ISRO Gaganyaan Mission: IADT-02 Test Completed at Sriharikota for Crew Module Recovery Safety

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 Clarifies Pvt Sector Role: Targets $44B Space Economy, Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, Moon Mission by 2040

ISRO has addressed employee concerns, stating that private sector participation in space is not a threat but an expansion of the ecosystem. The agency will focus on advanced missions like Bharatiya Antariksh Station (2035) and crewed Moon mission (2040), while routine production shifts to industry. India aims to grow its space economy from $8.4B to $44B by 2033.

ISRO-JAXA Joint Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) Mission for 2028: Lander by India, Rover by Japan, 7 Scientific Payloads

India and Japan are advancing the Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) joint mission to the Moon, scheduled for 2028. This is a first-of-its-kind joint rover mission where ISRO builds the lander and JAXA develops the rover, with NASA and ESA contributing payloads. The mission aims to study lunar water and water-ice for 100 days, marking a significant step in global lunar exploration cooperation.

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.

India Invites Global Partners for Space Station by 2035, Moon Mission by 2040

PM Modi at the International Space Summit in Paris invited the world to collaborate on India's space goals, including establishing an indigenous space station by 2035 and sending an astronaut to the Moon by 2040. He emphasized Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (world is one family) as the guiding philosophy, calling for ethical data sharing and long-term sustainability in space.

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.

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.