspires to send an astronaut to the moon by 2040. The “Gaganyaan” project also aims to send A human crew into orbit 400 kilometers above the Earth's surface, then returned safely to land in India. In addition, the government announced its intention to send three astronauts into low Earth orbit for three days, which is the country's urgent priority, at least for the time being. The South Asian country also plans to establish a space station by 2035 along with two missions to Venus and Mars. The Indian space program is a matter of national pride.

In May 2014, India became the first Asian country to reach Mars, and the cost of its space probe was only about $70 million, compared to the $671 million that NASA spent on the MAVEN spacecraft. Thanks to low-cost satellite launches, India has launched 342 satellites for 34 countries over more than two decades. This success also represents an important achievement in the development of the space program, which has expanded from launching satellites to include improving communications for a range of purposes, such as weather forecasting and space exploration.

*Head of the Center for Islamic Studies – New Delhi