'The prime minister has given us the task of taking at least 300 satellites to orbit in the next five to six years.'
India is planning to launch at least 300 more satellites in the next five to six years and will also have a space station by 2035, said Dr V Narayanan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
The uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan, India's first human spaceflight programme, will be launched by the end of this year, the ISRO chairman added.
This comes as space regulator IN-SPACe started the process of handing over the operations and management of ISRO's upcoming Small Satellite Launch Complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu to the private sector. The project may see an investment of Rs 986 crore.
Key Points
- The Indian space programme had evolved from depending on rockets and satellites from other countries to launching 434 foreign satellites from 36 countries on a commercial basis using Indian rockets.
- The first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission is expected to launch from Sriharikota by the end of this year.
- IN-SPACe has invited Indian private firms to operate and manage the upcoming Small Satellite Launch Complex.
India's 300-Satellite Space Push
"By the end of this year, the first uncrewed Gaganyaan rocket is going to lift off from Sriharikota.
"We are all working towards having our own space station by 2035. The prime minister has given us the task of taking at least 300 satellites to orbit in the next five to six years," Dr Narayanan, who is also the secretary of department of space, said on Saturday, while addressing the 22nd convocation ceremony at the Great Lakes Institute of Management at Mahabalipuram near Chennai.
The Indian space programme had evolved from depending on rockets and satellites from other countries to launching 434 foreign satellites from 36 countries on a commercial basis using Indian rockets.
For the recent Operation Sindoor, too, India used over 20 satellites.
Isro Scientists And Axiom 4
Dr Narayanan also said that ISRO scientists had played a key role in avoiding a possible mishap during the launch of the Axiom Mission 4 mission.
Last year, Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station, and the first Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma.
The mission, which was initially supposed to be launched on June 11 last year, took place on June 25.
"On June 10, me and my team were camping in Kennedy Space Centre, and we came to know the Falcon rocket that was supposed to carry Shukla and three astronauts had a leakage problem...
"We insisted on correcting it...
Based on our insistence, the rocket launch was called off, and a catastrophic situation was avoided," the ISRO chairman said.
India's Space Station By 2035
Last week, IN-SPACe came out with an expression of interest to hand over the operation and management of SLC to an Indian private firm.
This is in alignment with the space sector reforms announced by the Government of India and the Indian Space Policy-2023, which opened space operations to private sector participation.
IN-SPACe, through ISRO, will facilitate the handing over of facilities established in SLC to the selected party.
This is aimed at Indian industries with demonstrated experience in executing and managing large-scale, multidisciplinary infrastructure and operations projects, and that are interested in undertaking the operation and management of the SLC to provide commercial launch services to launch vehicle operators.
To facilitate a smooth transition and capability development, ISRO will provide the selected party with the necessary technical guidance, operational support, training, and handholding assistance for a defined period up to the completion of three launch services provided by the selected party to launch vehicle operators, or one year, whichever is earlier.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
