First Indian To Step On Moon in 2040: MoS, Department of Space Jitendra Singh

India to land first astronaut on moon by 2040, announced Minister of State for the Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh. The historic mission will be an important milestone in the country’s space exploration journey, aligning with ISRO’s long-term a plan for human spaceflight and lunar exploration.

In addition, Dr. Singh discussed India's current space missions and astronaut training initiatives, emphasizing how those chosen for outside missions are prepared. He highlighted the intensive preparation done before the expedition by mentioning Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's involvement in Axiom-4.

Dr. Singh also described the three indigenous experiments carried out during the mission, pointing out that these investigations are important for Earthly life cycle research as well as space exploration. 

Speaking on broader space reforms, Dr. Singh stated that the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the beginning of a new era and significantly accelerated space industry development. He noted that historically unimagined space reforms have now been put into place, resulting in the industry's explosive expansion.

He added that more than 300 space startups had been founded as part of the ecosystem pushed by reform. He also mentioned the accomplishments of Chandrayaan, describing it as a turning point in India's space exploration and confirming the existence of water on the Moon.