Isro Chairman V Narayanan said India will expand its space operations with four functional launch pads by 2029, and that the agency will increasingly rely on private industry partnerships to handle commercial operations.
Isro launch infrastructure and partnerships
Narayanan outlined a roadmap that includes a 2,000-acre dedicated Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tuticorin district to meet global demand for satellite deployment. He clarified that the national space agency will not be privatised, but emphasised the need to partner with private firms to meet surging global and domestic demand for thousands of satellites.
“To handle this expanding ecosystem, Isro will handhold startups and private enterprises, transferring technological expertise to foster economic growth and generate thousands of high-tech jobs,” he said while speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private university on Saturday. The upcoming Kulasekarapattinam spaceport facility will feature integration buildings, launch pads, rail-track systems, telemetry, tracking and command systems.
Gaganyaan tests and Chandrayaan-5 plans
Narayanan said Isro plans to conduct the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test within the next two months, followed by two subsequent uncrewed tests before the crewed mission. “These tests will evaluate environmental control, safety systems, crew escape mechanisms, and module interiors under varying pressure, temperature, and humidity conditions,” he said. He added that Isro has successfully conducted approximately 8,000 ground-based experiments for the mission and that four astronaut-designates are currently undergoing specialised training.
Looking ahead, Narayanan revealed plans for Chandrayaan-5, a collaborative lunar mission with Japan’s space agency that will include a 350-kg rover designed to conduct 100 days of surface experiments.
