Venus Is the Next Goal, Says ISRO Chief Narayanan

Future space roadmap shared at ISRO’s convocation ceremony

Prayagraj, September 3, 2025 – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr. S. V. Narayanan announced that following the historic successes of Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, India is now setting its sights on exploring Venus. Speaking at the convocation ceremony of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) in Prayagraj, Dr. Narayanan unveiled ISRO’s ambitious roadmap for future space missions.

 

He confirmed that approval has been granted for the Venus Orbiter Mission, under which India will send a spacecraft to orbit Venus and study its atmosphere, surface, and geological activity. The mission will establish India as one of the few nations capable of conducting deep planetary research.

 

Narayanan also highlighted progress on the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), designed to be reusable and more powerful than existing rockets. Capable of carrying payloads up to 1,000 times heavier than PSLV-3, the new launch system will mark a quantum leap in India’s space technology.

 

He added that ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight program, is in its final stages of preparation, with the first crewed launch scheduled in the near future.

“India’s ambitions in space are growing rapidly. The coming decade will define our role as a leader in planetary exploration and advanced space technology,” Narayanan said.