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India Space Program

India's space program is making giant leaps to the moon, Mars and beyond. See the latest missions, videos and news from the Indian Space Research Organisation here.

Related Topics: China Space Program, NASA, Moon

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India's Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft in orbit around the moon captured this high-resolution photo of the lunar south pole on Sept. 5, 2019.

India Is Officially Going Back to the Moon with Chandrayaan-3 Lunar Lander

By Mike Wall

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which will consist of a lunar rover and a stationary lander, has been approved, Indian space officials announced Wednesday (Jan. 1).

A Russian Soyuz rocket carried two NASA astronauts, Nick Hague and Christina Koch, and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, toward the International Space Station on March 14, 2019.

The Greatest Spaceflight Moments of 2019

By Elizabeth Howell

Three lunar missions, commercial spaceflight milestones, the first all-woman spacewalk — 2019 was a busy year in space for public and private entities alike.

India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle flew its 50th mission, on Dec. 11, 2019.

Indian Rocket Marks Historic 50th Launch with Spy Satellite

By Elizabeth Howell

India's workhorse rocket celebrated its 50th flight with a successful launch of 10 satellites, including a spy vehicle.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spotted debris, marked in green, and soil disturbance, marked in blue, caused by the hard impact of India's Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft on Sept. 6, 2019.

Found! NASA Spots Crash Site and Debris from India's Lost Moon Lander

By Meghan Bartels

Scientists and amateurs alike have spent months combing through images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter looking for the remains of India's moon lander — and that search has paid off.

An Indian Space Research Organisation Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle launches the Cartosat-3 satellite and 13 U.S. nanosatellites into orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Nov. 26, 2019.

India Launches Advanced Earth-Mapping Satellite and 13 US Cubesats

By Mike Wall

An Indian rocket delivered 14 satellites to orbit tonight (Nov. 26), including 12 for U.S. Earth imaging company Planet and a prototype for Analytical Space.

An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle carrying the Cartosat 3 Earth observation satellite rolls out to its Satish Dhawan Space Centre launch site for a Nov. 27, 2019 liftoff.

Indian Rocket Launching Earth-Observation Satellite, 13 Cubesats Tonight: Watch Live

By Mike Wall

An Indian rocket will deliver 14 satellites to orbit tonight (Nov. 26), and you can watch the liftoff live.

This visualization shows how Chandrayaan-2's Vikram lander planned to land on the moon.

India Admits Its Moon Lander Crashed, Cites Problem with Braking Thrusters

By Chelsea Gohd

It turns out that India's crashed moon lander had an issue with its brakes.

A still from a video produced by ISRO showing how its Vikram lander was meant to touch down on the moon on Sept. 6, 2019.

India Could Land on the Moon in 2020 with Chandrayaan 3

By Elizabeth Howell

Just months after a landing anomaly, India is ready to make another try at touching down on the moon, according to a news report.

An image of Venus based on data from Akatsuki, the Japanese spacecraft currently orbiting our neighbor.

India Has a New Planetary Target in Mind: Venus

By Meghan Bartels

India has launched just three planetary-science spacecraft, but the country is already eyeing a new destination: Venus.

A still from an animation shows India's Vikram lunar lander, part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, descending to the lunar surface.

A NASA Spacecraft Still Hasn't Spotted India's Ill-Fated Moon Lander

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has passed over the targeted landing site of India's Vikram spacecraft and again been unable to spot the vehicle.

An artist's depiction of the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft orbiting the moon.

India's Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter at the Moon Is Now Tracking Solar Flares

By Meghan Bartels

An Indian spacecraft may be orbiting the moon, but it's also gathering valuable data about other key players in our solar system.

An artist's depiction of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter studying the moon.

India's Chandrayaan-2 Moon Probe Just Beamed Back Its 1st Lunar Science

By Meghan Bartels

India's second-ever lunar orbiter arrived at the moon just over a month ago, and the probe's instruments have already begun sending home science data.

An image released by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter team on Sept. 17, 2019, shows the Vikram lander's attempted touchdown site.

India's Lost Moon Lander Is Somewhere in This NASA Photo

By Meghan Bartels

It looks like just a barren moonscape of craters, but somewhere in this image is a hunk of metal and electronics that carried a country's hopes of lunar science.

A still from a video produced by ISRO showing how its Vikram lander was meant to touch down on the moon on Sept. 6, 2019.

Time Is Running Out for India to Save Its Silent Moon Lander

By Meghan Bartels

Even as its orbiter settles into work, India's hopes of resurrecting its moon lander are quickly evaporating as the country marks two weeks from its attempt to softly touch down on the lunar surface.

On Sept. 2, the Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter successfully released its Vikram lander, as seen in this illustrated depiction. But Vikram's landing attempt on Sept. 6 did not go as planned; mission control lost contact with Vikram just before touchdown, and the lander has been silent ever since.

NASA Moon Orbiter Fails to Spot India's Lunar Lander: Report

By Leonard David

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has reportedly failed to spot India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar lander, which apparently crashed during its Sept. 6 touchdown attempt.

An artist's depiction of the Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, preparing to alight on the lunar surface. The procedure occurred on Sept. 6, 2019, but apparently went wrong, with the Indian space agency losing contact with the lander late in the maneuver.

NASA Probe to Fly Over India's Moon-Landing Site Tuesday

By Mike Wall

We could learn more about the fate of India's first moon lander soon.

An artist's depiction of the Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, preparing to alight on the lunar surface. The procedure occurred on Sept. 6, 2019, but appears to have gone wrong, with the Indian space agency losing contact with the lander late in the maneuver.

US Moon Landing Hopefuls Watch Silent India Lander — and Learn

By Meghan Bartels

In the wake of the apparent crash of India's Chandrayaan-2 lunar lander, NASA and U.S. companies are looking for insights to inform their own moon shots.

A still from a video produced by ISRO showing how its Vikram lander was meant to touch down on the moon on Sept. 6, 2019.

India's Silent Moon Lander Could Be in One Piece After 'Hard Landing': Reports

By Meghan Bartels

The quest to contact India's silent moon lander after hints of a crash continues, with images suggesting Vikram remains in one piece on the lunar surface.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter is shown studying the lunar surface from above in this still image from a video animation.

India Just Found Its Lost Vikram Lander on the Moon, Still No Signal

By Tariq Malik

India's Chandrayaan-2 orbiter circling the moon has spotted the country's lost Vikram lander on the lunar surface, but there is still no signal, ISRO officials said Saturday (Sept. 7).

K. Sivan, head of the India Space Research Organisation, holds a lunar model on Aug. 26, 2019, as the country's Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft flew toward the moon.

India Looks Beyond the Moon to Mars, Venus and Astronaut Missions

By Elizabeth Howell

India's space program may have hit a major stumbling block on the road to the moon, but the country has already made major strides in lunar and Mars exploration.