Various Indian space projects

European Space Agency announces new cooperation with Indian Space Research Organisation [May 7]

ESA and ISRO declared their intent to work together on the interoperability of rendezvous and docking systems to allow their respective spacecraft to work together in low Earth orbit. They will also examine further activities related to astronaut training, analogue space missions – where teams test aspects of space missions in ground-based simulations – and parabolic flight activities.

[...]

Future cooperation possibilities include ESA astronaut flight opportunities to the planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) and early scientific utilisation, as well as developing infrastructure in low Earth orbit. The two space agencies are also discussing alignment on payloads and robotic scientific missions to the Moon. Such activities would be governed by specific agreements to be established.
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Gaganyaan mission moved to ‘first quarter of 2027’, says ISRO chief [May 6]

Some of the tests from the Gaganyaan mission will also feed into the development of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, expected in 2035. The recent success of the space docking experiment (Spadex), in early January, where two satellites moving at high speeds were ‘docked’ or conjoined autonomously, was critical to future missions, including the development of the five-module Bharatiya Antariksh Space Station.

In 2028, ISRO expects to employ docking technology as a ‘space docking’ experiment to the International Space Station. This will be followed by sending the first of the five modules by 2028. “Once it’s successful, we will go ahead with the rest of the modules,” Mr. Narayanan said.
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A 1:1 model of BAS-01 is on display.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1958861616503767427
View: https://twitter.com/ISROSpaceflight/status/1958861616503767427
[Aug 22]

Experience the true size of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station!

The first-ever 1:1 scale model of the 1st module of BAS is now on display at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi!

This is exactly how big the actual module is going to be! On the bottom picture, you can compare its size to humans!

Weighing in at 52 tons, the entire station will comprise 5 such modules assembled over 5 LVM3 launches between 2028 and 2035 (planned).

Image credit: @electricfoo
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https://www.indiatoday.in/science/s...ksh-station-module-is-here-2775418-2025-08-22

The unveiled BAS-01 module weighs approximately 10 tonnes and will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 450 kilometers. It boasts several indigenous features, including the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), the Bharat Docking System, Bharat Berthing Mechanism, and an automated hatch system.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2010580881035997274
View: https://twitter.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/2010580881035997274


Ryan Caton
@dpoddolphinpro
If confirmed, this would be the PSLV’s 2nd consecutive failure, again caused by Stage 3 - very out-of-character for a rocket with a 94.4% success rate.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2010581615869870353
View: https://twitter.com/_jaykeegan_/status/2010581615869870353


Jay Keegan
@_jaykeegan_
Not the way ISRO wanted to start the year, especially after the previous PSLV launch also resulted in a third stage anomaly.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2010581252823511392
View: https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/2010581252823511392


Jonathan McDowell
@planet4589
ISRO PSLV-C62 failure essentially confirmed. They said they saw a deviation in the flight path and they're analysing the data.
9:15 PM · Jan 11, 2026
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2010590190021312939
View: https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/2010590190021312939


Jonathan McDowell
@planet4589
·
I estimate that PSLV-C62 reached a suborbital trajectory of around -3800 x 390 km x 98 deg and fell in the Indian Ocean very roughly near 75E 18S.
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Exclusive: Orbital Paradigm Emerges as the Lone Survivor of Failed PSLV Launch


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https://twitter.com/x/status/2011036848790126776
View: https://twitter.com/OrbitalParadigm/status/2011036848790126776?s=20

European Capsule Demonstrator Survives Launch Failure
The PSLV-C62 failure marks a setback for India’s space ambitions
 
The KID Survived - Post-Flight Report [Feb 14]

