Besides Chandrayaan-3 and Gaganyaan, ISRO’s 2020 roadmap also includes SSLV, GSLV with 4 m ogive payload fairing, GSAT-20 satellite, NavIC with indigenous atomic clocks, Indian Data Relay Satellite System, and XPOSAT.
India’s first human space flight mission Gaganyaan will be the other significant project of ISRO in 2020. Dr Sivan said, “We’ve made good progress in the mission. The process of astronaut selection for the mission is completed.” He added that four astronauts have also been shortlisted, who will undergo extensive training.
Further, the Indian space agency is planning for India’s first mission to the sun. Called the Aditya L1, the mission will help scientists to study the corona (outer layers of the sun) and address some prominent issues in solar physics.
From launching India’s third lunar mission (Chandrayaan 3) to the country’s most powerful launch vehicle (GSLV-MKIII-M1), 2019 was a hectic year for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). But now 2020 appears to be more challenging for the space agency.
During a press event organised at ISRO headquarters, Bangalore on January 1, 2020, ISRO outlined the plans it has to accomplish during the current year. It listed out several ambitious programmers that would come to fruition this year.
While interacting with the media persons, ISRO chairman Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan announced that a second launch port exclusively for the small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) is planned to be established in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. He said, “Land acquisition activities are presently in progress”.
Regarding ISRO’s future programs, Dr. Sivan said that the third mission to the moon- Chandrayaan 3 comprising a lander and a rover has been approved by the government and activities for its success are in progress.
