NEW DELHI, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has ambitious plans to make new key launches in 2020, including a dozen new satellite missions, interplanetary Sun mission "Aditya" and the first unmanned test-flight of the Moon Mission "Gaganyaan" carrying a humanoid, ISRO chief K. Sivan said in an interview with the Indian media.
The satellite launches planned for the coming year include advanced communication satellites "GiSat-1" and "GiSat-12R" and the Earth observation satellites "ReSat-2BR2", and the "Microsat" satellite for surveillance.
The Sun mission "Aditya L-1" is planned to be launched by mid-2020, and the first unmanned test-flight of Moon Mission "Gaganyaan" by the next year-end.
The Sun mission will be India's first that will help the scientists study the solar corona. "A PSLV will be used to carry the spacecraft, for which work is on," said Sivan in an interview with the English daily "The Times of India".
ISRO works under the Department of Space which operates under the direct supervision of the country's Prime Minister. ISRO's vision includes harnessing space technology for national development, while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.
