The Department of Space released its Year-End Review 2025, cataloguing India's most ambitious space milestones of the decade under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) mission achieved India's first-ever in-space docking manoeuvre in 2025, making India the fourth country globally — after the US, Russia, and China — to master orbital docking technology. This capability is foundational for future human spaceflight missions, space station operations, and satellite servicing.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, selected as the Axiom-4 mission astronaut, represented India on the International Space Station (ISS) for 18 days under the Axiom Space commercial programme, strengthening India's human spaceflight credentials ahead of the Gaganyaan mission.
In launch vehicle performance, the LVM3-M6 mission set a record by deploying the heaviest payload of 6,100 kg into orbit, demonstrating the enhanced capability of India's most powerful operational rocket. This positions India competitively in the global commercial satellite launch market.
ISRO also successfully conducted the hot test of a semi-cryogenic engine, a critical milestone for developing the next generation of launch vehicles capable of carrying heavier payloads.
All these achievements are framed within India's Space Vision 2047, which outlines India's roadmap to become a leading space power by the centenary of independence — including establishing Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and landing an Indian on the Moon by 2040.