India to Launch Most Expensive Earth Observation Spacecraft with NASA in 2025: Jitendra Singh
India is preparing to launch its most expensive earth observation spacecraft in collaboration with NASA by 2025. ISRO’s SpaDeX mission, a satellite docking experiment scheduled for January 7, 2025, will position India among elite spacefaring nations. Key projects for the year include the NISAR satellite launch, the 100th GSLV launch for NavIC services, and the first PSLV mission built by HAL-L&T. The Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission is expected by late 2025 or early 2026, alongside tests for the Crew Escape System.
**New Delhi:** India, in collaboration with NASA, is gearing up to launch its most expensive earth observation spacecraft in 2025, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh announced on Tuesday.
Satellite Docking Experiment on January 7
ISRO’s first-ever satellite docking experiment, SpaDeX, is set to take place on January 7. This milestone will place India among the elite nations that have mastered this advanced technology.
“This mission involves smaller satellites, but we aim to scale it up with larger ones. The docking technology will play a crucial role in establishing the Bhartiya Antariksh Station and future missions,” said Singh. He described the SpaDeX mission as the dawn of a new era in Indian space exploration, enabling unprecedented in-space payload transfers and showcasing India’s technological capabilities.
Upcoming Missions in 2025
– **NISAR Satellite Launch:** ISRO will launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite by March 2025. This will be the most expensive satellite of its kind.
– **GSLV’s 100th Launch:** The GSLV will launch the NVS-02 satellite in January for India’s Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) services.
– **Industry-Built PSLV:** The first PSLV built by the HAL-L&T consortium will launch a technology demonstration satellite with a high-thrust electric propulsion system, followed by a commercial mission of LVM3 for an international client.
Gaganyaan: Human Spaceflight by 2025-26
The Gaganyaan mission is expected to launch by late 2025 or early 2026, depending on the success of two unmanned missions. The first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, featuring the Vyommitra robot, is scheduled for early 2025, and a test of the Crew Escape System is planned before March.
ISRO’s ambitious plans mark a significant leap forward for India’s space exploration program.