ISRO Chairman V Narayanan announced on Monday, November 24, that the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission remains firmly scheduled for launch in 2027. Speaking at the 68th Annual Day of the Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET) in Hyderabad, he revealed that India’s current fleet of 57 operational satellites is set to triple within the next three years.

Long-term roadmap: Indian Space Station and global commercial launches

India plans to establish its own space station by 2035, with the first module slated for launch in 2028. Strengthening its commercial presence, ISRO will launch a 6,000-kg communication satellite for the United States in December aboard an Indian rocket.

Narayanan highlighted ISRO’s journey, noting that the agency has successfully orbited 133 satellites since 1975 and developed six generations of launch vehicles — a remarkable evolution from the days when rocket components were transported on bicycles and bullock carts.

He added that emerging technologies will soon enable real-time monitoring of all trains across the network and promised deeper collaboration between ISRO and Indian Railways to fast-track technology adoption.

IRISET posts record training numbers

During the same event, IRISET released its annual report showcasing significant progress in training and technological advancement.

Director General Sharad Kumar Srivastava said the institute trained a record 8,462 personnel between November 2024 and October 2025 through 310 courses, pushing the cumulative total beyond 1.20 lakh trainees. The flagship Kavach Automatic Train Protection system programme alone saw 4,364 personnel trained.

Centre of Excellence drives Kavach rollout

The IRISET Centre of Excellence has accelerated Kavach deployment through EI–Kavach interface testing, development of a universal braking algorithm, lab upgrades to Version 4.0, extensive field trials, creation of a dedicated knowledge portal, and MoUs for next-generation R&D and interoperability.

South Central Railway General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava emphasised the importance of multi-skilling to enhance the reliability of signalling and telecom assets. The event concluded with awards for course toppers and the release of IRISET’s technical magazine Gyandeep.