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India plans to launch space station by 2030

It would join the few countries that have stations of their own.

India's broadening spaceflight ambitions now include a longer-term presence in Earth's orbit. Indian Space Research Organization chief K Sivan (above) recently revealed plans to launch a space station around 2030. It will be a relatively small station where astronauts would only stay for 15 to 20 days, but that should be enough to allow microgravity experiments. India won't lean on other countries for help, Sivan said.

More details are expected to come after India's first human mission in 2022. It's currently focused on an uncrewed lander mission to the Moon that should launch on July 15th.

If everything goes according to plan, this will make India part of a very exclusive club. Apart from the partner countries involved with the International Space Station, only China, Russia and the US have operated orbital homes away from home. It also shows that India intends to catch up on many aspects of space flight -- it fully intends on competing with spaceflight veterans.