ISRO is preparing for an unprecedented period of expansion, aiming to triple spacecraft production over the next three years while executing multiple high-profile missions, including Chandrayaan‑4, targeted for 2028, its chairman V Narayanan said on Sunday.
Narayanan outlined a busy schedule for the current financial year, with seven launches planned, encompassing commercial communication satellites, as well as multiple PSLV and GSLV missions. A milestone will be the launch of the first PSLV manufactured entirely by Indian industry.
The Chandrayaan‑4 mission, approved by the government, will be India’s most complex lunar endeavour, designed as a sample-return mission. “We are targeting 2028 for Chandrayaan‑4,” Narayanan said. The mission will attempt to retrieve lunar samples, a capability currently demonstrated only by the US, Russia and China.
Another key project is LUPEX, the joint lunar polar exploration programme with JAXA, which aims to study water ice at the Moon’s south pole.
ISRO is also laying the groundwork for an Indian Space Station, scheduled for completion by 2035, with the first of five modules expected in orbit by 2028. This would make India the third major nation to operate a space station, following the US-led ISS and China’s Tiangong.
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Clarifying the timeline for human spaceflight, Narayanan noted that India’s Gaganyaan mission remains on track for a crewed flight in 2027, preceded by three uncrewed test missions. “The uncrewed mission was targeted for 2025. The crewed mission was always planned for 2027, and we are holding on to that date,” he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also directed ISRO to plan for Indian astronauts to land on the Moon and return safely by 2040.
Narayanan highlighted India’s growing role in the global space economy, currently valued at USD 8.2 billion, projected to reach USD 44 billion by 2033, with a goal to raise India’s share from 2 per cent to 8 per cent by 2030. Global space economy figures stand at USD 630 billion currently, expected to reach USD 1.8 trillion by 2035.
The chairman also noted the dramatic rise in private sector participation, with over 450 industries and 330 startups now active in India’s space ecosystem, up from just three startups a few years ago. Post-2020 regulatory reforms have accelerated private contributions to rocket development, satellite manufacture and commercial launch services. “We now have a vibrant base ecosystem, and it will grow further,” Narayanan said.
ISRO’s ambitious roadmap signals a decisive expansion in India’s space capabilities, ranging from lunar exploration to orbital infrastructure and human spaceflight, aligning the nation with the leading global space powers.
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