ISRO Missions (Space).
Syllabus: UPSC Pre GS1: General Science; Mains GS3: S&T developments
ISRO for UPSC: Sarabhai and INCOSPAR, PSLV, GSLV and LVM3, Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Aditya-L1, NavIC, IN-SPACe, Space Policy 2023 and private launches.
Gaganyaan for UPSC: aims, HLVM3 rocket, crew and service modules, crew escape tests, astronauts, Axiom-4, Vyommitra and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
On 17 October 2026, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said India’s space economy, worth about USD 9 billion today, should reach USD 40-45 billion in the next seven to eight years. He said the task now is to move from showing what India can do in space to building space companies that can compete and earn worldwide. For that, private firms need steady demand, quick approvals and patient capital. This is the story of space turning from a science mission into an industry.
UPSC angle: Prelims: IN-SPACe, NSIL, Space Policy 2023, FDI caps, Vikram-S. · Mains GS-III: private sector in space, strategic autonomy.
18 Oct 2026
The Department of Space told Parliament on 23 July 2026 that Aditya-L1 studies solar wind, the corona, near-UV signatures and interplanetary magnetic fields from a halo orbit around Sun-Earth L1. Achievements include the first spectroscopic signatures of a CME's onset phase and detailed analysis of photospheric iron fluorescence across 47 X-class flares in 2024.
UPSC angle: Prelims: L1 point; payloads.
23 Jul 2026
PIB profiles Vikram-1 by Skyroot as India's first privately developed orbital rocket (350 kg to LEO). Mission Aagaman's window is 12 July to 4 August 2026. Space Policy 2023 opened the value chain to private players; startups rose from one in 2014 to over 400 in 2026.
UPSC angle: Prelims: IN-SPACe; private rockets.
18 Jul 2026
GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) is India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System, built by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India and fully operational since 2015. It corrects GPS errors and sends integrity alerts to pilots. In June 2026 DGCA ran India's first satellite-based landing approach on a commercial jet using GAGAN.
UPSC angle: Prelims: GAGAN vs NavIC.
1 Jul 2026
Student satellites build the workforce the space economy needs.
UPSC angle: Prelims: IN-SPACe.
12 Mar 2026
Private launch capacity frees ISRO for science and deep-space work.
UPSC angle: Prelims: Vikram-S, IN-SPACe.
25 Nov 2025