A total of 27 satellite missions and 25 launch vehicle missions were successfully accomplished during the last five years, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh said in the Parliament on Wednesday.

In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the Minister informed that in addition, 286 commercial satellites from domestic as well as foreign customers and 8 student satellites from Indian universities were also launched during the aforementioned period.

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Singh said that some of the major space missions include first operational flight of India’s heavy lift launch vehicle GSLV Mk-III which placed India’s second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2 into orbit; Advanced Cartography satellite, Cartosat-3; completion of NavIC constellation; launch of South Asia Satellite; launch of heaviest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite, GSAT-11 and launch of record 104 satellites in a single PSLV flight.

Apart from these, three technology demonstrators namely Scramjet engine, reusable Launch Vehicle and test for Crew Escape System were also successfully demonstrated during this period, the Minister added.

Singh said that the Department of Space has charted out short-term and long-term plans in the areas of Space Transportation Systems, Satellite Communication and Navigation, Earth Observation, Space Sciences and Planetary Exploration, Capacity Building and Space-based applications.