The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is expanding its interplanetary vision beyond the successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.

Having achieved a historic landing at the Moon’s south pole in August 2023, the agency is now preparing for landmark ventures to Venus and Mars.

ISRO chairman Dr V. Narayanan, an alumnus of IIT-Kharagpur, announced that the long-anticipated Venus mission has received official approval. He expressed optimism that the Mars lander project would soon gain similar authorisation.

Speaking in Kolkata during the golden jubilee conference of the Indian Cryogenic Council, Dr Narayanan underlined that both planetary missions represent vital steps towards enhancing India’s deep-space exploration capabilities.

Turning to human spaceflight, Dr Narayanan confirmed that 90 percent of the development work for the Gaganyaan mission—the country's first indigenous human spaceflight project—has been completed. The ambitious mission aims to send Indian astronauts to space by 2027, showcasing India’s ability to design, test, and operate crew-rated systems entirely in-house.

The latest parachute test for the Gaganyaan Crew Module was successfully conducted in Jhansi on 3 November 2025. This evaluation followed the first integrated air-drop trial held over the Bay of Bengal on 24 August.

During the recent test, an IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force released a simulated payload matching the mass of the crew module from an altitude of 2.5 kilometres. The parachute sequence functioned flawlessly, confirming the robustness of the recovery system.

In a major development for India’s space industry, Dr Narayanan announced the nearing debut of PSLV N1—the first launch vehicle entirely realised by an industry consortium under ISRO’s technology transfer program.

The rocket will carry the Technology Demonstration Satellite (TDS-01), signalling ISRO’s increasing collaboration with private and public manufacturing sectors.

This effort aligns with India’s broader space industrialisation policy, encouraging greater private-sector participation while maintaining ISRO’s leadership in research and mission design. The success of PSLV-N1 will mark a transition towards a more commercially dynamic and self-sustaining Indian space ecosystem.

Beyond Venus and Mars, ISRO is developing two other flagship missions that exemplify its growing technical maturity. First among these is Chandrayaan-4, intended to achieve a sample-return mission from the lunar surface—a milestone yet to be attempted by any Asian country.

The mission aims to collect lunar material and safely ferry it back to Earth for detailed scientific study.

Equally ambitious is the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s planned orbital platform set to launch its first module later this decade. Once operational, BAS will function as a microgravity research hub and a training ground for future long-duration crewed missions.

This project symbolises India’s aspiration to maintain a permanent human presence in low-Earth orbit and to develop the infrastructure necessary for interplanetary travel.

Together, these initiatives delineate a bold and methodical expansion of India’s space ambitions. From human spaceflight to deep-space exploration, ISRO is consolidating its position among the world’s leading spacefaring nations.

With strong domestic innovation, industrial participation, and international credibility, the agency now stands at the cusp of a transformative decade that may redefine India’s role in global space science.

Agencies