Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
ISRO's contributions to the world in the field of space research are invaluable. India's space research came to the fore through the Indian Space Research Organisation, also known as ISRO, established by the Government of India. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) came into existence on 15 August 1969. Its headquarters is in 'Antariksh Bhavan' in Bangalore. Initially under the Department of Atomic Energy, ISRO has been under the Department of Space since 1972. ISRO has two major rocket launch centres - Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) and Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh).
Those who have held the post of ISRO Chairman
◆ Vikram Sarabhai (1963 - 1971)
◆ M.G.K. Menon (1972)
◆ Satish Dhawan (1972 - 1984)
◆ U.R. Rao (1984 - 1994)
◆ K. Kasthurirangan (1994 - 2003)
◆ G. Madhavan Nair (2003 - 2009)
◆ K. Radhakrishnan (2009 - 2014)
◆ Shailesh Nayak (Interim Chairman)
◆ A.S. Kiran Kumar (2015 - 2018)
◆ K. Sivan (2018 - 2022)
◆ S. Somanath (2022 - (continued)
ISRO Space Agencies and Headquarters
◆ Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) - Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)
◆ ISRO/Satellite Centre - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) - Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh)
◆ Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) - Thumba (Thiruvananthapuram)
◆ Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC) - Valiyamala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), Mahendragiri (Bangalore, Karnataka)
◆ Space Applications Centre - Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
◆ National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) - Hyderabad (Telangana)
◆ ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Master Control Facility (MCF) - Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Hassan (Karnataka)
◆ ISRO Initial System Unit (IISU) - Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)
◆ Laboratory for Electro - Optic Systems - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Development and Educational Communication Unit - Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
◆ Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) - Valiyamala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)
◆ Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) - Dehradun (Uttarakhand)
◆ Physical Research Laboratory - Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
◆ National Atmospheric Research Laboratory - Gadanki (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh)
◆ North - Eastern Space Application Centre - Shillong (Meghalaya)
◆ Semi-conductor Laboratory - Chandigarh (Punjab)
◆ Antrix Corporation Limited - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Solar Observatory - Udaipur (Rajasthan)
◆ Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ New Space India Limited - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Human Space Flight Centre - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Ammonium Perchlorate Experimental Plant - Aluva (Kerala)
◆ Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ Space Technology Incubation Centre - Agartala NIT (Tripura)
◆ Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis (NETRA)
Agencies of ISRO explained
Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS)
On November 21, 1963, a rocket named 'Nike Apache' took off from the space research center established under the leadership of INCOSPAR in Thumba, a small village in Thiruvananthapuram district. It was India's first rocket launch! And our first step into space research. Thumba was made a rocket launch center with the help of the United Nations Space Research Committee. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) took the helm of this rocket launch and India's subsequent space research. Scientists like Vikram Sarabhai led it. Thumba is located near the Earth's magnetic equator. That is why it is chosen. The station is named as Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. In 1972, the Thumba Rocket Launch Center was renamed the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center in memory of Vikram Sarabhai. ISRO now launches sounding rockets from TERLS.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
Located at Thumba and Veli in Thiruvananthapuram, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is the largest of the ISRO centres. VSSC has a reputation for excellence in developing satellite launch vehicles and related technologies. When INCOSPAR was established in 1962 under the Department of Atomic Energy of the Union Government, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was appointed as its Chairman. INCOSPAR's first mission was to set up a research centre at Thumba. The first rocket took off from Thumba on 21 November 1963. Thumba was chosen because of its proximity to the geo-magnetic line. The centre was formally inaugurated on 2 February 1968 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai died on December 31, 1971 in Kovalam. As a mark of respect to him, the Thiruvananthapuram center was named Vikram Sarabhai Space Center. Along with excellent research in the field of rocket and space technology, VSSC also provides technical assistance to rural information centers, telemedicine, teleeducation, and disaster management. The main objective of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center in Thiruvananthapuram is to make India self-sufficient in space rocket technology and bring it to the forefront of the world.
