The Aryavarth Express
Pimpri Chinchwad (Maharashtra): Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V. Narayanan on Thursday outlined India’s future space exploration roadmap, stating that the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission is targeted for 2027, while crewed Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 missions are planned for 2028, subject to progress as scheduled.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event, Narayanan said the Gaganyaan programme will include three uncrewed missions ahead of the first human spaceflight. He added that preparations for these missions are currently underway, though the exact timeline for the uncrewed launches has not yet been finalised.
“With the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are working towards the Gaganyaan programme targeted for 2027. Three uncrewed missions will be conducted before the crewed flight. Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 are approved programmes, and if everything goes as planned, these crewed lunar missions will take place by 2028,” Narayanan said.
He noted that all major activities related to these missions are progressing as per targeted schedules. Highlighting efforts to make space missions more cost-effective, Narayanan said ISRO is actively working on the development of reusable launch vehicle technology, which is currently at the experimental stage.
On comparisons with private space companies such as SpaceX, the ISRO Chairman said India’s space programme does not view its efforts as a competition. He emphasised that the primary objective of the Indian space programme is to serve national needs and strengthen the country’s capabilities.
“Our space programme is meant for India. A strong space ecosystem earns respect globally. We are focused on serving the common people and expanding India’s space economy from 2 per cent to 8 per cent,” he said, adding that ISRO continues to analyse data and learn from each mission, including ongoing work related to the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
