Exclusive/ India's Current and Upcoming Space Projects

1. Gaganyaan & Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS)

Gaganyaan, India’s pioneering human spaceflight program, has received a significant budget increase—from $1.1 billion to about $2.32 billion—to support two crewed and six uncrewed missions by 2028, along with plans for a national space station by 2035 and future lunar missions by 2040 ReutersThe Times of IndiaWikipedia.

A key stepping stone, Gaganyaan-1, an uncrewed test flight featuring the humanoid robot 'Vyomitra', will test critical reentry systems. This is followed by Gaganyaan-2 and a planned crewed mission Gaganyaan-3, expected by 2026 The Economic TimesDigit Insurance.

The Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s future space station, has also been approved. Launch of its first module (BAS-1) is scheduled by 2028, with the full station operational by 2035 Aviationspace IndiaWikipedia.

2. Venus Orbiter Mission (Shukrayaan)

This is India’s ambitious attempt to orbit Venus and study its atmosphere, surface, and evolution. Approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2024, it's slated for launch in March 2028 WikipediaAviationspace Indiatekginger.com.

3. Chandrayaan-Lunar Missions & LUPEX (Chandrayaan-5)

In collaboration with Japan, India is preparing the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX or Chandrayaan-5), focusing on the Moon’s south pole. The mission has cleared key studies and approval stages, with hardware development already underway and launch expected in the near future Wikipedia.

This project follows the success of Chandrayaan-3 and represents the next phase of India’s lunar exploration push.

4. Aditya-L1 (Solar Mission)

Launched in September 2023, Aditya-L1 is India’s first dedicated solar observatory, positioned at the Sun–Earth L1 point to continuously monitor solar activities like the corona, chromosphere, and space weather Drishti IASarXiv.

5. XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite)

Deployed on 1 January 2024, XPoSat is a specialized Indian space telescope studying the polarization of cosmic X-rays (2–30 keV). It offers unmatched insights into cosmic sources like pulsars and black holes, with a mission lifespan of around five years Wikipedia.

6. NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar)

A joint ISRO–NASA mission, NISAR will launch a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite for Earth observation, enabling global mapping of environmental changes and natural hazards. It’s expected to be operational soon (early 2025) Business StandardDigit InsuranceKnowledge Man.

7. TRISHNA (Thermal InfraRed Imaging Satellite)

A collaborative Earth observation satellite with France’s CNES, TRISHNA is slated for launch in 2026. It will capture thermal infrared and VNIR data to study natural resources with high resolution Wikipedia.

8. SpaDeX (Satellite Docking Experiment)

SpaDeX aims to test autonomous docking of spacecraft, a vital technology for assembling space stations or servicing on-orbit satellites. India completed its first successful docking in January 2025 and is now working on SpaDeX-2 LinkedIn.

9. Ladakh Human Analogue Mission (LHAM)

India's first human Mars/Moon analogue mission, ongoing since November 2024 in Ladakh, simulates extraterrestrial conditions. Sensors and habitats (Hab-1) are tested under low oxygen, high-altitude conditions to inform future astronaut training and sustainment strategies Wikipedia.

10. Strategic Satellites & Launch Infrastructure

ISRO operates over 10 satellites continuously for national security, surveillance, communication, and navigation purposes, providing critical support to defense and civil authorities The Times of India.

A second launch site in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, is under development and expected to be operational by December 2026. It will handle rockets up to 500 kg and facilitate 20–25 annual satellite launches, including from private companies The Times of India+1.

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