ISRO eyes eight launches, first uncrewed Gaganyaan flight in four months

NEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is targeting eight launch vehicle missions during the current financial year, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said on Sunday. Speaking at the third National Space Day celebrations in Ahmedabad, Narayanan said the agency plans to realise 12 satellites through the missions. The satellites are expected to support communication, navigation, Earth observation and scientific research.

The announcement comes after ISRO has yet to record a successful launch in 2026. The agency's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) remains grounded pending additional ground tests following two consecutive launch failures.

The first uncrewed test flight of Gaganyaan, India's human spaceflight programme, is expected to be conducted within the next four months. Narayanan said around 8,000 tests related to the programme had been completed and that it had entered its final stage.
Three uncrewed missions are planned before the crewed Gaganyaan mission. The uncrewed flights are intended to test the systems required for human spaceflight without astronauts aboard.

Narayanan said India currently has 56 space assets, but the country's requirements would rise to 200-300 satellites within a five-year timeframe. Meeting that requirement would require greater participation from private companies and start-ups, he said.
He also highlighted the expansion of India's private space sector following the reforms introduced in 2020. According to Narayanan, the country now has around 440 space start-ups working across areas including launch vehicles, satellites, applications and other space technologies.

India is also pursuing the establishment of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), with the space station targeted for 2035. The development of its initial modules is part of the country's longer-term human spaceflight programme.