ISRO Accelerates India’s Space Station Project; 80 Satellites In Pipeline

New Delhi: ISRO is moving faster on plans to set up India’s own space station, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station, while continuing work on several major space missions, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said.

He said work is under way on nearly 80 satellites planned for launch in the coming years. These satellites will support scientific research, communication, navigation, internal security, weather monitoring, disaster management and the relay of critical data for the Gaganyaan mission.

ISRO aims to launch the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2028. The space station is expected to be fully ready by 2035. Once operational, it will place India among a small group of countries with space stations in Earth’s orbit. At present, only the International Space Station and China’s Tiangong are active.

Along with the space station project, ISRO is working on several other key missions. These include Earth observation programmes, navigation missions under the NVS series, the Indian Data Relay Satellite System, Gaganyaan and the Venus Orbiter Mission. Together, these projects reflect India’s growing role in space science, exploration and applied technologies.

Work is also progressing on the Chandrayaan-4, which aims to bring samples from the Moon back to Earth.

ISRO officials also recalled the launch of Aryabhata on April 19, 1975, calling it a turning point in India’s space journey. Despite limited resources at the time, the mission laid the foundation for future programmes and helped ISRO grow into a globally respected space agency.

To mark the golden jubilee of Aryabhata, ISRO has launched a nationwide outreach programme for school students. The first such programme was held in Samastipur, Bihar, where students were introduced to ISRO’s work and future opportunities in the space sector. Scientists also shared their own experiences, encouraging students to aim for careers in space science and technology.

The government is also pushing for greater private sector participation in space activities. ISRO has begun steps to expand India’s space economy significantly over the next ten years.