ISRO will launch the Chandrayaan 3 mission in 2023 and conduct the first abort demonstration test for Gaganyaan later this year, Jitendra Singh revealed.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is in the process of developing indigenous capabilities for space tourism along with the preparations of big-ticket missions such as Chandrayaan 3 and the Gaganyaan program. In a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that ISRO would test the space tourism technologies through demonstration of human space flight capability to low-Earth orbit, an initiative which would also involve the private sector.

The Minister said that India's space start-ups will be encouraged for participation in end-to-end space activities including space tourism by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). A single window agency under the Department of Space (DoS), IN-SPACe was created by the Centre to handhold and authorise the private industry and promote their growth in the space domain.

He further revealed that the agency along with the DoS will soon draft a comprehensive, integrated Space Policy, which shall provide direction to the activities of the private Indian space industry. Answering a question about space diplomacy, Jitendra Singh noted that ISRO is pursuing international cooperation and relations with 61 countries in varied domains of space activities.

ISRO's Plan On Gaganyaan And Chandrayaan-3

While the Gaganyaan's launch is no longer possible this year, ISRO has targeted the launch of Chandrayaan 3 in 2023. However, the agency will conduct the first abort demonstration test relating to Gaganyaan later this year. Earlier on June 30, ISRO Chairman S Somanath revealed that Gaganyaan's first uncrewed launch, which was previously scheduled for 2022 end, is no longer possible as ISRO is aiming to put in additional work on the safety systems.

Coming to India's third expedition to the Moon, it is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2023. Chandrayaan 3 will be a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan 2, which launched in 2019, but failed to put a lander on the Moon. In the third mission, ISRO will make a second attempt at delivering a rover on the lunar surface and use the orbiter that is already circling the Moon.

Another ambitious mission to take off next year would be the Aditya L-1, India's maiden mission to study the sun. The Aditya spacecraft will be installed at the first Lagrange point and it will be used to study the sun's properties including the coronal mass ejections and solar winds.