New Delhi: India will be in a position to commission its deep-sea mission by the end of next year, science and technology minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.
He also said by the end of next year, or maybe in 2026, “we will have the first Indian in space”. Simultaneously, a crew will be sent to the seabed, 6,000 meters deep, which is possibly the maximum depth of the sea, Singh told a press conference.
While addressing the ‘States’ Policy Conclave 2024’, he said, “Exploring unexplored or under-explored sectors is vital for achieving the India 2047 goal” and underscored the need to explore sectors like the deep sea and the Himalayas.
Singh said marine resources are one such area which is yet to be fully explored. The deep sea has a huge concentration of natural resources, which needs to be explored in such a way that it could contribute to the growth trajectory of the nation, he said.
The Deep Ocean Mission or Samudrayan is an ambitious initiative of the ministry of earth sciences, which aims at developing technologies and capabilities for deep sea exploration. With Samudrayaan, India is embarking on a crewed expedition to reach a depth of 6,000 metres.
The historic journey will be accomplished by Matsya6000a deep-ocean submersible designed to accommodate a crew of three members. The decision to target a depth of 6,000 meters holds strategic importance due to the presence of valuable resources like polymetallic nodules and sulphides.
Govt working on new law to govern space sector: Singh
On the space front, Singh, who also handles the department of space, said the govt is working on a new law to govern the space sector, which has witnessed reforms over the past four years, with private players making a mark in building and launching satellites. He said India’s maiden human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan was also progressing well and the first uncrewed mission was expected to be launched early next year.
India is set to achieve major milestones in space exploration with plans to establish its own space station, Bharat Antariksha Station, by 2035, and to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040, Singh said.
He also emphasised the significant progress made in satellite launches under the Modi government. Singh noted that India has launched 432 foreign satellites from Sriharikota, with 397 of them, nearly 90%, launched in the last decade alone.