We know that not everyone will read 35 pages of post-flight analysis. Here are some findings that matter a lot:
• We reconstructed the full flight trajectory by combining PSLV's launch data with KID's onboard measurements.
• KID separated smoothly from the PSLV stage. We didn’t observe tumbling or lateral impact. Separation occurred triggered by aerodynamic heating.
• KID faced a much steeper entry than nominal (up to -25°), experiencing at least 35g of deceleration and a peak heat flux of 2 MW/m². Despite these off-nominal conditions, the thermal protection system held. KID received only 30% of the total heat load it was sized for.
• We validated the performance of our ceramic thermal protection material in real flight conditions.
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JOURNEY TO ORBIT | EP3 - BUILT FROM FIBER, MADE FOR ORBIT | Skyroot Aerospace

Jun 7, 2026 #JourneyToOrbit #Vikram1 #SkyrootAerospace
A rocket's structure has to be strong enough to survive launch and light enough to reach orbit. Episode 3 is about how the team turned to carbon composites and cork to meet both demands, and what it took to master the manufacturing from the ground up.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2063639205184749960
View: https://twitter.com/SkyrootA/status/2063639205184749960



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnTfrZsXi1I
 
The first pictures from the spaceport of India’s first privately built orbital rocket.

For those following closely: Vikram-1's Stage 2, Kalam-250, is now fully integrated inside SHAR, Sriharikota. Flex nozzle, actuators, and Interstages 1_2L & 1_2U mounted and assembled. Our first complete integration. Final assembly of remaining components and stages is underway—we're steadily progressing toward launch.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2065418539595686160
View: https://twitter.com/SkyrootA/status/2065418539595686160
 
Michel Van said:
Vikram-1 test flight
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1PJqrrXWeXbxb
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I watched it live. I thought the 3rd stage was set to suffer a Falcon-1 Flight-3 type of failure but it managed to recover!

Skyroot’s_Vikram-I_on_the_Launch_Pad_at_SDSC_SHAR.jpg

Solid fuel sure gives some nice initial impulse:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2078369215946617313
View: https://x.com/ISROSpaceflight/status/2078369215946617313?s=20


Well, Skyroot joins the list of private companies that've made it to orbit. The fact that it comes on their first test launch is icing on the cake:

Orbital Sciences Corporation
SpaceX
Rocket Lab
i-Space
Galactic Energy
Virgin Orbit
Astra
Firefly Aerospace
Space Pioneer
LandSpace
Orienspace
Blue Origin
Skyroot Aerospace

Surprsingly, there weren't any companies from outside US/China in the list before this (unless you count Rocket Lab as Kiwi). But I guess there are a bunch of European 'newspace' launchers coming up. Some (including the Australian Gilmour Eris) made attempts but unfortunately couldn't get to orbit due to various reasons. Still others have gone bankrupt...space remains a hard business, even while still on the ground.
 
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Astrobase Technologies is set to unveil their 800 kN LOX-Methane Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) engine this Friday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2084475832354136187
View: https://x.com/astrobase_space/status/2084475832354136187?s=20


HM22yj0bkAAqmTI.jpg

Their sub-scale prototype was undergoing hot fire-tests about a year ago:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2003826992559632580
View: https://x.com/astrobase_space/status/2003826992559632580?s=20


Pretty big deal if they can crack an FFSC cycle, given ISRO itself hasn't attempted that cycle yet (LOX-RP1 SE-2000 is SC and the upcoming LOX-CH4 LME-1100 is GG). Astrobase has so far got a $10 million seed along with being selected for the Govt's Technology Adoption Fund. It's not much but then again a million $ goes a LOT farther in India than in the US. Plus I don't know how much they are benefiting from ISRO's HR/knowledge base & infrastructure.

The real challenge will be productionizing it though. Regardless, India's private space industry has made quite some strides since the sector was opened up to full-scale private investment only about ~6 years ago.

https://www.astrobase.in/product

Astrobase test stand:

HM220FfaMAAZQik.jpg
 
Gessler said:
Astrobase Technologies is set to unveil their 800 kN LOX-Methane Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) engine this Friday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2084475832354136187
View: https://x.com/astrobase_space/status/2084475832354136187?s=20


View attachment 820048

Their sub-scale prototype was undergoing hot fire-tests about a year ago:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2003826992559632580
View: https://x.com/astrobase_space/status/2003826992559632580?s=20


Pretty big deal if they can crack an FFSC cycle, given ISRO itself hasn't attempted that cycle yet (LOX-RP1 SE-2000 is SC and the upcoming LOX-CH4 LME-1100 is GG). Astrobase has so far got a $10 million seed along with being selected for the Govt's Technology Adoption Fund. It's not much but then again a million $ goes a LOT farther in India than in the US. Plus I don't know how much they are benefiting from ISRO's HR/knowledge base & infrastructure.

