AHMEDABAD, Mar 7: India is set to invest Rs 1,500 crore in its upcoming Venus Mission (Shukra Grah) to study the planet’s atmosphere and understand its historical impact on Earth.
Dr. Nilesh Desai, Director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ahmedabad, told a visiting media delegation from J&K that the Ministry of Atomic Energy and Space Research has allocated the funds for the country’s first mission to Venus, and ISRO has already begun work on the project.
He added that some Members of Parliament had questioned the high expenditure on the mission, citing Venus’ harsh environment, with clouds of carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid. The government responded that studying Venus is crucial to understanding its influence on Earth and gaining insights about the planet. Dr. Desai explained that a day on Venus lasts 243 Earth days, and its slow rotation adds to the scientific challenges.
Highlighting India’s space budget, Dr. Desai said that earlier, the Ministry’s allocation was only 1.5% of the total national budget. The Modi government increased it to 2.5%, recognizing the strategic importance of space research. Countries like the US, China, and Japan dedicate a higher percentage of their budgets to space. Dr. Desai suggested India could aim for 5–7% of the budget, if not 10%, to compete globally.
ISRO currently operates 23 centers, with major facilities at Vikram Sarabhai Station (Ahmedabad), Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, and Sriharikota. The agency is working on 230 projects worldwide, including collaborations with NASA and other countries.
On ISRO’s Mars Mission, Dr. Desai said that landing on Mars is relatively easier than the Moon due to its flatter surface. The Chandrayaan-2 and 3 missions faced extreme challenges, including -200°C temperatures at the lunar north pole, which affected instruments and required extra efforts to make them functional. The Mars mission will be unmanned, involving an orbiter, lander, and rover to study the “Red Planet,” named for its iron oxide-rich surface. The journey to Mars is expected to take at least ten months.
Dr. Desai also noted that the government plans to involve private players in space research, following models used in the US. Space regulations have been framed, and a Space Regulatory Authority is being constituted to ensure public funds can support expanded Indian space research in the future. (Agency)
