Indian Space Research
Evolution of Indian Space Programme
Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR)
Space research activities in India had started even before the formation of ISRO. In 1961, the Government of India entrusted the Department of Atomic Energy with the task of studying space research. In 1962, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was formed. Vikram Sarabhai, who had made many contributions to the field of space, was appointed as the observer of the organization. In the early 1960s, Vikram Sarabhai joined hands with NASA and studied the use of new technologies for launching artificial satellites. Under the leadership of INCOSPAR, the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) was started at Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram for research on the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. Then on 21 November 1963, the first rocket, Nike Apache, was launched from TERLS. In 1969, INCOSPAR was converted into an advisory body under the Indian National Science Academy. It was after this that ISRO was established.
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 - 2025)
◆ Dr. V. Narayanan (2025 - Present)
ISRO Space Agencies
◆ 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 located in Hyderabad (Telangana). 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.
◆ 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)
◆ Solar Observatory - Udaipur (Rajasthan)
◆ Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) - Bangalore (Karnataka)
◆ National Atmospheric Research Laboratory - Gadanki (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh)
◆ North - Eastern Space Application Centre - Shillong (Meghalaya)
◆ Semi-conductor Laboratory - Chandigarh (Punjab)
◆ Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) - Dehradun (Uttarakhand)
◆ 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)
◆ Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC) - Valiyamala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), Mahendragiri (Bangalore, Karnataka)
SITE and STEP Projects of ISRO
Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE)
Vikram Sarabhai had conceived a project to bring modern educational lessons to 2400 backward villages through television with the help of satellite. This project is called SITE (Satellite Instructional Television Experiment). This experiment, conducted with the technical cooperation of NASA using the American satellite ATS-6, was discussed worldwide. This experiment was launched for a year from January 1, 1975. This educational program lasted for four hours every morning and evening in four languages. Televisions and devices for receiving waves were installed in public places in the villages for this project. Its technical and social benefits were analyzed under the leadership of ISRO. The project was implemented in 2400 villages in 20 districts in six states namely Rajasthan, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. General programmes were broadcast from the Delhi centre to rural televisions. This was an innovation in the existing education scheme. The programme was broadcast using solar energy and other means in about 150 villages that did not even have electricity.
Satellite Telecommunication Experiment Project (STEP)
The Satellite Telecommunication Experiment Project (STEP) was a joint project of ISRO and the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. It was implemented from 1 January 1977 to 1 January 1979. STEP was a continuation of SITE, which focused on television. The Franco-German satellite Symphonie was used for STEP.
Launch Vehicles of ISRO
Rocket - Rocket is a type of engine that can produce more power for its size than any other kind of engine. Approximately three thousand times the power of a car engine of the same size can be produced by a rocket. The vehicle powered by a rocket engine can also be referred to as a rocket. Rockets are made in many sizes. Rockets 15 to 30 metres long carry giant missiles to bomb distant enemy targets. Larger and more powerful rockets are generally required to lift artificial satellites into orbit around the earth. Rockets become very hot as they burn fuels. The temperature in some rocket engines reaches 3300°C about twice the temperature at which steel melts.
Launch Vehicles are used to transport and put satellite and spacecraft into space. Important launch vehicles of ISRO are SLV - Satellite Launch Vehicle, ASLV - Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV - Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and GSLV - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstration Program (RLV - TD)
Satellites and space stations are launched into space by being attached to a launch vehicle. Rockets are the vehicles used for satellite launch. Normal launch vehicles are destroyed once they are used. They cannot be reused. If any part of the rocket can be recovered, that part can be repaired and used again. There is no fully reusable launch vehicle at present. Only any part that has been landed on the ground, like an airplane, can be used. America's Falcon 9 Full Thrust Rocket and India's RLV - TD Rocket are reusable rockets. ISRO launched the RLV - TD rocket on 23 May 2016. RLV - TD is India's first reusable launch vehicle. In the first test, the vehicle was re-launched in water. ISRO is currently trying to conduct tests to land reusable rockets.
Scramjet Engine Technology Demonstator
Supersonic jet aircraft are aircraft that fly faster than the speed of sound. Scramjet is a supersonic jet aircraft. Scramjet engines are a new model in the ramjet category. The full form of scramjet is supersonic combustion ramjet. Unlike ramjets, they fly in air at supersonic speeds. Therefore, scramjets are able to achieve better speed and power. The scramjet engine, which is used for military purposes, was first successfully tested by Russia. Later, in 1991, NASA and others developed scramjet engines. India is the fourth country to successfully test a scramjet after Russia, the United States and the European Space Agency.
