Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-01) First Module Launch

What this countdown tracks

Launch of the first module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station, India's planned low-Earth-orbit space station. The BAS-01 module is designed as an approximately 10-tonne habitat-class element, lofted on a human-rated LVM-3 from Sriharikota. Deployment marks the first physical step toward a five-module Indian station targeted for full assembly by 2035.

Background

Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly announced Bharatiya Antariksh Station on 17 October 2024, tasking ISRO with a first-module launch in 2028 and full operational capability by 2035. The agency's station architecture envisions a modular low-Earth-orbit outpost of around 52 tonnes once all five modules are in place, capable of hosting three to four astronauts for missions of 15–20 days. BAS-01, the first module, is being developed at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and at ISRO's U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.

The module is expected to weigh approximately 10 tonnes, fit within the LVM-3 payload envelope and include core avionics, docking hardware and a life-support stack derived from Gaganyaan. Orbit altitude is planned near 400 km at an inclination of about 51.6°, close to the International Space Station orbit, to allow international crew-rotation partnerships. Subsequent modules are expected to include larger habitat sections, a science module, a robotic-arm cargo section and propulsion. BAS-01 builds directly on Gaganyaan heritage and on re-entry data from the TV-D1 and G1 missions. LVM-3 is a three-stage vehicle with a lift capacity of roughly 10 tonnes to low-Earth orbit and has flown with crew-rating qualification work ongoing through the Gaganyaan programme; the Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota is the nominal BAS-01 pad. India's national space policy, approved in April 2023, created the InSPACe single-window regulator and opened station-adjacent supply chains to Indian private sector participants including Larsen & Toubro, Godrej Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems.

Why the date matters

A 2028 launch places BAS-01 in orbit after two uncrewed Gaganyaan flights and the crewed Gaganyaan H1 mission, giving the module human-rated flight heritage before it hosts astronauts. It also aligns with Modi's Viksit Bharat 2047 narrative and with a geopolitical window before the International Space Station's planned 2030 retirement, when national stations become the dominant platform model. Slippage would compress a schedule already tight against a 2035 completion target. The post-ISS window will see China's Tiangong as the only continuously operated station and the US-led commercial LEO destinations in partial operation, giving an early Indian module material soft-power weight.

What to watch for

• Confirmation of LVM-3 human-rated configuration for BAS-01.
• Payload integration and clean-room milestones at Bengaluru's ISITE facility.
• Final module mass, power and docking specification.
• Launch window, pad allocation and range safety profile.
• Autonomous orbit-raising and attitude stabilisation after injection.
• First visiting Gaganyaan crew mission timeline.
• Module-two design freeze and international partnership announcements.
• Private-sector supply-chain awards for subsequent modules.
• Life-support qualification reviews at the Human Space Flight Centre.

Economic stakes

India's space economy is estimated at about US$8 billion in 2023, with government projections targeting a US$40 billion-plus market by 2035 under the national space policy. BAS-01 commits ISRO to a multi-decade human spaceflight programme with associated industrial investment across Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Private contractors including HAL, L&T, Godrej Aerospace, Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Electronics hold subsystem supply positions, and the project is expected to anchor downstream startup demand in propulsion, avionics and life-support. International partnership revenues — including potential NASA and JAXA module-rental arrangements — remain an emerging consideration. Slippage carries reputational costs that flow into India's bid for global launch-services market share.

Related events to track

BAS-01 depends on Gaganyaan G1 uncrewed test and Gaganyaan H1 crewed mission. Political framing sits alongside India's 80th Independence Day.

FAQ

When exactly is BAS-01 launch? ISRO has publicly targeted 2028, with 1 November used as a planning date; the firm launch date will follow vehicle and module readiness reviews at the Integrated Vehicle Health Check and Flight Acceptance Review stages.

Is BAS-01 confirmed or expected? Confirmed under the PMO-announced roadmap; the calendar date remains a target rather than a firm commitment and is contingent on Gaganyaan crewed-flight demonstration.

Who is responsible for BAS-01? ISRO, with HAL as a lead industrial partner and the Human Space Flight Centre at Bengaluru managing the station programme; the U R Rao Satellite Centre leads module integration.

Where can I read the official announcement? pmindia.gov.in announcements, isro.gov.in, and the Department of Space briefings to Parliament, with subsidiary updates on the InSPACe and IN-SPACe portals.