India’s deep-space exploration will have great reach with IIT Bombay under the Daksha mission. The effort is now being charged by the Physics Department where Professor Varun Bhalerao has taken to the head.
IIT-Mumbai (Daksha) can build the world’s most powerful space telescope within 3 years once approved. pic.twitter.com/b71G5zVGey
— News IADN (@NewsIADN) September 23, 2025
This is an ambitious project, which would involve launching two multi-purpose state-of-the-art satellites and it is equipped to be one of the world’s most advanced space telescope technologies in order to open these telescopes potentially in India’s own capacity to take a major leap into this broad area of exploration.
What is a Quantum Leap in the Study of Space?
The Daksha mission is going to change everything about observing space, its telescopes designed to observe almost 1.81 million cubic megaparsecs an area almost five times that of the Fermi Gamma Ray Telescope of NASA and such scale of observation would open up phenomena hitherto unreachable in their study including how the universe was formed and how it behaves itself.
ALSO READ: James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Mysterious Beads & Star-Shaped Pattern in Saturn’s Atmosphere
These telescopes will be interested in gamma ray bursts associated with black holes and neutron stars with relevance to understanding the history of galaxies and fabric of the cosmos. This mission has potential for game-changing results in the field of astrophysics and gaining knowledge of the fundamental forces that shape the universe.
What is Cooperative Effort & Institutional Endeavor?
Daksha Mission is not a study in isolation, but IIT Bombay is actually tapping into a wealth of knowledge and resources from premier institutions such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) and the Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).
In 2018, after a rigorous review by a committee chaired by former IUCAA director Professor Ajit Kembhavi and the mission received endorsement. This mission was chosen not only for its strong scientific potential but also because of its cost efficiency and the proven reliability of its technologies.
From its inception the ISRO has been a critical stakeholder for the project by giving the initial seed funding by December 2022, the mission had completed all technical aspects of readiness for a total launch, final financial and policy approvals are still pending.
Student Innovation to Daksha
At the center of the progress of the Daksha mission lies the active involvement of students through Space Technology and Research (STAR) Lab at IIT Bombay with students having the unique opportunity to engage them into high-level research and development, bringing mentorship and practical experience to the project. There are also counted few students who have been staying a lot longer and coming in even during holidays for working.
ALSO READ: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Hits 687,000 km/h in Historic 25th Sun Flyby
This level of student commitment demonstrates the innovative spirit of India’s youth and highlights the role of education and research institutions in shaping the country’s future in space exploration. It will almost create a new thing in technology and space research affecting the world for quite a long time considering the student-faculty mix.
What is the Future for Indian Space Exploration?
As the Daksha mission comes closer to its launch date and it symbolizes a crucial steppingstone in India’s quest to prove itself as a global leader in space research and exploration. Nationally sourced human talent combined with cutting-edge technology would make the mission capable of deciphering secrets of the universe and putting India at the forefront of astrophysical research.
This mission is clearly exemplifying India’s newfound strides in space exploration and has also come to symbolize the larger transition of world science into a global partnership and if successful, Daksha could become a key factor in enhancing knowledge about the universe for humanity and lay the groundwork for newer missions that delve into the deeper mysteries of outer space.
ALSO READ: Morning vs Evening Star: Why Planets Like Venus Change Their Celestial Role
Disclaimer: The Daksha mission is still in development, and its final launch is subject to approval. Please refer to official sources for the latest updates.
