2025 is shaping up to be a milestone year for India’s space program, with a series of groundbreaking missions lined up, announced Space Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will kick off the year with a significant launch schedule, featuring a mix of domestic and international missions.
The first major launch will be the NVS-02, an advanced navigation satellite, set for January. This mission, using the GSLV rocket, will also mark ISRO’s 100th space mission, a significant achievement for the organization.
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Following this, ISRO will send Vyommitra, a female humanoid robot, into space. This unmanned mission is a precursor to the highly anticipated Gaganyaan manned mission. Vyommitra will simulate the final manned mission, except for the human astronauts. If successful, this mission will pave the way for sending Indian astronauts into space.
Another highlight of 2025 will be the launch of the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite, co-produced with the United States. Set for launch in March, NISAR is considered the world’s most expensive earth imaging satellite, with a price tag of Rs 12,505 crore. This satellite will scan land and ice across the globe, mapping changes in the Earth’s surface every 12 days.
ISRO’s commercial capabilities are also on the rise. Minister Singh highlighted that India will launch a satellite for direct mobile communication for a US client by February or March. This satellite, set to serve the mobile communication sector, underscores India’s growing role as a key player in the global space economy.
Singh also pointed to ISRO’s success in generating over $400 million in revenue from commercial satellite launches over the past decade. Of this, $172 million came from launches for the US, while €292 million (around $304 million) came from European clients. Singh emphasized that these figures reflect India’s transformation into a major spacefaring nation.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath echoed the excitement, noting that 2025 will be a busy year with four GSLV launches, three PSLV missions, and a SSLV launch. These missions will continue ISRO’s momentum in both domestic and international space activities.
Reflecting on the achievements of 2024, Dr. Rajeev Jaiswal, Associate Director of ISRO’s Earth Observation Division, shared that the organization successfully launched 15 missions, including key technological demonstrations and commercial projects. Notable launches included the XPoSat mission on January 1, the Aditya L1 solar mission on January 6, and the EOS-08 satellite in August. The year wrapped up with the SpaDeX mission on December 30, successfully lifting off from Sriharikota.
With a packed calendar and ambitious goals, ISRO is poised for another exciting year in 2025, further solidifying India’s standing as a global leader in space exploration.