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Reusable rockets cost effective, but don’t view SpaceX as a competitor: ISRO Chairman

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said India is working on reusable launch vehicle technology but does not see SpaceX or other private firms as competition.

3 min readFeb 6, 2026 09:51 AM IST

He said India’s space programme is meant to strengthen the country and serve its people, while learning from past mission setbacks.

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said the agency is developing reusable launch vehicle technology but does not consider SpaceX a competitor. (PTI Photo)

Reusable rockets, like those used by SpaceX, are cost effective but the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) does not view SpaceX or other organisations as competition, said ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan. Speaking to the media in Pune at the convocation of D.Y. Patil International University on February 5, Narayanan also said that ISRO has an experimental programme to develop reusable launch vehicles.

ISRO is renowned for its cost-effective space programs, with its Mars orbiter having a cheaper budget than even some Hollywood movies. But American company SpaceX’s reusable launcher technology has slashed costs of launch by a huge margin. Responding to a question about whether this was stiff competition for ISRO, Narayanan said, “No doubt when you go for reusable launches it will be cost effective. We are working towards reusable launch technology development”.

“We don’t consider this as competition. Because the Indian Space Programme is meant for India. Strength only respects strength, if you don’t have a vibrant space programme no one is going to respect you. And right now we are serving the common man of the country,” he added.

When asked about the timeline of development of reusable launches Narayanan said, “We only have an experimental programme so far and we are working towards that.”

Learning from failures

Talking about how ISRO learnt from its failures in the past, the Chairman remarked in his convocation speech, “Chandrayaan 2, it was a great mission. We all worked together for so many years, and then went ahead with the mission in 2019. We were supposed to soft land at the South Pole of the Moon, but unfortunately it was a hard landing. And then we had to do our homework on a lot of things. We took it as a great opportunity to learn lessons.”

Narayanan continued, “A 10 member committee was constituted, with a terms of reference, you have to understand, and give your recommendation in 30 days… The team did a fantastic job. Exactly 30 days, 5 hours before the deadline, I know 500 people sleeping only 3 to 4 hours per day, we submitted the report. And with more than 100 recommendations implemented, Chandrayaan 3 was a very grand, successful mission.”

Also Read | Gaganyaan’s first uncrewed mission to be launched in 2025 last quarter: Isro chief V Narayanan

ISRO has faced successive failures in the past one year with its trusted PSLV rocket. The first unsuccessful launch happened in May 2025 when the rocket developed problems in the third stage of launch. The second failure was in January 2026 when the PSLV-C62 carrying 16 satellites also developed a snag in the third stage. Its Failure Analysis Committee report has not been made public.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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