Chapter Overview

Space and defence technology (अंतरिक्ष एवं रक्षा प्रौद्योगिकी) is the most current-affairs-heavy part of the Science and Technology syllabus. ISRO missions, missile tests and new platforms make news every few months, and CGPSC Prelims rewards exact names, dates and “first” claims. Mains GS-II (Paper IV) asks about the role of space technology in development, human spaceflight, self-reliance in defence and dual-use technology.

Mission statuses in this chapter are dated “as of 2026” (written in early October 2026). Re-check anything marked “planned” or “targeted” before your exam.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

Trace India’s space programme from Thumba (1963) to LVM3 and private orbital launches (2026), and name the role of ISRO, IN-SPACe and NSIL
Match each launch vehicle (PSLV, GSLV, LVM3, SSLV) and orbit to its job
Explain what communication, Earth-observation and navigation satellites (INSAT, NISAR, NavIC, GAGAN) do — with Chhattisgarh examples
State the facts of Chandrayaan-1/2/3, Mangalyaan, Aditya-L1, XPoSat, SpaDeX and the 2026 status of Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4 and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station
Classify India’s missiles (PATNA, Agni, BrahMos, hypersonics) and explain BMD, Mission Shakti, the nuclear triad and doctrine
Evaluate defence indigenisation: DRDO, Tejas, INS Vikrant, iDEX, corridors and record exports

Prerequisites

Physics in Everyday Life — motion, gravity and the electromagnetic spectrum behind rockets and satellites
Computers and Information Technology — data and communication networks that satellites support

Learning Path

Follow the topics in this order:

graph TD
    A["1. Space programme
ISRO, institutions,
launch vehicles, orbits"] --> B["2. Satellites and applications
INSAT, NISAR, NavIC, GAGAN"]
    B --> C["3. Exploration and human spaceflight
Chandrayaan, Aditya-L1,
SpaDeX, Gaganyaan, BAS"]
    C --> D["4. Missiles and strategic systems
IGMDP, Agni, BrahMos,
BMD, ASAT, nuclear doctrine"]
    D --> E["5. Defence technology
DRDO, platforms,
indigenisation, exports"]
    E --> F["6. Quick Revision
One-page sheet"]

Topics in This Chapter

#	Topic	What it covers
1	Indian Space Programme: Evolution, Institutions and Launch Vehicles	Milestones 1962–2026, DOS/ISRO/NSIL/IN-SPACe, ISRO centres, orbits, PSLV/GSLV/LVM3/SSLV/NGLV, cryogenic story, spaceports, Space Policy 2023, private launches
2	Satellites and Their Applications	Communication, weather, Earth observation, optical vs radar, NISAR, NavIC and GAGAN, applications in agriculture, disasters, forests and governance; Chhattisgarh angle
3	Space Exploration and Human Spaceflight	Chandrayaan-1 to 5, Mangalyaan, AstroSat, Aditya-L1, XPoSat, SpaDeX, Gaganyaan, Shubhanshu Shukla (Ax-4), Bharatiya Antariksh Station, Venus mission
4	Missiles and Strategic Systems	Ballistic vs cruise, IGMDP, Agni and MIRV, BrahMos, hypersonics, BMD and air defence, Mission Shakti, nuclear triad, doctrine and export-control regimes
5	Defence Technology and Indigenisation	DRDO and DPSUs, Tejas, AMCA, INS Vikrant, submarines, DAP 2020, iDEX, corridors, exports, Operation Sindoor, Bhilai’s warship steel
—	Quick Revision	Every mission, missile, date and figure on one page

Where It Is Asked

Paper	What to expect
Prelims P-I (Part 1, India GS)	Fact-based MCQs: launch vehicles and their missions, “first country to…”, satellite purposes (NavIC, GAGAN, NISAR), missile types, test names (Shakti, Divyastra), institutions and locations. Statement-based and match-the-following formats are common
Mains P-IV (GS-II), Science and Technology section	Short answers (e.g. “What is NavIC?”, “Ballistic vs cruise missile”) and longer answers on space technology for development, Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-3’s significance, defence indigenisation and dual-use technology

Exam focus

High-yield: PSLV vs GSLV vs LVM3; Chandrayaan-3 facts (23 Aug 2023, near the south pole, fourth country); NavIC vs GAGAN; PATNA missiles; Mission Shakti (2019); INS Vikrant (2022).
Common mistakes: writing that Gaganyaan has already flown astronauts (as of 2026 it has not); calling BrahMos ballistic; saying NavIC is global.
Chhattisgarh angle for Mains: CCOST’s satellite-based rice acreage estimates, the state’s 2025 agreement with ISRO, and Bhilai Steel Plant’s warship-grade steel for INS Vikrant.

Quick Reference: The Chapter at a Glance

Item	Key fact (dated)
ISRO	Formed 15 Aug 1969; Chairman Dr V. Narayanan (since Jan 2025, as of 2026)
First satellite / first Indian launch	Aryabhata (1975, Soviet launch) / Rohini on SLV-3 (1980)
Heaviest rocket	LVM3 — heaviest payload BlueBird Block-2, ~6,100 kg (Dec 2025)
Private orbital launch	Skyroot Vikram-1, 18 Jul 2026
NISAR	NASA–ISRO dual-band radar; GSLV-F16, 30 Jul 2025
NavIC	7-satellite regional system; NVS-03 launch targeted Oct 2026
Chandrayaan-3	Landed 23 Aug 2023 near the south pole (National Space Day)
SpaDeX	Docked 16 Jan 2025 — fourth country
Gaganyaan	Uncrewed G1 pending as of Oct 2026; crewed flight 2027 at the earliest
Shubhanshu Shukla	First Indian on the ISS (Ax-4, Jun–Jul 2025)
BAS	BAS-1 module 2028; station by 2035
IGMDP	1983, Kalam — Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, Akash
MIRV	Mission Divyastra, 11 Mar 2024; further test 8 May 2026
ASAT	Mission Shakti, 27 Mar 2019
SSBNs	Arihant (2016), Arighaat (2024), Aridhaman (Apr 2026)
INS Vikrant	Commissioned 2 Sep 2022
Defence exports	Record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26

Start Learning

Begin with the first topic:

→ Indian Space Programme: Evolution, Institutions and Launch Vehicles