Speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private university on Saturday, Narayanan said the agency will work closely with startups and private firms, while making it clear that ISRO itself will not be privatised.
"India will expand its space operations significantly with four functional launch pads by 2029, supported by an increasing reliance on private industry partnerships to handle commercial operations," Narayanan said.
New SSLV complex at Kulasekarapattinam
As part of the expansion, ISRO is developing a 2,000-acre dedicated Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tuticorin district. The facility is aimed at meeting the growing global demand for satellite deployment.
The spaceport will have integration buildings, launch pads, rail-track systems, and telemetry, tracking and command systems. Narayanan, however, did not give details about the other three proposed launch pads.
The ISRO chief said private participation would be important as the space sector is expected to see demand for thousands of satellites.
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"To handle this expanding ecosystem, ISRO will handhold startups and private enterprises, transferring technological expertise to foster economic growth and generate thousands of high-tech jobs," he said.
Gaganyaan tests to begin soon
Narayanan also said ISRO plans to conduct the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test within the next two months. Two more uncrewed tests will follow before the crewed mission.
"These tests will evaluate environmental control, safety systems, crew escape mechanisms, and module interiors under varying pressure, temperature, and humidity conditions."
He said ISRO has already conducted approximately 8,000 ground-based experiments for the mission. Four astronaut-designates are currently undergoing specialised training.
Looking beyond Gaganyaan, Narayanan said ISRO is also planning Chandrayaan-5, a joint lunar mission with Japan's space agency. The mission will feature a 350-kg rover designed to conduct 100 days of experiments on the lunar surface.
(With inputs from PTI)