New Delhi: ISRO chairman V Narayanan has outlined the agency’s intensive future plans, which feature ambitious lunar exploration, the inception of an Indian Space Station, and a substantial boost in its launch and production capabilities. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is entering a very busy phase with intentions for seven additional rocket launches prior to the end of the financial year. These launches will comprise a commercial satellite for communication and several missions utilizing their PSLV and GSLV rockets. A particularly noteworthy event will be the launch of the first PSLV rocket completely constructed by Indian companies. This marks a significant milestone that enhances India’s expertise in science and technology and bolsters local industries.
ISRO is also concurrently working to triple its annual spacecraft production in the next three years to accommodate the growing mission demands. In an interview, Narayanan confirmed that India’s inaugural human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, is still slated for 2027. He clarified that only the timeline for the uncrewed missions had changed: ‘The crewed mission was always intended for 2027, and we are committed to that date.’ Three uncrewed test missions will precede the initial flight with Indian astronauts. The government has also sanctioned Chandrayaan-4, a sophisticated lunar sample-return mission, which is India’s most intricate lunar project to date and is aimed for launch in 2028.
This mission seeks to retrieve samples from the moon—a capability currently exhibited solely by the US, Russia, and China. Significant lunar programs include LUPEX: a collaboration between India and Japan focused on exploring the lunar south pole, particularly to investigate water ice present there. Moon Landing Objective: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed ISRO to strategize for sending Indian astronauts to the Moon and safely returning them by 2040. This initiative is part of India’s goal to rank among the leading space-faring nations globally. Indian Space Station: ISRO has commenced work on an Indian Space Station, with a target completion date of 2035. The first of its five modules is scheduled for placement in orbit by 2028.
This project would position India as the third major country to operate a space station, as the US-led ISS approaches its conclusion and China’s Tiangong becomes fully operational. Narayanan indicated that reforms in the space sector have significantly heightened private sector involvement. Over 450 industries and 330 startups are now engaged in India’s space ecosystem, a dramatic increase from merely three startups a few years ago. This surge followed regulatory reforms in 2020, which facilitated private rocket development, satellite manufacturing, and commercial launch services.