India’s space agency is preparing for one of its busiest periods yet, with multiple launches and projects on the horizon. ISRO is targeting seven more missions before the end of this financial year, including a commercial communication satellite and several Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) launches. A major milestone will be the first PSLV built entirely by Indian industry.
The agency has received government approval for Chandrayaan 4, a complex lunar sample-return mission aimed for 2028. “We are targeting 2028 for Chandrayaan-4,” said ISRO chairman V Narayanan. This mission will make India one of the few countries capable of returning lunar samples, alongside the US, Russia and China. Another important lunar project is LUPEX, a collaboration with Japan to study water ice at the moon’s South Pole.
ISRO is also working to triple its annual spacecraft production over the next three years to meet rising mission demands. Plans for an Indian Space Station are underway, with the first of five modules expected in orbit by 2028. “The first of the five modules will be placed in orbit by 2028,” Narayanan confirmed, positioning India as the third major country to operate a space station. Meanwhile, the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission remains on track, with uncrewed test flights preceding the first crewed mission in 2027. The government has also set a long-term goal to send Indian astronauts to the moon by 2040.
India’s share in the global space economy is around two percent and ISRO aims to increase it to 8% by 2030. The domestic space sector is currently valued at $8 billion and is expected to grow to $44 billion by 2033. Regulatory reforms since 2020 have boosted private participation, with over 450 industries and 330 startups now active in the space ecosystem, compared to just a few a few years ago. “We now have a vibrant base ecosystem, and it will grow further,” Narayanan said.
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