State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has won a bid under which it will receive technology from the Indian Space Research Organisation for the end-to-end commercial production of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), a first for the industry as India seeks to become a global hub for small satellite manufacturing and launches.
These upcoming launches carry added significance in light of setbacks suffered in recent years.
India is set to take its first steps towards its own human space flight when the uncrewed Gaganyaan mission soars to the skies later this year. Private players in the space sector are also gearing up for launching satellites on home-built rockets.
ISRO has announced plans for seven launch missions by March, including the first uncrewed mission for the Gaganyaan project and demonstrations of new satellite technologies.
The heaviest communication satellite to be launched from the Indian soil onboard a new generation, homegrown 'Bahubali' rocket was successfully placed into the intended orbit on Sunday, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.
India took another leap in space infrastructure with the foundation stone laid for a new launch pad at the country's second rocket port in Kulasekarapattinam.
ISRO chairman announces plans for nine major launches by the end of the fiscal year, including the Blue Bird Block2 communication satellite for the US in collaboration with NASA.
ISRO's first mission in 2023 and SSLV's sequel saw a strange coincidence--it was launched at 9.18 am, the same time its predecessor lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here on August 7, 2022 but could not deliver due to orbit anomaly and flight path deviation.
'The LVM3 rocket will orbit one Block 2 BlueBird satellite in Low Earth Orbit.'
The SSLV is designed to be affordable and amenable to industry production and aimed to function as a launch-on-demand platform for mini, micro or nano satellites.
On Sunday morning, in its mission to place an earth observation satellite and students satellite into the low earth orbit, the SSLV-D1/EOS-02 blasted off precisely at 9.18 am amid cloudy skies from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in this spaceport.
The fuel cost will come down if rockets are launched from Kulasekarapattinam as they will have a straight trajectory and need not have to avoid Sri Lanka, which is being done by rockets flown from Sriharikota.
The Department of Space (DoS) plans to realise entirely-built rockets -- GSLV-Mk III and SSLV -- from Indian industry partners, in addition to PSLV, according to a top official of its commercial arm NSIL.
The Indian Space Research Organisation on Sunday faced a blip in its plan to tap the small satellite launch vehicle market, as an anomaly in the placing of the satellites by the rocket led to deviation on its path thereby becoming 'no longer usable', Chairman S Somanath said on Sunday.
'The launch of Nila, our very first satellite was very emotional as well as nerve wracking. We tried to calm ourselves by cracking some poor jokes!'
The Indian government has approved the construction of a third launch pad at Sriharikota, capable of sending heavier spacecraft into orbit. This new facility will support India's ambitious space program, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and a lunar landing. The launch pad will be built at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and is expected to be operational within four years.
ISRO's vendor policy and quality control processes are under scanner.
At 6.23 am on 29.1.2025, the 50.9 metre tall and weighing 420.7 ton Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F15 (GSLV-F15) is slated to blast off from the second launch pad carrying the 2,250 kg NVS-02 navigation satellite.
The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched its 100th mission on Wednesday, with a GSLV rocket carrying navigation satellite NVS-02.
If it becomes a reality, the Chennai-based company will become the first private player from India to conduct such a mission to the lunar surface.
'Our vision for the future includes the creation of an active ecosystem, human space flight, a human space station.'
In a boost to the space programme, the government on Wednesday approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission to bring back moon rocks to earth, to send a spacecraft to orbit planet Venus and to expand the Gaganyaan project to build an Indian space station.
'With India's growing capabilities in the space sector, this creates promising opportunities for enhanced collaboration and market access.'
As many as 23 companies have evinced interest in acquiring the Indian space agency's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle technology, said a top official who termed it a "tremendous response". Chairman of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) Pawan K Goenka said on Thursday that they are keen to see how the private sector uses the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology. "There has been a tremendous response, 23 companies have (so far) shown interest in applying for this technology.
AzaadiSAT had around 75 small payloads developed by schoolgirls of 75 rural schools.
After the historic success of its Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is going full throttle with its plans to send Indian astronauts for the first time to the Moon by 2040, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said.
The payload sent into the upper reaches of the atmosphere were recovered after it splashed into the sea.
More and more women are making their presence felt in jobs related to sciences, technology, and engineering across organisations.
Only three countries (United States, Russia and China) have successfully landed spacecraft on the airless lunar surface.
The ISRO on Sunday scripted yet another history after its LVM3 rocket successfully placed 36 satellites of United Kingdom-based OneWeb group company into intended orbits.
The heaviest rocket of the Indian Space Research Organisation -- LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1 -- blasted off from the Sriharikota spaceport on Sunday to place 36 broadband communication satellites into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for a UK-based customer.
ISRO chairman K Sivan said all activities related to the third lunar mission -- Chandrayaan-3 -- were going on smoothly but its launch may shift to next year.
"Chandrayaan-2 is not the end of story. Our plans on Aditya L1 solar mission, human spaceflight programme are on track. A large number of advance satellite launches are planned in the coming months. SSLV will make its maiden flight sometimes in December or January. Testing of 200 ton semi-cryo engine is expected to begin shortly. Work is on to provide NAVIC signals on mobile phones, which will open the path to develop large number of applications for societal needs," he added.
The year ended with the launch of the PSLV's 50th mission.
Over 32 missions -- satellites and rockets -- have been planned for the year.
Microsat-R, an imaging satellite, is meant for military purposes, but the ISRO did not give any details about it.
'By pushing PSLV production to industry, the extra ISRO personnel available will be utilised to do projects like the human space mission.'
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