Overview
- An initial 52-satellite constellation under the Space-Based Surveillance-3 programme is being accelerated, with the first launch reported as targeted for April 2026 and deployment running through 2029.
- New payloads are set to add synthetic aperture radar and infrared sensors for all-weather, night-time imaging, with inter-satellite links planned to speed data transfer without immediate reliance on ground stations.
- Officials are considering ground stations in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Scandinavia to shorten data relay times, subject to host-nation approvals.
- A longer-term plan envisions as many as 150 satellites for border security at an estimated cost of about 260 billion rupees, according to earlier remarks attributed to the ISRO chairman.
- ISRO’s launch record has been mixed recently, with a rocket failure in January after a Dec 24 success placing AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird Block-2, and private firms such as Skyroot are slated to contribute significantly to spacecraft production and operations.