ISRO To Soon Launch 6,500-Kg Satellite Built By The US, Says Chairman V Narayanan

At the 21st Convocation of SRM Institute of Science and Technology near Chennai on Sunday, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan announced that within the next couple of months, ISRO will launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the United States.

“In another couple of months, a country which received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is,” Narayanan said per NDTV.

GSLV-F16/NISAR

From a majestic liftoff to the flawless separation, witness the full journey.

Watch spectacular moments of NISAR launching aboard GSLV-F16 and its precise separation, captured on-board.

A milestone in global space collaboration.#ISRO #NASA #GSLVF16 #NISAR pic.twitter.com/BZkqRujFHd
— ISRO (@isro) July 30, 2025

This announcement follows the successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission on July 30 aboard the GSLV-F16 rocket. The precision of this launch earned praise from NASA, with Narayanan noting that the NASA team commended ISRO’s expertise.

ALSO SEE: NASA-ISRO NISAR Satellite Launches Flawlessly For Game-Changing Earth Observation

Narayanan, who also serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space, was honored with a Doctor of Science degree by Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan during the convocation.

Reflecting on ISRO’s achievements, he shared that the agency has launched 433 satellites for 34 countries using its indigenous launch vehicles. Currently, 56 ISRO satellites are operational in orbit, serving various purposes.

Looking ahead, Narayanan revealed ambitious plans to triple this number within the next two to three years. The chairman also outlined ISRO’s vision for the future, which includes the Gaganyaan program, India’s first human spaceflight mission, and the development of an Indian space station by 2035. “We are going to have our own Gaganyaan programme and ISRO is also going to build its own space station by 2035,” Narayanan stated. He expressed confidence that by 2040, India’s space capabilities will rival those of developed nations.

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