ISRO’s Ambitious Future: Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyaan, Shukrayaan

Dr. V Narayanan will be the next ISRO chairman and secretary of the Department of Space, replacing Dr. S Somanath. He will take charge on January 14 and lead important missions like Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyaan, Shukrayaan (Venus exploration), and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station project.

In an interview with CNN-News18, Dr. V Narayanan said ISRO has a clear plan for upcoming missions. He also highlighted the need for India to improve climate studies, disaster management, communication systems and satellites for earth observation.

Dr. Narayanan, a propulsion scientist, played a key role in India’s success with cryogenic technology. According to Indian Express, his analysis after Chandrayaan-2 Moon landing failure helped make Chandrayaan-3’s historic landing possible.

Dr. V Narayanan told India Today that ISRO has many plans ahead, including test missions for Gaganyaan, India’s first astronaut program.

“We have several upcoming programs. For Gaganyaan, we need to complete a few test missions before sending astronauts to space. Chandrayaan-4 has also been approved and will focus on bringing back samples from the Moon,” he said.

Dr. V Narayanan spoke about ISRO’s long-term goals, including plans to land Indian astronauts on the Moon by 2047. “The Prime Minister has provided guidelines for a roadmap leading up to 2047, which includes a mission to send a man to the Moon. We need to start work on this mission,” he told India Today.

He also mentioned ISRO’s plans to build India’s own space station. “Out of the five modules required for the space station, four have already been approved,” he said.

Dr. Narayanan acknowledged the challenges ahead, emphasizing that every mission presents its own difficulties. He also mentioned that every mission presents its own set of challenges, emphasizing the difficulties involved in each one.

ISRO is developing a new rocket called the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) with a payload capacity of 30 tonnes. The Central government has approved funding of ₹8,240 crore for this project, which aims to enhance India’s space capabilities.

Former ISRO Chairman K Sivan, who led the agency during Chandrayaan-2, shared his thoughts on Dr. V Narayanan, the new ISRO chief. Sivan said they share similar backgrounds.

“We both come from villages, grew up in poor families, and studied in small Tamil-medium government schools. Through hard work, we reached the top. This shows how ISRO values talent, hard work, and dedication over everything else,” Sivan told the Indian Express.

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FAQ

Who is Dr. V Narayanan?

Dr. V Narayanan is the newly appointed chairman of ISRO and the secretary of the Department of Space. He succeeds Dr. S Somanath and is set to take charge on January 14, 2025.

What missions will Dr. Narayanan lead as the new ISRO chairman?

Dr. Narayanan will lead several important missions, including Chandrayaan-4 (Moon exploration), Gaganyaan (India’s first human spaceflight), Shukrayaan (Venus exploration), and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (India’s space station).

What is the significance of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV)?

ISRO is developing the NGLV with a payload capacity of 30 tonnes, with a funding of ₹8,240 crore from the government. This project will help enhance India’s space exploration capabilities.

What long-term goals has Dr. Narayanan discussed for ISRO?

Dr. Narayanan highlighted plans to land Indian astronauts on the Moon by 2047 and to build India’s own space station. He also mentioned that four out of five modules for the space station have already been approved.

How did Dr. Narayanan contribute to the success of Chandrayaan-3?

Dr. Narayanan played a key role in analyzing the failure of the Chandrayaan-2 Moon landing. His findings helped ISRO achieve the historic success of Chandrayaan-3’s lunar touchdown.