THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India's upcoming permanent space station, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station is set to undergo its first test next year. The crucial eight-tonne robotic arm module responsible for facilitating entry and exit to the space station, as well as docking and undocking for future probes will be tested in collaboration with international space scientists.

Various aspects such as launch rockets, engineering, medical, biological, training and communications are actively being developed for the space station. Gaganyaan, India's inaugural manned space mission is scheduled for launch next year. Preparations for Gaganyaan, including the test launch of its unmanned crew module this year, are in their final stages. The mission aims to spend three days in space with three Indian tourists at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

The space station project announced four years ago, faced delays due to COVID-19. Initially slated for implementation in 2030, it has been pushed to 2035. The first test launch is planned for 2028 and the 25-ton space station will orbit the Earth at a height of 400 km. A budget of Rs 15,000 crore has been allocated for the project.

The space station comprises four modules: Crew Command Module, Habitat Module, Propulsion Module, and the Robotic Arm Module responsible for docking and undocking.