ISRO Tests SOLVE Solid Motor for Gaganyaan Parachute Validation at 10-17 km Altitude

India's First Private Orbital Rocket Vikram-1 Launched July 18; Gaganyaan Parachute Test Qualified

India's first privately developed orbital rocket Vikram-1, built by Skyroot Aerospace, was successfully launched on July 18, 2026, from Sriharikota under 'Mission Aagaman', making India only the third country globally to achieve private orbital launch capability. The article also covers new IN-SPACe re-entry guidelines, Gaganyaan mission progress (SOLVE motor test, IMAT-05 parachute test, crew module qualification), and a Tracxn report revealing SpaceTech funding concentration. Critical for UPSC: space sector reforms, private participation, and ISRO's human spaceflight milestones.

Gaganyaan Crew Module to Use Ablative Heat Shield for Re-entry Speeds of 7,500-8,000 m/s

Gaganyaan's crew module faces extreme heat (7,500-8,000 m/s) during re-entry. An ablative thermal protection system (TPS) is critical to prevent melting. This article explains the working of the TPS and why it is essential for the mission's success.

ESA-ISRO Sign TIP for Gaganyaan; Venus Orbiter Mission Launch Set for March 2028

ESA and ISRO are deepening cooperation in human spaceflight (Gaganyaan), lunar exploration, and Venus missions. A Technical Implementing Plan (TIP) has been signed for ground tracking support for Gaganyaan. India's Venus Orbiter Mission is scheduled for launch in March 2028 with 19 payloads.

ISRO & ESA Extend Cooperation Until 2032; Add Human & Robotic Exploration, Space Weather

ISRO and ESA have extended their cooperation agreement by five years until January 8, 2032, and broadened it to include human and robotic exploration and space weather. This signals deepening international space collaboration and has implications for India's Gaganyaan mission and future lunar/Venus exploration.

Gaganyaan Parachute System: 2 Drogue & 3 Main Chutes with Multi-Stage Reefing for Safe Re-entry

India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission relies on a complex parachute system with multiple stages and redundancy. Understanding the science behind drogue and main chute deployment, reefing mechanisms, and materials like Kevlar/Nomex is critical for UPSC Science & Technology and Defence questions. The article details how ADRDE (Agra) developed these parachutes and testing via RTRS at TBRL Chandigarh.

ISRO-ESA Renew Space Cooperation Till 2032; Focus on Space Weather & Robotic Exploration

India (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have renewed their space cooperation agreement until 2032, focusing on space weather monitoring and human/robotic exploration. This strengthens India's Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan missions and ensures long-term collaboration in critical areas like satellite safety and deep-space exploration.

NavIC Constellation Drops to 3 Satellites, Fails to Provide Standalone Positioning: Govt Accepts

ISRO's NavIC system has lost its ability to provide independent navigation services because only 3 of its 7 satellites are operational, falling short of the minimum 4 required. The government has admitted this in Parliament, though timing services and emergency messaging continue. This raises concerns about India's space-based navigation self-reliance, but the armed forces mitigate risk by using NavIC as part of a multi-constellation GNSS that includes GPS, Galileo, and Glonass.

ISRO Chairman Calls for Academia-Industry Partnership to Achieve Space Station by 2035, Moon Landing by 2040

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan has called for a stronger academia-industry partnership to realise India's ambitious space goals, including an indigenous space station by 2035 and a manned Moon landing by 2040. The event, part of the ISRO Academia Connect initiative, highlights the need for application-oriented research and patents, moving beyond academic publications. This is crucial for aspirants tracking India's space programme and its growing self-reliance in critical technologies.