A packed launch schedule for ISRO after Chandrayaan-3 mission
Bengaluru (PTI): A mission to study the Sun, and launching a climate observation satellite, a test vehicle as part of Gaganyaan human space flight programme and an Indo-US synthetic aperture radar -- ISRO has a packed schedule ahead.
In addition, XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), the country's first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions, is also ready for launch, an ISRO official said on Tuesday.
Aditya-L1, the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun, is getting ready for the launch, most likely in September first week.
According to ISRO Chairman, Somanath S, the space agency has also lined up the launch of a climate observation satellite INSAT-3DS.
The launch of a test vehicle mission, for the validation of the crew escape system for Gaganyaan, the country's maiden human space flight mission, is also expected soon.
"(Then) we have to launch NISAR, the India-US built Synthetic Aperture Radar", Somanath said in his independence day address at ISRO headquarters here on August 15. "So, our hands are full."
"We are going to build a large number of satellites for our security purpose as well in the coming days," Somanath had said.
According to ISRO officials, NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory being jointly developed by US space agency NASA and ISRO.
NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days and provide spatially and temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth's ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, ground water and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides, they said.
"It carries L and S dual band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which operates with Sweep SAR technique to achieve large swath with high resolution data. The SAR payloads mounted on Integrated Radar Instrument Structure (IRIS) and the spacecraft bus are together called an observatory", an ISRO official noted.
Before undertaking the Gaganyaan human space (manned) flight mission, ISRO has planned two unmanned missions.
"We are getting ready for the (first of the two) unmanned crew module mission by the beginning of next year", an ISRO official said.
The objective of the Gaganyaan mission is to demonstrate the capability of conducting human space flight mission to LEO on-board Indian Launch vehicle. The Orbital module consists of a Crew module and a Service module.
Crew module, which is a pressurised module, acts as living quarters for the crew. The orbital module will be positioned in approximately 400 km circular orbit around earth for one to 3 days & the crew module will return at the designated location at sea.
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Unnao rape case: SC sets aside order suspending Sengar's life term, asks HC to decide plea afresh
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday set aside a Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case and asked it to decide the plea afresh.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked the high court to make endeavours to decide the main plea of Sengar against his conviction and life imprisonment in the case within two months.
It further said that if it was not possible for the high court to decide the main plea expeditiously, then it should pass an order on a plea of Sengar seeking the suspension of the life term in the case before the start of the summer vacation there.
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The bench, which had earlier set aside the HC order granting bail to Sengar after a huge public uproar over the issue, said that it did not express any opinion on the merits of the case and the high court could proceed with it afresh.
The CJI also asked the HC to decide afresh issues like whether an MLA can be treated as a public servant for being prosecuted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Earlier, the top court had deferred to the first week of May the hearing on a petition filed by the CBI challenging the suspension of life imprisonment of the former MLA in the rape case.
On December 29 last year, the top court stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending Sengar's life sentence and said he shall not be released from custody.
In its order dated December 23, 2025, the Delhi High Court had said that Sengar had been convicted under Section 5 (C) (aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a public servant) of the POCSO Act but an elected representative does not fit the definition of a "public servant" under Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.
The high court had suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case, till the pendency of his appeal, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison.
The high court order has sparked criticism from various sections of society and protests were held by the victim, her family and activists.
