India’s space ambitions for 2025 are set to soar as the Indian Space Research Organisation prepares for groundbreaking missions, including the much-anticipated uncrewed orbital test mission under the Gaganyaan program. Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh recently chaired a high-level review meeting with outgoing ISRO Chairman S Somnath, incoming Chairman V Narayanan, and IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Kumar Goenka to discuss the plans.
The Gaganyaan uncrewed orbital test mission will be a critical milestone, aiming to validate crew safety and recovery systems. This is part of India’s broader human spaceflight initiative. Scheduled for the early months of 2025, ISRO’s mission lineup includes two GSLV launches, a commercial LVM3 flight, and the collaborative ISRO-NASA NISAR project.
The GSLV-F15 mission, slated for January, will launch the NVS-02 navigation satellite to bolster India’s NavIC constellation. This system, equipped with indigenous atomic clocks, is designed to enhance the nation’s positioning and navigation capabilities. February will see the launch of the GSLV-F16 mission, which will carry NISAR, a cutting-edge Earth observation satellite developed in collaboration with NASA. NISAR’s radar imaging technology promises vital data for agriculture, climate monitoring, and disaster management.
In March, the LVM3-M5 mission will deploy BlueBird Block-2 satellites for AST SpaceMobile, a U.S.-based company, showcasing ISRO’s growing influence in the global space industry. These missions signify not only technological advancements but also strengthened international collaborations.
Jitendra Singh praised ISRO’s innovative drive and emphasized the need for public-private partnerships to propel India’s space program. Somnath, reflecting on his tenure, expressed confidence in the forthcoming missions, while Narayanan detailed a strategic roadmap for expanding ISRO’s global reach.
As India moves closer to achieving significant space exploration milestones, 2025 is poised to be a pivotal year in advancing its reputation as a leader in space science and technology.
