Isro Manned Mission

NISAR satellite deploys 12-metre diameter antenna, enters science phase

NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite launched onboard GSLV-F16 on July 30 this year successfully deployed 12-metre diameter antenna reflector and entered science phase, ISRO said on Friday. The antenna plays a key role for both ISRO's S-Band and NASA's L-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, it said. "The first image of S-Band SAR acquired on August 19, 2025, captures the fertile Godavari River Delta in Andhra Pradesh, India. Various vegetation classes like mangroves, agriculture, arecanut plantations, aquaculture fields, etc. are clearly seen in the image. The image highlights NISAR's S-Band SAR ability to map river deltas and agricultural landscapes with precision," ISRO said in a statement. On the 100th day of NISAR in orbit, the S-SAR images were released to the public by the Chairman, ISRO. With this, the commencement of the science phase has also been announced, it said. The antenna was launched in a stowed condition on a 9-metre-long boom, which was ..

ISRO to launch US communication satellite on commercial LVM3 flight in Dec

ISRO would launch a US communication satellite using LVM3 on a commercial basis next month, the space agency's Chairman V Narayanan said on Monday. Delivering the keynote address on the occasion of 68th Annual Day celebrations of Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET) here, he also said the country's space programme would be on par with any other advanced nation in terms of launches, satellites and others by 2040. "Launch date is not yet decided. It will be next month. It is a communication satellite, we are planning to launch. A commercial basis communication satellite we are going to launch in our LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark - III), vehicle," he told reporters. It is not a collaboration with the US, but an American satellite which would be launched on a commercial basis, he said. According to him, the ISRO, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs, is working on a lot of programmes. Right now, 57 satellites are in orbit, an

ISRO successfully tests boot-strap mode start on CE20 cryogenic engine

The ISRO on Wednesday announced that it has successfully demonstrated the boot-strap mode start test of the CE20 Cryogenic engine, which powers the upper stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark -3 (LVM3) rocket. The test was conducted for 10 second under vacuum conditions at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri on November 7, it said. According to ISRO, the CE20 cryogenic engine is already qualified for operation at thrust levels between 19 and 22 tonnes with a single start in flight and is cleared for use in the Gaganyaan missions. Under normal conditions, the engine ignition begins under tank head pressure, followed by a turbopump start up using a stored gas start-up system, the space agency said. For future missions, multiple in-flight restarts of the CE20 engine will be required for mission flexibility, towards multi-orbit missions. With the current configuration, each restart requires an additional start-up gas bottle and associated systems,

Isro scripts history with launch of heaviest communications satellite

ISRO's LVM3-M5 rocket lifted off from Sriharikota with CMS-03, a 4,410-kg satellite aimed at boosting the Indian Navy's communications and maritime surveillance network

90% development work for Gaganyaan mission completed: Isro chief Narayanan

On August 24, Isro successfully conducted the first integrated air drop test for the Gaganyaan programme at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota

India's space ambitions strengthen national safety: Isro chief Narayanan

Isro chairman Dr V Narayanan said India's space missions - from Chandrayaan to Gaganyaan - strengthen national security, advance science, and pave the way for a crewed lunar landing by 2040

Shubhanshu Shukla gets hero's welcome in Lucknow after historic space feat

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to his hometown Lucknow on Monday to a rousing reception after becoming the first Indian to visit the International Space Station. Although he arrived in India from the US on August 17, he is visiting the Uttar Pradesh capital now after participating in multiple outreach events, including a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 18. Family members, including his parents Shambhu and Asha Shukla, wife Kamna, and son Kiash, were present at the airport to greet him. They were joined by cheering crowds waving the tricolour and chanting "Vande Mataram". Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, a troupe played drums and trumpets, while students from Shukla's alma mater, City Montessori School (CMS), came dressed in vibrant costumes representing space missions and celestial objects. CMS manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon was among those personally welcoming the school's celebrated alumnus. From the airport, Shukla embarked on a

Isro completes first integrated parachute test for Gaganyaan crew module

The test, involving IAF, DRDO, Navy and Coast Guard, proved the parachute-based deceleration system that will ensure Gaganyaan crew module's safe splashdown

Datanomics: Hits and misses as India celebrates Space Day on August 23

Space research capex yet to hit pre-Covid level

Very soon, someone from our own soil will go to space in our rocket: Shukla

On his Axiom-4 Mission, Shukla said the experience from the ISS mission would be very useful for India's own Gaganyaan mission, and he learnt a lot in the past year as part of his mission

Shubhanshu calls his space mission start of India's second space orbit

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Friday described his journey to space as the beginning of India's "second orbit" with the aim to lead in the area of human spaceflight. Addressing a virtual press conference, Shukla and his co-travellers of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station shared their experiences of living in microgravity and conducting experiments that would help humanity. "In a realm like space exploration, in decades of global collaboration, the moment in this mission that stood out for me was speaking to the prime minister of Bharat while the Indian flag floated behind me," Shukla said. He said that moment symbolised India's re-entry into the conversation, not as a spectator but as an equal participant. "After 41 years, a Bharatiya returned to space. But this time, it was not a solitary leap, it was the beginning of India's second orbit. And this time, we are ready, not just to fly but to lead," Shukla said. Shukla became the second Indian to travel to spac