The real challenge will be productionizing it though. Regardless, India's private space industry has made quite some strides since the sector was opened up to full-scale private investment only about ~6 years ago.

https://www.astrobase.in/product

Astrobase test stand:

View attachment 820049
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Here it is, the EVEREST engine:

HPG_P2oaEAAN5p2.jpg

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Wish they released more details though (chamber pressure especially). It'll all come out eventually I guess.

Michel Van said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/2085748392672506013
View: https://twitter.com/Truthful_ast/status/2085748392672506013
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It's more an indictment of Europe's industrial inefficiencies than anything else, in my book.

As of India's space program being 'really far behind', the question is compared to who. US or China? Absolutely.

Europe/ESA or Japan? Debatable...better in some areas, behind in others. But 'far behind' would certainly be an exaggeration.

In general? I'd figure there's actually less than 10 countries in the world with any sizeable/respectable space industry, of them India certainly features in the top 5 at least most of the time.
 
The VEDA has made it's first public appearance:

1000077881.jpg

^^ Image credit to member 'project igi' on other forums.

The VEDA is supposed to be a fully military-owned & military-operated satellite launch vehicle developed by DRDO (not ISRO or one of the many private space companies). The goal appears to be a rapid 'launch-on-demand' capability with these SLVs kept in sealed canisters (much like Agni-5) carried by all-terrain TELs, with pre-mated small satellite payloads of various types (ISR, PNT, ELINT etc). This is obviously in anticipation of possible hostile ASAT action that leads to existing large, long-term sats being destroyed/disabled.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2087963926436958272
View: https://x.com/GODOFPARADOXES/status/2087963926436958272?s=20


Essentially the Indian equivalent of China's Kuaizhou-series 'quick-reaction' launch vehicles:

tYgydTWd5ygcbwViVgoRYE-1080-80.jpg
 
GSLV-F17 has moved to the launchpad, aiming for a September 4 liftoff. The payload is the 2.2-ton GISAT-1A (EOS-05 under the new naming system), a pretty important geostationary earth-observation satellite with a strategic role. It's widely understood to have a very SBIRS-like ability of detecting ballistic missile launches, among other capabilities that aren't fully disclosed.
 

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Gessler said:
GSLV-F17 has moved to the launchpad, aiming for a September 4 liftoff. The payload is the 2.2-ton GISAT-1A (EOS-05 under the new naming system), a pretty important geostationary earth-observation satellite with a strategic role. It's widely understood to have a very SBIRS-like ability of detecting ballistic missile launches, among other capabilities that aren't fully disclosed.
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Launch went well.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2095649303251607909
View: https://x.com/isro/status/2095649303251607909?s=20


Seems the GSLV's upper stage was burnt to depletion. Good for the satellite's mission though:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2095712706032717931
View: https://x.com/ISROSpaceflight/status/2095712706032717931?s=20


++++

In other news, the Power-Head Test Article (PHTA) of the 2 MN thrust SE-2000 (previously known as SCE-200) Kerolox staged-combustion engine has been tested to 100% of its intended thrust level for the first time.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2096241867667169566
View: https://x.com/ISROSpaceflight/status/2096241867667169566?s=20


SE-2000 was supposed to be the main engine for ISRO's LVs going forward but since the NGLV project was approved, plans have changed. Metholox engines (starting with LME-1100) will be the primary powerplants of the future. SE-2000 will be limited to serving as the upgrade for LVM3's core stage, unlocking about ~30% additional payload gain (3rd attached pic illustrates that nicely, credit in photo).
 

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