Ahmedabad

India aims to land its astronauts on the Moon by 2040, former ISRO chief A S Kiran Kumar said on Wednesday.

Kumar, currently chairman of the management council of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), was speaking at the inauguration of the 5th Astronomical Society of India (ASI) Symposium.

“Between now and 2040 there are a whole lot of missions planned. By 2040, we want to land Indians on the Moon and bring them back safely. India is also working towards building a space station by 2040,” he said.

Speaking to media on the sidelines, Kumar outlined the country’s immediate and long-term space roadmap. A Chandrayaan follow-on mission is in the works, and India is collaborating with Japan on a lander and rover to explore the Moon’s South Polar region.

“We should be looking for specific information in the South Polar region. This will only be the beginning of many future activities. India is committed to space observation and understanding the universe,” he said, adding that the roadmap opens opportunities for academic institutions, engineering colleges, and private companies to contribute to space exploration.

In his inaugural address, Kumar noted that India pioneered space technology primarily for societal benefits rather than military purposes. He highlighted Dr Vikram Sarabhai’s early work to leverage space technology for communication and weather monitoring to serve citizens.

The three-day ASI symposium focuses on optics and advanced instrumentation in astronomy, space science, planetary science, atmospheric research, and emerging fields such as quantum technologies. It brings together around 150 scientists, engineers, researchers, and industry participants from across India.

READ MORE: IUML's Fatima Muzaffar Ahmed is the epitome of Muslim woman leadership

Among those present were Prof Yashwant Gupta, Director, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics; Prof Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics; and Prof Anil Bhardwaj, Director, PRL.