Physical Research Laboratory (PRL)
The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) started functioning in November 1947 with minimal facilities in Vikram Sarabhai's house. Gradually, the laboratory rose to fame. In February 1952, C.V. Raman laid the foundation stone of the new building. Eminent personalities like Shantiswarup Bhatnagar, Homi J. Bhabha and Kasturbhai Lalbhai also attended the function. Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the main building in 1954. Vikram started further work on his doctorate at PRL. He also found time to collect data and conduct observations in more areas. In the meantime, the appointment of Homi J. Bhabha as the Secretary of the newly formed Atomic Energy Commission gave new impetus to Vikram's work. Later, the Physical Research Laboratory became the main research center for various subjects related to ISRO.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)
The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota is the satellite launch centre of ISRO. The satellite launch centre was given this name in 2002. The satellite launch centre in Sriharikota was initially known as 'Sriharikota Range (SHAR)'. The name SHAR is still in use. The Sriharikota Satellite Launch Centre was renamed as Satish Dhawan Space Centre in memory of Prof. Satish Dhawan, former Chairman of ISRO. Operations at Sriharikota began in October 1971. Three Rohini rockets were first launched from here. It is the only satellite launch centre in the country.
UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC)
ISRO Satellite Centre is an affiliated agency of ISRO that builds artificial satellites. It was renamed as UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) on 2 April 2018 after Dr. Udupi Ramachandra Rao (UR Rao), former ISRO Chairman and founder Director of ISAC. The name ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) is still in use. ISRO Satellite Centre was established in Bangalore in 1972 as part of the Indian Scientific Satellite Project (ISSP). The Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS) and ISRO Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment (ISITE) are the organizations operating under URSC.
Space Applications Centre (SAC)
The Space Applications Centre (SAC) is one of the important subsidiary agencies of ISRO. Established in 1972, the Space Applications Centre is headquartered in Ahmedabad. The Space Applications Centre is responsible for preparing the projects for space exploration. SAC focuses on the design of space instruments for ISRO missions and the development and operation of applications of space technology for societal benefits. These applications include communication, broadcasting, navigation, disaster monitoring, meteorology, oceanography, environmental monitoring and natural resource survey. The Space Applications Centre played a vital role in the construction of INSAT satellites and IRS satellites.
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is an ISRO-run organisation that is responsible for the collection, storage, processing and dissemination of data generated by remote sensing instruments in India. It was initially known as the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA). It was renamed as the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) with effect from 1 September 2008. The National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) was established on 2 September 1974.
Antrix Corporation
Antrix Corporation Limited is a commercial company of the Indian Space Department. Established in September 1992, Antrix Corporation is headquartered in Bangalore. It operates as an agency of ISRO that provides space services internationally. In the context of India's progress in the field of space, Antrix Corporation's mission is to put satellites of other countries into orbit. This brings economic benefits to the country. The first commercial satellite launch was carried out in May 1999. The PSLV C2 vehicle put the Korean satellite Kitsat 3 and the German satellite DLR Tubesat into orbit. However, ISRO's first full-scale commercial launch was carried out on 23 April 2007. The PSLV C8 vehicle launched Italy's Agele satellite weighing 350 kg into orbit.
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)
The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is a university established in Thiruvananthapuram in 2007 with the objective of providing high-quality education in space science and space technology to meet the needs of Indian space research. IIST is a deemed university. IIST is the first space university in Asia. The mission of IIST is to conduct undergraduate, postgraduate courses and research studies in space science and space technology. IIST is located in Valiyamalai, about 20 km from Thiruvananthapuram city.
Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC)
The Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) is the human spaceflight arm of ISRO. It is also responsible for the Gaganyaan mission. The Human Space Flight Centre was inaugurated on 30 January 2019 by former ISRO Chairman Dr. Kasturi Rangan. HSFC is headquartered in Bangalore. Gaganyaan, the first human spaceflight mission on the indigenously developed GSLV-III rocket, is planned for 2024.
New Space India Limited (NSIL)
New Space India Limited (NSIL) is a commercial arm of ISRO and a public sector undertaking of the Government of India. New Space India Limited is a subsidiary agency of ISRO established on 6 March 2019 to manufacture, assemble and integrate launch vehicles with the help of an industry consortium. New Space India Limited (NSIL) is the second commercial arm of ISRO after Antrix Corporation Limited. New Space India Limited's mission is to mass produce SSLV and the more powerful PSLV in collaboration with the private sector in India through technology transfer. The main objective of NSIL is to increase private sector participation in Indian space programs.
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