New Delhi: India is looking to rapidly expand the scale of its space operations, with the government setting a target of putting at least 300 satellites into orbit over the next five to six years. The country is simultaneously preparing for its first uncrewed Gaganyaan flight and working towards establishing an Indian space station by 2035.
The roadmap reflects how India’s space programme has moved beyond developing launch vehicles and satellites for domestic requirements to building a larger commercial and strategic space ecosystem.
Speaking at the 22nd convocation of the Great Lakes Institute of Management in Mahabalipuram near Chennai, Isro chairman V Narayanan said the government had tasked the space agency with taking at least 300 satellites to orbit during the next five to six years.
Narayanan, who is also secretary of the department of space and chairman of the space commission, pointed to India’s growing ability to use space assets for national security and strategic operations. More than 20 satellites were used during Operation Sindoor, he said.
India’s transformation is also visible in the commercial launch market. Indian rockets have carried 434 satellites belonging to customers from 36 countries, a major shift from the country’s earlier dependence on foreign launch systems and satellites.
Next step: Putting Indians in space
The first uncrewed flight of Gaganyaan is planned for launch from Sriharikota by the end of this year. The mission will form part of the preparation for India’s human spaceflight programme and its longer-term plans for sustained human activity in orbit.
India has already gained recent experience in human spaceflight through Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4 last year.
Shukla became the first Indian to reach the ISS and the first Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma. The mission eventually took off on June 25 after its original June 11 launch date was pushed back.
Narayanan said an issue detected in the Falcon rocket before the launch demonstrated the importance of technical checks. He recalled that his team was at Kennedy Space Centre on June 10 when it was informed about a leakage problem in the rocket.
Isro officials pushed for the problem to be fixed before the flight. The launch was subsequently postponed, which Narayanan said helped avert a potentially catastrophic incident.
Launch infrastructure opens to private industry
India’s push for more launches is also changing who will operate its space infrastructure.
IN-SPACe has initiated the process of transferring the operation and management of the upcoming Small Satellite Launch Complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu to an Indian private company.
The facility, estimated to require an investment of ₹986 crore, is being developed to support commercial launch activities involving small satellites.
The proposed transfer is a part of the bigger reforms of the government for encouraging private participation in the space sector and is in line with the framework provided by the Indian Space Policy-2023.
The selected private operator will manage the launch complex and provide commercial launch services to launch vehicle operators. IN-SPACe will facilitate the transfer of the facilities established by ISRO.
Isro will continue to support the new operator during the initial transition period. Its assistance will include technical guidance, operational support, training and handholding, with the support continuing until three launch services have been completed or one year has passed, whichever comes first.
The 300-satellite target, Gaganyaan programme and planned space station are being pursued alongside the opening of launch infrastructure to private industry. Together, the initiatives point to an expanding Indian space programme in which Isro’s role increasingly extends from conducting missions itself to developing technology, supporting human spaceflight and enabling a wider commercial ecosystem.