SLV (Satellite Launch Vehicle)
SLV is the first vehicle of ISRO to successfully launch a satellite. The first launch mission of SLV-3 on 10 August 1979 failed, but the second mission on 18 July 1980 was successful. The Rohini (RS-1) satellite was successfully launched in this mission. SLV has conducted four launches. The fourth and last launch of SLV was on 17 April 1983. All four launches of SLV were from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
ASLV (Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle)
Most of the tests that preceded the PSLV rocket were carried out on ASLV. The first launch mission of ASLV, ASLV D1, on 24 March 1987, failed. The second mission, ASLV D2, failed and the third mission, ASLV D3, was partially successful. ASLV D4 was the first fully successful mission of ASLV. The launch was on 4 May 1994. ASLV D4 successfully launched the 106 kg SROSS C2 satellite. ASLV has carried out four launches. ASLV D4 was the fourth and final launch of SLV. All four launches of ASLV were from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)
GSLV is a launch vehicle capable of launching geosynchronous satellites into orbit. ISRO developed the GSLV rocket with the aim of launching communication satellites into geostationary orbit. Its full name is Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. The first launch using GSLV took place on April 18, 2001. An experimental satellite named GSAT-1 was launched into orbit. The various launch vehicles of GSLV are GSLV Mark I, GSLV Mark II, and GSLV Mark III. Out of the 14 launches conducted in the other two vehicles except GSLV Mark III, four were failures till August 12, 2021. The satellites successfully launched by GSLV Mark I and GSLV Mark II are INSAT-4CR, EDUSAT, GSAT-1, GSAT-2, GSAT-14, GSAT-6, INSAT-3DR, GSAT-9, GSAT-6A, and GSAT-7A. GSLV Mark I is a rocket using Russian technology. It was used from 2001 to 2010.
GSLV Mark III
This rocket, which belongs to the GSLV category, is a three-stage launch vehicle. GSLV Mark III is a modified version of the GSLV rocket. With a higher carrying capacity than GSLV, Mark III will compete with the modern rocket of America's 'Falcon' 9. GSLV Mark III is a huge rocket with a height of 43.4 meters, a diameter of four meters and a weight of 6,40,000 kg. This rocket is capable of carrying payloads of 8000 kg and 4000 kg for two types of orbits. GSLV Mark III was first launched from Sriharikota on December 18, 2014. The first stage uses a solid-fuel engine, the second stage uses two liquid-fueled Vikas engines, and the third stage uses a cryogenic rocket engine called CE 20.
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a satellite launch vehicle designed by ISRO to place small satellites into low-Earth orbits. The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle can launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg into Earth orbit on a launch-on-demand basis. ISRO's first SSLV vehicle, SSLV-D1, was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on 7 August 2022 but failed. SSLV's first mission was to launch the Earth observation satellite EOS-02 and 'Azaadi Sat', built by 750 girls from 75 government schools in the country. SSLV-D2, India's second indigenously built vehicle, was launched on February 10, 2023. SSLV-D2 successfully launched ISRO's EOS 07, US-based Antisys' Janus-1, and Chennai-based Space Kids' Azad Sat 2 into orbit.
PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is India's most trusted satellite launch vehicle. PSLV is ISRO's third-generation rocket. The PSLV is 44m tall, weighs 320 tonnes and has a payload capacity of 1750 kg. Out of 60 launches of PSLV till 30 December 2024, 57 have been successful. The first launch of PSLV was a failure. On October 15, 1994, PSLV successfully placed the satellite IRS P2 into a heliostatic orbit. Chandrayaan in 2008, Mangalyaan in 2013 and the Indian Navigation Satellite System (NAVIC) are also milestones in PSLV missions. PSLV (PSLV C37) is the first rocket in the world to complete 104 satellites in a single launch. PSLV uses solid fuel in the first and third stages and liquid fuel in the second and fourth stages. Recently, ISRO announced that it is withdrawing from the manufacturing of PSLV rockets. From now on, the manufacturing of PSLV will be handed over to the private sector. ISRO will only carry out testing and assembling.
Cryogenic Engine
Cryogenic fuels are manufactured using cryogenic technology. Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are examples of cryogenic fuels. Liquid hydrogen is usually used as fuel in cryogenic engines in rockets. Hydrogen is cooled to -253 degrees Celsius and oxygen to -183 degrees Celsius and is used as fuel in cryogenic engines by converting it into a liquid. India is the sixth country to have successfully developed a cryogenic engine indigenously. The other countries that have developed cryogenic technology on their own are the United States, Japan, China, Russia and the European Space Agency. GSLV D5 is a geostationary satellite launch vehicle using a cryogenic engine developed by India. Its first launch was on 5 January 2014 from Sriharikota. The communication satellite GSAT-14 was launched.
Space Missions of India till 2024
Aryabhata Satellite
'Aryabhata' was India's first artificial satellite launched on 19 April 1975. This artificial satellite was named Aryabhata in memory of the mathematician Aryabhata who lived in the 5th century AD. The satellite was built by ISRO. Aryabhata was built to conduct experiments related to X-ray, astronomy, solar physics, aeronautics, etc. Aryabhata, launched from the Volgograd Launch Center in Russia on a Soviet rocket 'Kosmos', weighed 360 kg. The launch of Aryabhata was the first step in India's space exploration.
