The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

'Gaganyaan' is India's first manned space mission, aimed at sending astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The programme includes multiple test flights, with Gaganyaan-1 scheduled for December 2024 as an uncrewed test flight, followed by Gaganyaan-2 in early 2025, and the first crewed mission (Gaganyaan-3) anticipated in late 2025.

Gaganyaan, India's first manned space mission, is scheduled for key test flights in 2024–2025 and a crewed mission in late 2025

According to news reports dated November 26, 2024, the government has approved 'Shukrayaan' (Venus Orbiter Mission) with a budget of approximately ₹1,236 crore (including ₹824 crore for spacecraft development), scheduled for launch in March 2028. This mission aims to deepen the understanding of Venus—often called Earth's twin due to its similar size and proximity.

Shukrayaan is part of India's broader vision for space exploration, which includes future missions to Mars and plans for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). The mission is expected to provide significant insights into planetary evolution, specifically how Venus transitioned from a potentially habitable environment to its current state. It will also serve as a technology demonstration for ISRO, testing new techniques in aerobraking and thermal management in extreme environments. The data collected will be shared with the global scientific community, enhancing collaborative research efforts.

Shukrayaan, India's Venus Orbiter Mission with advanced technology demonstrations, is scheduled for launch in March 2028.

On November 26, 2024, ISRO announced the Mars Lander Mission (MLM), also known as Mangalyaan-2, which aims to advance India's capabilities in interplanetary exploration. The mission is set to include advanced technologies such as a supersonic parachute and a sky-crane soft-landing system to ensure a safe descent on Mars. ISRO is developing a sky-crane system that will enable the precise landing of a rover on Mars. The rotocopter, currently in the conceptual phase, is expected to fly up to 100 metres above the Martian surface and will be equipped with scientific instruments, including sensors for temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed. This drone will conduct aerial exploration and gather data on Martian weather patterns through a payload termed the Martian Boundary Layer Explorer (MarBLE).

The MLM mission will be launched aboard ISRO's heavy-lift Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3), designed to carry heavier payloads into space. It aims not only to land on Mars but also to conduct scientific investigations of the planet's surface and atmosphere, building on the success of previous missions like Mangalyaan-1.

Mars Lander Mission (MLM) will feature innovative technologies like a sky crane and rotocopter for advanced Martian exploration.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath has emphasised the organisation's aim to increase India's contribution to the global space economy from two per cent to at least ten per cent over the next decade. He also highlighted the importance of private sector participation in achieving these goals and fostering a vibrant space ecosystem in India. On November 26, ISRO announced new timelines for several upcoming missions. The expected launch dates for key upcoming ISRO missions are as follows:

SpaDeX satellites have been successfully integrated with PSLV-C60 at SDSC SHAR.

• Before end of December 2024: SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment), a twin-spacecraft mission to test technologies related to orbital rendezvous and docking, critical for future human spaceflight missions.
• 2025: NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), the first dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite for Earth observation and remote sensing.
• 2026: Gaganyaan crewed mission.
• March 2028: Shukrayaan.
• 2028: Chandrayaan-4, focusing on obtaining lunar samples, involving a complex architecture with multiple modules, including a lander and ascender.
• 2028: First module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).
• Post-2028: Chandrayaan-5, a collaborative effort with Japan's JAXA, focusing on lunar exploration with a heavier rover than in previous missions.

During his visit to India in November 2023, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed NASA's readiness to support India's goal of building a commercial space station by 2040, should India seek such collaboration. In December 2023, Somanath stated that ISRO had a 25-year roadmap extending to the year 2047. This included plans to launch the first space station module in 2028 and complete the station by 2035.

ISRO is currently working on its first space station in Earth's orbit—BAS. The first module of this station is set to launch in 2028 on the LVM3 launch vehicle. It will help test the technology needed for a lunar station. The space station is expected to weigh 52 tonnes and maintain an orbit approximately 400 km above Earth, where astronauts could stay for three to six months. The remaining modules will be launched by 2035 aboard the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) 'Soorya'.

Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India's first space station, has the first module set to launch in 2028 and completion planned by 2035.

On October 9, 2024, it was announced that the station will have a five-module configuration—base, core, science, laboratory, and common working modules. All modules will have individual solar panels except the Common Working Module. The BAS Base Module will weigh approximately 10 tonnes and will serve as a test bed for essential technologies, such as life support systems and crew quarters. BAS-02 will be the Core-Docking Module, BAS-03 the Science Research Module, BAS-04 the Laboratory Module, and BAS-05 the Common Working Module.

The five modules of BAS will be connected via the Common Berthing Mechanism. The entire station will measure 27 m × 20 m. It will have a maximum short-duration crew capacity of six astronauts and a nominal crew size of three to four astronauts. BAS will orbit at an altitude of 400–450 km with an inclination of 51.6°, making it accessible from spaceports operated by the United States, Russia, Japan, and the European Space Agency (ESA). The establishment of BAS will significantly enhance India's presence in space research and exploration, providing a unique platform for conducting scientific experiments in microgravity. It is also expected to foster advancements in space technology, potentially leading to economic activities based on lunar resources by 2047.