India’s latest drogue parachute qualification tests for the Gaganyaan programme place the country firmly among the small group of spacefaring nations that operate human-class re-entry and recovery systems. With these tests, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has demonstrated that its approach to astronaut safety now stands alongside mature systems such as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, Russia’s Soyuz and NASA’s Orion. While all of these vehicles follow the broadly similar philosophy of a blunt-body capsule slowed by a multi-stage parachute system, the engineering choices, test strategies and operational goals behind them reflect very different national priorities and mission profiles. On 18–19…
Author: Huma Siddiqui
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India-Russia space cooperation has evolved into one of the world’s most significant partnerships, spanning five decades of achievements. In 1975, Russia (then the Soviet Union) launched India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, aboard a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket, kick-starting India’s space program. This foundational achievement was followed by Rakesh Sharma’s historic spaceflight on Soyuz T-11 in 1984, making him the first Indian citizen in space aboard a Soviet spacecraft. India-Russia space cooperation spans five decades, from the 1975 Aryabhata satellite launch to planned missions through 2040, demonstrating sustained commitment to joint exploration across satellite, human spaceflight, navigation, lunar, and planetary missions. The partnership…
Earlier this year, the United States Space Force released a landmark doctrine: Space Warfighting: A Framework for Planners, that signals the biggest shift in American military thinking since the Cold War. For the first time, U.S. strategy formally defines outer space not as a support layer for terrestrial operations, but as a contested warfighting domain where control is decisive. The document argues that future conflicts will hinge on achieving and sustaining space superiority, elevating orbital dominance to the twenty-first century equivalent of air superiority. In short: space is no longer just the high ground, it is the ground where victory itself may…
As the European Union moves toward finalising its first-ever Space Act, India’s satellite and space industry has urged Brussels to ensure that the new framework remains open, predictable, and aligned with the aspirations of trusted international partners. The intervention comes at a strategic moment, just months before the India–EU Summit scheduled for early next year, where space cooperation is expected to feature prominently on the agenda. The Space Industry Association of India (SIA-India), together with Belgium-based Grayspace Law & Policy Consulting, has submitted a detailed joint response to the European Commission’s public consultation on the Draft EU Space Act. The…
India’s private space sector crossed a historic threshold on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity Campus, now the largest private rocket manufacturing facility in the country, and unveiled Vikram-1, India’s first privately built commercial orbital rocket. The inauguration represents one of the most significant milestones achieved under India’s NewSpace Policy, which seeks to boost the nation’s share in the global space economy five-fold to $44 billion by 2033 by enabling private-sector-led innovation, manufacturing, and launch services. Calling the new facility “a symbol of India’s new thinking and the power of youth,” the Prime Minister said the…
Brazil is set to enter a new era in its space journey, with the country getting ready to conduct its first commercial orbital rocket launch soon. The launch which was scheduled for Nov 22, has now been pushed to December 17th. A top diplomat has confirmed “The decision to extend the launch window was made “jointly and based on technical assessments.” Adding, “General Coordinator of the Operation, Rogério Moreira Cazo, explains that the tests to validate the avionics systems indicated the “need for improvements to the vehicle before the flight,” he said, stating that adjustments like this are common in…
India is getting ready to drop 6,000 metres straight down into the deep ocean with its own, fully indigenous human submersible. The craft, called Matsya-6000, is set for its first sea trial off the Chennai coast early next year, placing India in an ultra-exclusive group of nations that can send humans into the abyss. Until now, only the US, Russia, France, Japan, and China had this capability. India is about to join them with technology built at home. First test dive: early 2026 Target depth: 6,000 m by 2027 Crew: Three Indian aquanauts The project comes under the Deep Ocean…
India is set to mark a transformative moment in its space journey with the upcoming launch of the BlueBird-6 satellite, one of the heaviest commercial payloads undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Developed by Texas-based AST SpaceMobile, BlueBird-6 arrived in India on October 19, 2025, aboard the Antonov, the world’s largest cargo aircraft, after a journey from the United States via Japan and Vietnam to Chennai. The satellite has since been transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, where it is undergoing final integration with ISRO’s most powerful launch vehicle, the LVM3, ahead of its scheduled…
As the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares for his visit to India next week, the UK has signalled a major step forward in its strategic space partnership with India. Among a new tranche of 23 global space projects announced by the UK Space Agency, a key initiative will see British firm AccelerComm Ltd partner with Radisys India Ltd to develop cutting-edge technologies for the next generation of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). Backed by nearly £500,000 in funding, the UK-India collaboration is one of the flagship initiatives under the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund (IBF), a £6.5 million investment drive…
The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025, being held in Sydney, has rapidly emerged as a defining global platform for space diplomacy, sustainable innovation, and international collaboration, particularly across the Indo-Pacific. With the theme “Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth,” this year’s IAC is not only a celebration of technological advancement but also a strategic showcase of how space can drive inclusive, climate-conscious, and cooperative futures. From high-level dialogues to community-driven innovation, IAC 2025 is making headlines for its unprecedented emphasis on Indo-Pacific partnerships, with a strong spotlight on the growing synergy between India and Australia in space. A Rising Indo-Pacific in the…