Mumbai [Maharashtra], September 25 (ANI) Building on India's remarkable journey into space, the first module of the country's first facility in space, the Bharatiya Antriksh Station, will be launched soon, according to astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, Shukla, who piloted the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) during the Axiom-4 mission in July this year, said that ISRO teams are actively designing the orbiting laboratory, which will serve as India's permanent presence in space.

'Plans are in place, teams are working, and the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station will be launched soon,' Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said during the India Today conclave.

Detailing the design of the BAS, Shukhla said that it will be similar to a '6 BHK apartment' that will be developed in a 'modular' style to be expanded gradually and will house Indian astronauts to live in low-earth orbit and conduct experiments.

Earlier this year, ISRO chairman V Narayanan said that the first module of BAS will be launched into space in 2028. The first module is the first of five parts of BAS that will be completely set up in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 450km.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, had approved the building of the first module of the upcoming space station and marked a significant expansion of the Gaganyaan program, designed to launch human spaceflight missions to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and lay the groundwork for India's long-term ambitions in human space exploration.

The expanded vision of the Indian space program includes establishing an operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and sending an Indian crewed mission to the Moon by 2040.

The first module of the BAS has been designed for microgravity conditions and for extravehicular technologies. The country's space facility, BAS, will significantly enhance microgravity-based scientific research and technology development. The resulting technological advancements will likely lead to innovations across multiple sectors. Additionally, the program is expected to spur increased industrial participation and economic activity, generating employment, particularly in high-tech fields related to space and allied industries.

ISRO unveiled the model of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station in New Delhi on the occasion of National Space Day in August this year.

Features of the BAS include an indigenously developed Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), Bharat Docking System, Bharat Berthing Mechanism, automated hatch system, platform for microgravity research and technology demonstration, viewports for scientific imaging and crew recreation.

Meanwhile, during his stint on the ISS, Group Captain Shukla conducted microravity experiments which explored subjects like muscle regeneration (Myogenesis), algal and seed growth, the resilience of tardigrades, cyanobacteria for life support, and human interaction with electronic displays. (ANI)