Buoyed by the success of its historic 100th
mission, when GSLV-F15 successfully injected the 2,250 kg Navigation Satellite NVS-02
in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan on Wednesday
was optimistic that while it took 46 years to achieve its 100th mission, it is possible to
achieve the next 100 missions can in five years.
Talking to reporters after the successful GSLV mission–the first launch of the 2025 New
Year and after the success of his first mission after taking over as ISRO Chairman and
Secretary, Department of Space, about two weeks back, Dr Narayanan said with a lot
of advanced capabilities now, the Space Agency could do the next 100 launches in five
years.
Dr Narayanan said today’s launch marked the 100th mission from the spaceport of Sriharikota
since the Indian space programme was envisaged by the visionary Vikram Sarabhai that led to
the first launch mission of SLV in 1979″, he said.
It was due to the efforts of the past and present leaders, ISRO today achieved the record of
100 launch missions from SHAR Range, he said.
He said till date ISRO has launched 548 satellites using various launch vehicles, including
PSLV, GSLV, LVM-3 and SSLV, including three Chandrayaan missions to Moon, Mars Orbiter
Mission and the Aditya-L1 maiden Sun Mission, besides other missions, launching a wide
range of communication, earth observation and navigation satellites..
“ISRO till date has developed six rockets SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV, LVM-3 (earlier called as
GSLV-MkIII) and SSLV.
“Till date cumulatively these launch vehicles have ferried 548 satellites, weighing about
120 tons including 433 Foreign satellites that weighed 23 tons”, Dr Narayanan said.
Responding to a question that while it took 46 years for the 100 launches and with a lot of
advanced capabilities now, can ISRO do the next 100 launches in five years, Dr Narayanan
said, “You are asking the right question. It is possible.”
