The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a US-built communications satellite weighing 6,500 kilograms in the coming months, according to ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan. Speaking at a function in Kattan-kulathur near Chennai on Sunday, Narayanan stated that this mission will follow the successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission on July 30 using the GSLV-F16 rocket. The upcoming launch will put another American satellite into orbit.
At the 21st convocation of the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Kattan-kulathur, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan conferred an honorary Doctor of Science degree upon Narayanan. In his address, Narayanan reflected on the founding of the Indian space agency in 1963, when India was significantly behind developed nations.
He noted that the Indian space program received its start with a small rocket donated by the US in the same year. The date was November 21, 1963. Narayanan highlighted that in 1975, ISRO utilized satellite data provided by the US to conduct public communication trials, setting up 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages in six Indian states.
He emphasized that July 30, 2025, marked a historic day with the launch of the NISAR satellite, which is the most expensive of its kind to date. The US provided the L-band SAR payload, while ISRO provided the S-band payload. The satellite was precisely placed into orbit by an Indian launcher (GSLV), signifying India’s advancement to stand alongside developed nations.
Narayanan mentioned that a NASA team acknowledged the precision of the GSLV-F16/NISAR mission’s launch, praising ISRO’s efforts. He pointed out the significant progress of a nation that commenced its space program with a donated rocket and is now preparing to launch a 6,500-kilogram US-made communications satellite using its own launch vehicle from India in the coming months.
Narayanan also said that ISRO has launched 433 satellites for 34 countries using its own launch vehicles, a feat achieved despite lacking satellite technology 50 years ago. He highlighted ISRO’s contributions to Operation Sindoor, ensuring the safety of Indian citizens through satellite technology.
Referring to significant missions, Narayanan highlighted ISRO’s ability to identify water molecules on the lunar surface through the Chandrayaan-1 mission and the successful soft landing on the moon’s south pole with Chandrayaan-3. He also noted India’s achievement in exceeding the Russian record by placing 104 satellites into orbit using a single rocket.