BHUBANESWAR: The Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), V. Narayanan, said that the year 2027 will be a defining moment in India’s space journey, as the country prepares to launch two major missions the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission and the first human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan programme.
Narayanan visited the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC) in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. The centre supplies key components to ISRO for its space missions.
“Chandrayaan-4 will be ISRO’s most complex and ambitious lunar mission so far. We plan to collect and bring back samples from the Moon’s surface to Earth,” he said. “India will, for the first time, demonstrate advanced technologies such as precision landing, robotic sample collection, lift-off from the lunar surface, docking and undocking in lunar orbit, mid-space sample transfer, and safe re-entry to Earth.”
Planned for early 2027, Narayanan said ISRO will also send Indian astronauts into space for the first time under the Gaganyaan mission a major step forward in India’s human spaceflight capabilities. The manned mission will follow three successful uncrewed test flights, one of which is scheduled for later this year. The mission will orbit Earth for a few days and will test life-support systems, safety measures, and overall mission endurance.
Chandrayaan-4 will also help validate technologies needed for a future crewed lunar landing, planned for 2040. The mission will include four modules transfer, lander, ascender, and re-entry. A sophisticated flow control device developed for its cryogenic engine was part of Narayanan’s PhD research.
The ISRO chief also announced that following Chandrayaan-4, the space agency will launch Chandrayaan-5, also known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), in partnership with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). This mission will focus on exploring the Moon’s south polar region, particularly its permanently shadowed areas, to search for water and prepare for future long-term lunar missions.
“Unlike the 25 kg Pragyan rover used in Chandrayaan-3, Chandrayaan-5 will carry a 250 kg rover capable of detailed surface analysis and survival during the long lunar night. The mission’s total launch mass will be 6,400 kg, compared to Chandrayaan-3’s 5,000 kg, and the mission is expected to last for at least 100 days seven times longer than Chandrayaan-3,” he said.
Narayanan confirmed that the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission will be launched later this year. Two more uncrewed missions will follow before the first Indian astronauts are sent to space in early 2027. The programme aims to showcase India’s ability to carry out safe human spaceflights with reliable life-support systems.
In another major update, Narayanan said ISRO and NASA will jointly launch a new satellite mission in August this year, using ISRO’s MK-3 launch vehicle. The satellite will feature 30 new technologies, including quantum communication and electric propulsion.
To support its increasing launch needs, ISRO is also building a third launch pad and a second launch complex.
Looking ahead, Narayanan revealed that India is working towards building its own space station, which is expected to be fully operational by 2035. The 52-tonne space station will be built in five modules, with the first module set to launch in 2028. This station will allow for long-duration microgravity research, astronaut training, and international cooperation.
While keeping operational details confidential, the ISRO chief acknowledged the agency’s role in Operation Sindoor, during which India targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. He noted that ISRO currently operates 56 satellites, many of which support national security.
Beyond defence, ISRO’s satellite network plays a vital role in food security, water resource management, distance education, weather forecasting, and border surveillance, he added.