The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is poised to cap a year of significant achievements with an unprecedented launch spree. Having successfully concluded 2025 with a record-breaking mission, the space agency is now targeting at least six more launches before the end of March 2026. If achieved, this will mark the busiest three-month period in ISRO's storied history.
A Year of Demonstrating New Capabilities
The year 2025 was defined by ISRO consistently proving new technological prowess with each mission. It began with the critical SpaDeX mission, which successfully demonstrated the ability to dock and undock satellites in space. This capability is a fundamental building block for future ambitions, including constructing a dedicated Indian space station and undertaking more complex interplanetary missions.
This was followed in July by the landmark NISAR mission, a pioneering joint venture with the United States. The satellite carried a novel pair of Synthetic Aperture Radars operating at different frequencies. Working in tandem, these radars are designed to capture unprecedented, highly detailed images of Earth's surface.
The closing months of the year highlighted ISRO's growing heavy-lift strength. The LVM3-M5 mission in November deployed the 4,400-kg CMS-03 satellite into geosynchronous orbit, setting a new record for the heaviest payload sent to that distant orbit by an Indian rocket. This feat was swiftly surpassed by the LVM3-M6 mission on December 26, 2025, which launched the 6,100-kg Bluebird Block-2 commercial satellite into low-earth orbit.
The Road Ahead: Gaganyaan and a Launch Marathon
Building on this momentum, ISRO's upcoming slate is packed with missions that are special in their own right. The agency is firmly on track to attempt a minimum of six launches in the first quarter of 2026. Each mission is designed to advance specific goals, whether through innovations in rocket technology or the payloads they carry.
The most anticipated of these is undoubtedly the first uncrewed test flight under the ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. This mission, the first of three planned uncrewed flights, is expected to carry a humanoid robot to space, a crucial step towards eventually sending Indian astronauts into orbit.
Solidifying India's Position in Global Space
ISRO's commercial launch success is now well-established, having placed 434 foreign satellites from 34 countries into space. The recent demonstrations of heavy-lift capacity to both low-earth and geosynchronous orbits open new avenues for larger commercial and scientific payloads.
While each mission represents an incremental step, the collective progress paints a picture of an agency in rapid evolution. From mastering in-orbit docking to launching the world's most advanced imaging radar and lifting ever-heavier satellites, ISRO is systematically transforming itself into one of the world's most versatile and powerful spacefaring entities. The planned launch marathon, headlined by Gaganyaan, signals that this transformative journey is only accelerating.
