V Narayanan said ISRO will be launching in May as the new financial year begins. He said this after being given the KPP Nambiar Award 2025 by IEEE Kerala. He told the press that the space agency is getting ready for launches now, and they have a number of missions planned, although he wouldn’t say exactly what each one will carry.
Launch schedule and May target
ISRO’s goal is to start launching in May, and they have a very full list of things to launch in the months that follow. This schedule shows how much they are trying to launch things regularly, while also doing all the putting together, testing, and making sure the launch site is available.
The actual dates for the missions will be decided as the financial year goes on, depending on how the mission is planned. Managers of the programs will confirm the dates when safety checks and getting the payload ready match the times available for launch and all the required permission from the government.
Gaganyaan mission progress and IADT-2
Narayanan said that the Integrated Air Drop Test-2 (IADT-2) – which is part of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program – is going according to plan. Although they haven’t said exactly when it will happen, it is important for checking that the systems to get the crew back to Earth will work.
Astronauts are continuing their training, including special sessions at around four kilometers high to prepare them for the conditions of deep space. The purpose of these exercises is to improve the astronauts’ bodies, their skills with technology, and how well they work together as a team before the actual crewed missions.
NavIC and satellite navigation plans
Narayanan said NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is still on schedule. He said they’ll share details about the next NavIC launch at the right time, which shows they are careful about announcing missions and making sure they are ready to operate.
NavIC is continuing to make our country’s navigation better, and helps businesses and public services. Future satellites will make the system more accurate, more likely to keep working, and have a wider area of coverage for things like transportation, farming, and responding to emergencies.
Investigation into PSLV-C62 and technical readiness
A team led by K Vijay Raghavan is investigating the problem with the PSLV-C62 mission and their report is expected soon. This investigation is to find the main cause of the problem and suggest how to fix it so it doesn’t happen again and to make the system more dependable.
ISRO is also developing engines and other important parts for going to the Moon, following the success of Chandrayaan-3. They are investing in this technology to support future missions and to have a strong ongoing system for launching and building spacecraft.
Confidence in Artemis II and international context
About NASA’s Artemis program, Narayanan said Artemis II is a big step in sending humans back to the Moon and he’s sure it will succeed. He explained that this mission will orbit the Moon, going around it and then returning to Earth, as part of a step-by-step approach to mission planning.
Narayanan said he was lucky to see Artemis launch and commented on how large the vehicle was, including the solid rocket boosters and the RS-25 engines on the main part. He said Artemis II will make the way for the mission where people will land on the Moon, Artemis III.
Outlook for 2026-27 and strategic priorities
Narayanan is positive about what will happen in the financial year reaching 2026 and 2027, mentioning many projects in human spaceflight, going to the Moon, and navigation systems. ISRO wants to continue making progress with multiple missions happening at the same time and improving the technology.
With the encouragement of the prime minister, ISRO is doing everything it can to improve the country’s work in space. With a combination of scientific, business, and strategically important programs, the agency hopes to turn the current plans into actual launches and abilities in the next two years.
