ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, inaugurate Yuri Gagarin statue at Periyar Science and Expertise Centre in Chennai on November 5, 2026. Russia’s Consul Basic Valerii Khodzhaev can be seen.
| Photograph Credit score: Ragu R.
ISRO’s next-generation navigation satellite tv for pc NVS-03, launched on October 30 to strengthen India’s NavIC regional satellite tv for pc navigation system, is “absolutely wholesome”, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan mentioned on Thursday (November 5, 2026).
Talking on the inauguration of the statue of legendary astronaut Yuri Gagarin on the Periyar Science and Expertise Centre, Mr. Narayanan mentioned, “NVS-03, efficiently launched on October 30 midnight, was completely positioned within the elliptical orbit. From there, we operated the engine of the satellite tv for pc for six,400 seconds to the round orbit. Proper now, the satellite tv for pc is absolutely wholesome. We’ve to do a whole lot of in-orbit testing for the satellite tv for pc payload and others.”
‘Saved lives on Axiom-4’
Mr. Narayanan recounted ISRO’s position in making certain the success of the Axiom-4 mission this summer time, which was piloted by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the primary Indian in area within the final 40 years. Indian scientists had saved the lives of all of the astronauts aboard by insisting on scrubbing the initially scheduled launch resulting from a liquid oxygen leak.
“Sooner or later forward of the scheduled launch on June 11, the countdown had began, and there was a information merchandise a couple of minor leak. We went forward with a dialogue. I used to be not glad. We insisted on correcting it. Later, we discovered it was a line crack, not a minor leak,” the ISRO chief defined. “We proved to the world that Indians are second to none, the Indian schooling system is second to none, Indian coaching is second to none, to make sure the security of Gaganyatris [astronauts], together with Shubhanshu Shukla,” he added.
The ISRO chief careworn the necessity to strengthen area know-how for higher providers for residents. “The work on the fourth launch complicated in Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu is beneath manner,” he mentioned.
Russian help
The ISRO chief recalled Russia’s historic position in boosting India’s area programme. “Then-USSR, and the current Russia has supported us within the area programme a fantastic deal. Utilizing the time period MTCR [or Missile Technology Control Regime], no person was keen to assist us. At that time limit, the then-USSR got here ahead, they have been prepared to provide {hardware}. USSR was the primary nation that helped our nation ship Rakesh Sharma to area and return safely,” mentioned Mr. Narayanan, who spent ten months in Russia in 1993 studying cryogenic know-how.
“In the present day additionally, we’re getting a whole lot of help. For the Gaganyaan programme additionally, they’re supporting us. We’re collaborating in a number of areas. We must always not overlook the ladder after we now have climbed up,” he added.
Russia’s Consul Basic in Chennai, Valerii Khodzhaev, additionally mentioned that India and Russia had a “long-lasting relationship.”
Printed – November 05, 2026 09:00 pm IST