India plans first manned space flight
Published 10:32 pm Thursday, January 28, 2010
NEW DELHI — India’s space agency is planning the nation’s first manned space flight for 2016, if it gets government approval of the project budget, an official said Thursday.
The Indian Space Research Organization has sought $2.6 billion to put two astronauts in space for a week, spokesman S. Satish said.
The government has already provided about $87 million allowing the agency to do some initial research on the space flight, he said, adding that ISRO is “hopeful” of getting the entire project approved soon so it can start making full-scale preparations.
In 2008, India launched its first satellite orbiting the moon.
