ISRO gearing up for space station, Gaganyaan, lunar missions: Chairman Narayanan
is gearing up to launch its own space station into orbit, marking a bold leap in India's space ambitions, chairman
V Narayanan
said on Thursday. The
Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) chief also said the Department of Space, of which he is the Secretary, is working alongside various organisations to ensure the safety and security of the country's citizens.
"Take our country, for example - we have 11,500 km of coastline, and then there's the northern border. We have a vast border to monitor, and the government is working diligently to ensure our safety. There are responsible individuals and systems in place," he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme of Rammohan Mission here.
Narayanan said, "Currently, we have 57 satellites in orbit, serving the public by providing real-time updates and data on a wide range of issues, from weather forecasts to tele-education in the most remote areas."
About the space station, he said it will weigh over 50 tonnes.
On the recent failure of the PSLV-C61/EOS-09 mission, Narayanan described the setback an exception in ISRO's track record.
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He asserted that the setback cannot in any way derail ISRO's future programmes like Gaganyaan - which will be an important milestone for India's
space exploration
.
"Right now, we (ISRO) are also working on Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5. Chandrayaan-5, in collaboration with Japan, will have a 6,400 kg lander carrying a 350-kg rover. It will have a life span of 100 days," he said.
The Chandrayaan-3 lander weighed 1,600 kg having a 25-kg rover.
Chandrayaan-4, to bring back sample from the lunar surface, will be launched in the next two-and-a-half years.
"Over the past several decades, India has moved on and is now placed among the top nations in space research and exploration," he added.
The eminent space scientist further said that ISRO is preparing for the country's first
human spaceflight
, called 'Gaganyaan'.
Narayanan said Gaganyaan's first mission will be an uncrewed test flight, which is expected to be launched in the coming days.
This will be followed by two missions with crew which are expected to be launched by ISRO in the near future, he added.
Earlier in the day, the ISRO chief addressed students of Ram Mohan Mission and Ram Mohan Mission High School on the 253rd birth anniversary of social reformer Rammohan Roy.
He paid glowing tributes to Roy and other social reformers who championed the causes of emancipation and women's uplift. Narayanan also highlighted the contributions of women space scientists in India's space programmes.
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His vision and unparalleled contributions led the nation toward a golden era of space research and showed generations the path to excellence in science." अंतरिक्ष विज्ञान में भारत की नींव रखने वाले महान वैज्ञानिक डॉ. विक्रम साराभाई जी की जयंती पर नमन! उनकी दूरदृष्टि और अद्वितीय योगदान ने देश को अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान के स्वर्णिम युग की ओर अग्रसर किया और पीढ़ियों को विज्ञान में उत्कृष्टता का मार्ग दिखाया। #VikramSarabhai — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 12, 2025 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X, "Remembering the legendary scientist and founder of ISRO, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, on his Birth Anniversary! His vision launched India into the orbit of global space research." Remembering the legendary scientist and founder of ISRO, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, on his Birth Anniversary! His vision launched India into the orbit of global space research. भारतीय अंतराळ संशोधन संस्थेचे संस्थापक, भारतीय अंतराळ कार्यक्रमाचे जनक, प्रख्यात शास्त्रज्ञ,… — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 12, 2025 Political parties BJP and Congress also paid tributes to Dr Sarabhai. Sharing a post on X, BJP said, "On his birth anniversary, we honour Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awardee, visionary physicist and Father of India's Space Program, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, whose pioneering legacy continues to inspire generations." On his birth anniversary, we honour Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan awardee, visionary physicist and Father of India's Space Program, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, whose pioneering legacy continues to inspire generations. — BJP (@BJP4India) August 12, 2025 Congress on X wrote, "Remembering Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary father of India's space programme. His pioneering spirit and dedication to scientific progress continue to inspire generations to dream big, innovate, and take India to new frontiers." Remembering Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary father of India's space programme. His pioneering spirit and dedication to scientific progress continue to inspire generations to dream big, innovate, and take India to new frontiers. — Congress (@INCIndia) August 12, 2025 Dr. Vikram Sarabhai is remembered not just for his title as the "Father of India's Space Programme," but for being a driving force behind India's scientific awakening post-independence. In 1947, at just 28 years old, he founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. Sarabhai played a significant role in establishing major Indian institutions, including the ISRO in 1969 and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), in collaboration with local industrialists. He also chaired the Atomic Energy Commission, succeeding his mentor, Dr. Homi Bhabha. Birth Of India's Space Dream After the launch of the Soviet Sputnik in 1957, Sarabhai advocated for a dedicated Indian space programme. He stated, "There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society." With Dr. Bhabha's support, Sarabhai identified Thumba in Kerala as the site for India's first rocket launching station. On November 21, 1963, the first sounding rocket carrying a sodium vapour payload was launched. Through his engagement with NASA, Sarabhai also laid the groundwork for the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in 1975-1976, a project that brought educational television to rural India. He also initiated the project for India's first satellite Aryabhata, which was launched from the Soviet Union in 1975. ISRO: From Vision To Reality Sarabhai's chairmanship of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962 marked a new era. By 1969, INCOSPAR evolved into ISRO, India's premier space agency. Sarabhai's groundwork laid the path for India's later achievements: Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) Series in 1983, Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) in 2014, Chandrayaan-3, and beyond. Academic Life Born in Ahmedabad on August 12, 1919, Sarabhai began his higher education at Cambridge, earning an undergraduate degree in physics and mathematics. He pursued his PhD under the guidance of Nobel laureate CV Raman at IISc, Bangalore. In 1942, he published his PhD work, 'Time Distribution of Cosmic Rays.' He passed away on December 30, 1971, at the age of 52. He was honoured with several awards, including, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1962), Padma Bhushan (1966) and Padma Vibhushan (1972, posthumously).