PM Modi hails Shubhanshu Shukla's return after historic space mission

Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts returned aboard the Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft, which splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California, after a 22.5-hour journey from space

Gearing up for space station, Gaganyaan, lunar missions: Isro chairman

ISRO is gearing up to launch its own space station into orbit, marking a bold leap in India's space ambitions, chairman V Narayanan said on Thursday. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief also said the Department of Space, of which he is the Secretary, is working alongside various organisations to ensure the safety and security of the country's citizens. "Take our country, for example we have 11,500 km of coastline, and then there's the northern border. We have a vast border to monitor, and the government is working diligently to ensure our safety. There are responsible individuals and systems in place," he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme of Rammohan Mission here. Narayanan said, "Currently, we have 57 satellites in orbit, serving the public by providing real-time updates and data on a wide range of issues, from weather forecasts to tele-education in the most remote areas." About the space station, he said it will weigh over 50 tonnes. On the recent .

India to conduct two crewed space flights under Gaganyaan by 2028: Govt

India has broadened the scope of the Gaganyaan mission and plans to carry out two crewed space flights by 2028, Parliament was informed on Thursday. According to the enhanced scope, the Gaganyaan programme will have eight missions -- two crewed and six uncrewed -- Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. Singh said the earlier Gaganyaan programme entailed one crewed mission and two uncrewed ones. The total funding for the programme has been enhanced to Rs 20,193 crore to address the programmatic requirements, according to the revised scope that includes new developments for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and precursor missions, he said. The allocation also covers additional requirements to meet the ongoing Gaganyaan programme, he further said. The Gaganyaan project was announced in 2019 with the first manned space flight planned for 2022. Singh said the delay was due to the slow pace of work in the industry

Aim to restart cryogenic stage in flight for mission benefits: Isro chief

A day after ISRO successfully carried out the ignition trial of the indigenous CE20 cryogenic engine, its Chairman and Secretary of Department of Space V Narayanan on Saturday said that the test would be advantageous to missions. The Chairman also said there were no glitches as reported in the media in ISRO's first Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission. "We want to restart the cryogenic stage in the flight for mission advantages. So, we recently carried out a test towards that," Narayanan told PTI on the sidelines of the 15th Biennial Edition of Aero India International Seminar 2025, held in Bengaluru. On February 7, ISRO successfully carried out the ignition trial of the indigenous CE20 cryogenic engine powering the upper stage of LVM3, with a multi-element igniter under vacuum conditions, which simulates the engine ignition in the vacuum condition of space. This test was carried out in the High-Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil ...

Isro's uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan advances with dispatch of crew module

Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of ISRO has dispatched the Crew Module for the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan (G1) after successfully completing the integration of the liquid propulsion system, the space agency said on Wednesday. Gaganyaan will be ISRO's first attempt towards acquiring human spaceflight capabilities. Before sending the crew, the ISRO is planning to send uncrewed mission to the space under its Gaganyaan project. On 21 January 2025, the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) of ISRO dispatched the Crew Module for the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan (G1), after successfully completing the integration of the liquid propulsion system, ISRO said in a statement. LPSC, Bengaluru has dispatched the module to Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, officials said. According to the space agency, the Crew Module Propulsion System (CMPS) is a bi-propellant based Reaction Control System (RCS) and is meant for precise three axis control namely Pitch, Yaw and Roll, of

SpaDeX successful, results will pave way for future missions: Isro chief

ISRO chairman V Narayanan on Saturday said the space-docking experiment (SpaDeX) of satellites was successful and the results will be useful for multiple purposes, including future missions like Chandrayaan 4, Gaganyaan and India's space station. Narayanan, who arrived in Kerala after the successful space-docking test, told reporters at the airport here that it was a team effort by the ISRO and the results of the test were being reviewed. "Right now the situation is that all the things are successfully docked and it is in space safely. Now we are studying all the results. My team is reviewing the results and we will take the proper decision at the proper time," he said. The scientist further said that the docking experiment would be useful for multiple purposes. Giving details, he said that it will be useful for the Chandrayaan 4 mission as two rockets will be used to carry to space the over 9,000 kg module that will subsequently land on the moon for sample collection. He said tha

India joins elite club of nations; becomes fourth to achieve space docking

India became fourth nation after Russia, China and the United States to successfully achieve 'Space Docking' which is needed for spacecraft rendezvous, docking and undocking

Prep for Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyan to NISAR: What's in Isro's kitty for 2025

Apart from the SPADEX, Isro is focussing on multiple missions, ranging from the conventional satellite launches to unconventional space exploration programmes

SpaDeX mission for space docking tech to be launched on Dec 30: Isro

India's SpaDeX mission, intended to develop and demonstrate technology required to dock and undock spacecraft in space, will be launched using PSLV-C60 on December 30 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, ISRO said. On December 21, the launch vehicle was integrated and moved to the First Launch Pad, for further integration of satellites and launch preparations. ISRO has also put up the fast time-lapse video of the moving of PSLV-C60, which was fully integrated up to PS4 at the PIF facility for the first time, to the First Launch Pad, in its X account. On December 30, people can witness the launch live at the Launch View Gallery after registering for it. The registration started on Monday at 6 pm, ISRO said in its website. SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of 'in-space docking' using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV, ISRO said in an explainer on the subject. This technology is essential for India's space ambitions