India’s space programme is set for an active phase, with the Indian Space Research Organisation planning 7 launch missions by March next year.
The first launch is expected as early as next week. India’s heaviest rocket, LVM3, will place the Bluebird 6 communication satellite for US based AST Spacemobile into orbit under a commercial agreement through ISRO’s New Space India Limited, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed Parliament.
Early next year, the human rated LVM3 rocket will carry the first uncrewed mission of the Gaganyaan programme. The crew module will include the robot Vyommitra onboard. One more uncrewed mission is planned later next year before Indian astronauts are sent to low earth orbit in 2027.
“First uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan to demonstrate end-to-end mission, including aerodynamics characterization of human rated launch vehicle, mission operations of Orbital Module, re-entry and recovery of Crew Module,” Singh said.
The coming year will also see the launch of India’s first industry built PSLV, which will carry the Oceansat satellite along with the Indo Mauritius Joint Satellite and Dhruva Space’s LEAP 2 satellite. NSIL has contracted a HAL and L and T consortium to manufacture 5 PSLV rockets under a technology transfer agreement signed in September.
An ISRO built PSLV will also launch the EOS N1 earth observation satellite for a strategic user along with 18 smaller satellites. The GSLV Mk II will launch the EOS 5 or GISAT 1A satellite, replacing the earlier mission that failed in 2021.
The PSLV 63 mission will deploy the TDS 01 satellite to demonstrate high thrust electric propulsion, quantum key distribution, and an indigenous travelling wave tube amplifier. Singh said, “The technologies and components, once proved in TDS-01, will be employed in navigation and communication missions in the near-future.”
ISRO officials noted that electric propulsion can reduce satellite fuel needs from over 2 tonnes to around 200 kg. The SSLV is also scheduled to launch a dedicated satellite before March 2026.
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