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India is revolutionising its approach to space exploration. To find out why, science journalist Alok Jha follows preparations for the country’s first human spaceflight mission.

For decades, India focused its space programme on limited, inexpensive projects directly benefiting its citizens, such as weather satellites and communications networks. But in recent years, the country earned global recognition with a series of audacious exploratory missions – sending probes to the lunar south pole and Mars. Now, the most ambitious mission yet is underway: India will send humans into space.

Alok Jha speaks to people at the heart of this radical shift to understand how it is happening and what’s driving it. Dr Madhavan Nair, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) takes us inside the room where it all began, a high-stakes one-to-one meeting with the prime minister of the time. We relive tense moments of ISRO’s famous Mars mission with its Science Director, Dr Seetha Somasundaram. Indian-American astronaut Anil Menon counts down to his own launch. We visit India’s leading rocket company to witness a start-up boom.

Alongside all the excitement, there are also important questions. Why has India decided to channel so much effort and investment into space exploration? What benefits will it bring to the population? And is ISRO being transparent about its failures, as well as its amazing successes?

As India’s historic human spaceflight launch approaches, Alok reflects on the hopes and fears driving not only this country’s space programme, but the entire 21st-Century space age.

Presenter: Alok Jha
Producer: Dave Anderson
Editor: Anishka Sharma

(Photo: American-Indian Nasa astronaut Anil Menon going through training. Credit "Nasa Johnson")