The Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) V. Narayan, has announced that ISRO has planned seven more launches this financial year and that India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, will be launched as scheduled in 2027. Narayan stated that ISRO is preparing for a phase of rapid expansion in science, technology, and industrial capacity.
He said ISRO is targeting seven more launches before the end of the current financial year, which include one commercial communication satellite and several PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) missions.
He highlighted that the launch of the first fully industry-built PSLV during this period will be a milestone. The ISRO chief also confirmed that the government has approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, designed as a lunar sample-return mission, which will be India’s most complex lunar expedition to date.
“We are targeting 2028 for Chandrayaan-4,” he said. Another major mission is ‘LUPEX’, a joint lunar polar exploration program to be conducted with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).
Chandrayaan-4 to Attempt Sample Return from Moon
Narayan added that ISRO is also working to triple its annual spacecraft production over the next three years to keep pace with the increasing demand due to its missions. Chandrayaan-4 will attempt to bring back samples from the Moon, a capability demonstrated so far only by the US, Russia, and China. LUPEX aims to study ice on the Moon’s south pole.
Narayan stated that ISRO has begun work on an Indian space station, targeted for completion by 2035. The first of its five modules will be placed in orbit by 2028. This endeavor will make India the third major country to operate a space station. The US-led International Space Station (ISS) is in its final phase, and China’s Tiangong station is fully operational.
Clarification on Gaganyaan and Lunar Human Mission by 2040
Regarding India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, Narayan clarified that only the timeline for the unmanned missions has been altered. “Let me clarify that the unmanned mission was targeted for 2025. The manned mission was always planned for 2027, and this date has not been changed,” he said. There will be three unmanned test missions before the first flight with Indian astronauts.
He also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed ISRO to work towards sending Indian astronauts to the lunar surface and bringing them back safely by 2040.
India’s Share in Global Space Economy
Narayan said that India’s long-term human spaceflight plans position it among the world’s leading space powers. The US is planning lunar human missions under Artemis, while China has set a 2030 target for its first crewed lunar expedition.
He noted that India’s share in the global space economy is currently about two percent, and ISRO is working towards increasing it to eight percent by 2030. The current value of India’s space economy is approximately $8.2 billion, projected to grow to $44 billion by 2033. In comparison, the global space economy is currently worth about $630 billion and could reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.
He highlighted that reforms in the space sector have led to a rapid increase in private participation. Narayan stated that India’s space ecosystem now boasts over 450 industries and 330 startups, a significant jump from just three startups a few years ago.