TL;DR: Since 1975, India has launched 134 spacecraft missions through the Indian Space Research Organisation. Launches were slow in the early decades, usually one or two missions a year, but accelerated sharply after 2010. Between 2016 and 2019 alone, ISRO launched 32 missions, nearly one-fourth of all missions so far. Most spacecraft are used for communication and earth observation, and most are launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

Context

Though most people remember ISRO for missions like the Chandrayaan or a rocket launch shown on TV, the real work of India’s space programme happens quietly every day. Satellites help phone calls connect, television signals reach homes, fishermen avoid rough seas, farmers track rainfall, and disaster teams monitor cyclones.

India’s space journey started modestly in the 1970s with one satellite every few years. Over time, it became one of the world’s most application-focused space programmes, and ISRO shifted from capability demonstration to application-driven missions.

The recent PSLV-C61 failure on 18th May 2025 and PSLV-C62 failure on 12th January 2026, both during the third stage of the rocket, brought rare attention back to the risks behind this otherwise dependable system.

Who Compiles This Data?

The data on spacecraft missions is compiled and released by the Indian Space Research Organisation, which functions under the Department of Space.

Where can I download Clean & Structured Data on ISRO Spacecraft Missions?

Clean, structured, and ready-to-use datasets on ISRO spacecraft missions can be downloaded from Dataful.

Key Insights

ISRO’s launch rate has accelerated sharply since 2010

From 1975 to 2009, ISRO launched 43 missions in 35 years, averaging just over 1 mission per year.

From 2010 to 2026, ISRO launched 91 missions in 17 years, an average of 5 to 6 missions per year.

The peak years were 2016, 2017, and 2018, when ISRO launched 8, 8, and 9 missions, respectively. That means at its peak, ISRO was launching one satellite about every 6 weeks. This growth reflects India moving from experimental launches to routine operational missions.

PSLV dominates India’s space missions

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) accounts for 64 out of 134 missions, or about 48% of all launches. No other launch vehicle comes close.

PSLV is a four-stage rocket designed mainly to place satellites into Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO), which is ideal for earth observation and surveillance. One of its biggest strengths is multi-satellite launches. A single PSLV mission can typically deploy around 30 to 35 small satellites into SSPO.

This dominance explains why two PSLV failures in a row feel alarming, even though the overall success rate remains high. When nearly half the missions depend on one rocket family, any recurring issue draws immediate scrutiny.

Other launch vehicles play smaller, specialised roles.

• The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is used for communication satellites,

• the GSLV Mark III or LVM3 handles heavy payloads and human spaceflight missions, and

• the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) focuses on quick, low-cost launches of small satellites.

Communication and Earth Observation satellites lead the list

When missions are grouped by application, two categories dominate:

• Communication satellites: 46 missions

• Earth observation satellites: 42 missions

Together, they account for nearly 60% of all mission entries. This shows that ISRO’s core role is not deep space exploration but supporting communication, weather monitoring, mapping, and national security.

Navigation, climate, disaster management, and planetary missions form smaller but strategically important shares.

Most satellites are placed in Geosynchronous and Sun-synchronous orbits

Orbit-wise data shows clear preferences:

• Geosynchronous related orbits: 42 missions

• Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit: 39 missions

These two orbit types together account for over 60% of all missions. Geosynchronous orbits are ideal for communication and weather satellites, while Sun Synchronous orbits are preferred for earth observation because they pass over the same location at the same local time each day.

Planetary and lunar missions are rare, with just 1 Martian (Mangalyaan) and 3 Lunar missions (Chandrayaan 1, 2, 3), showing the high-risk nature of those missions.

Why Does It Matter? 

ISRO’s spacecraft missions are no longer just government science projects. They now carry strategic satellites, private startup payloads, and international customers, often on the same rocket.

Recent PSLV failures highlight three realities:

• Even highly reliable systems can face technical setbacks.

• A single launch failure can affect dozens of satellites and multiple countries at once.

• Financial risk is shared between the State and insured private players, often coordinated through NewSpace India Limited.

For policymakers, the data shows the need for redundancy and constant quality checks. For citizens, it is a reminder that the satellite quietly guiding a phone call or weather alert is part of a complex, high-risk system.

Key Numbers (from 1975 to 2026, in absolute number)

• Number of Spacecraft Missions Launched:
  1975-1985: 10, 1986-1995: 14, 1996-2005: 18, 2006-2015: 58, 2016-2026: 58

• Dominant Applications:
  Communication satellites (46) and Earth observation satellites (42)

• Most used launch Vehicles:
  Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV – 64) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV – 18)

• Most Common Orbits:
  Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO – 42) and Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO – 39)