Bhaskara Satellite
Bhaskara I is India's second artificial satellite. Bhaskara I and Bhaskara II are the other two Indian artificial satellites launched from Volgograd, Russia after the launch of Aryabhatta. Bhaskara I was India's first remote sensing experimental satellite. Bhaskara I was launched on 7 June 1979 and weighed 444 kg. Bhaskara II was launched on 20 November 1981. The satellites were built by ISRO. The main objective of the Bhaskara satellite launch was to collect data on oceanography and hydrology. Both the satellites are named after the ancient Indian mathematicians Bhaskara I and Bhaskara II.
Rohini Satellite
Rohini is a series of satellites launched by ISRO. The Rohini series includes four satellites. All of them were launched in Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). Three of them successfully reached orbit. 'Rohini' was the first satellite launched from India. The first Rohini satellite was launched on 10 August 1979. The Rohini satellites were launched using India's satellite launch vehicle 'SLV'. The first of these was not successful. The second Rohini satellite was launched on 18 July 1980, the third on 31 May 1981 and the fourth on 17 April 1983. 'Rohini' was launched from Sriharikota.
APPLE Satellite
Apple is India's first communication satellite. The satellite was launched on an experimental basis. This satellite, built by ISRO, was launched into space on June 19, 1981 from the Kourou launch site in French Guiana, South America. India's radio and television media progressed on the back of the 670-kilogram apple.
INSAT Satellites
Commissioned in 1983, the INSAT series is the largest satellite network in the Asia-Pacific region. The satellites in this series are 1 (A,B,C,D), 2 (A,B,C,D,E), 3 (A,B,C,D,DR,E), and 4 (A,B,C,CR). Most of these satellites, which are mainly used for communication and television broadcasting, have been put into orbit by Arianespace. It is a joint venture of the Department of Space, Department of Telecommunications, India Meteorological Department, All India Radio and Doordarshan.
SROSS Satellites (Stretched Rohini Satellite Series)
SROSS (Stretched Rohini Satellite Series) is a scientific exploration satellite developed by ISRO as a follow-up to Rohini satellite. The first satellite in the SROSS series was launched on 24 March 1987 but failed. However, SROSS C, launched on 20 May 1992, was the first satellite in the SROSS series to be successfully launched. The launch vehicle was ASLV D3. The SROSS series satellites were built by ISRO. SROSS was built to conduct experiments related to astrophysics, Earth remote sensing, upper atmosphere etc. 'SROSS' was launched from Sriharikota.
IRS Satellites
IRS are satellites used for exploration and collection of natural resources. They are used to provide more information about the Earth, mainly about the Earth's surface. The technology used for this is called remote sensing. Every object reflects sunlight in a different way. Therefore, by sensing the reflected waves, information about that object can be obtained. This principle is used here. India's first remote sensing satellite is IRS 1A, the first satellite in the IRS series. IRS 1A is a heliostat. IRS 1B, IRS 1C, IRS 1E (failure), and IRS 1D are the satellites in the IRS series.
Oceansat Series
Oceansat - 1 is India's first satellite for ocean studies. It is also known as IRSP-4. It was launched on 26 May 1999 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Oceansat-2 is India's second satellite for oceanographic studies. Oceansat-2 was launched from Sriharikota on 23 September 2009. Oceansat-2 weighs 952 kg. Oceansat-3 is the third satellite in the Oceansat series. It was launched from Sriharikota on 26 November 2022.
Geosynchronous Satellite (GSAT)
GSAT is an indigenously developed communication satellite of India. It is used for digital audio, data and video transmission.
TES (Technology Experiment Satellite(TES))
The Technology Experiment Satellite (TES), considered to be India's spy satellite, was launched on 22 October 2001. TES is an experimental satellite to demonstrate and validate technologies such as attitude and orbit control system, high-torque reaction wheels, new reaction control system and light. TES also carried a panchromatic camera for remote sensing experiments. The satellite was built by ISRO. TES, launched from the Sriharikota launch centre on a 'PSLV C3' vehicle, weighed 1108 kg.
METSAT (Kalpana-1)
India's first meteorological satellite. The Meteorological Satellite or METSAT is the first of the ISRO satellites to be used exclusively for meteorological observation. It was launched on 12 September 2002. The satellite, named METSAT, was named Kalpana-1 by the Government of India in honour of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster in 2003.
RESOURCESAT
The ResourceSAT is a series of satellites launched by ISRO. The first of these, ResourceSAT-1, is the tenth satellite in the IRS series. The second satellite, ResourceSat-2, was launched on 20 April 2011 and the last satellite, ResourceSat-2A, was launched on 7 December 2016. The 'ResourceSat' satellites were launched from Sriharikota.
EDUSAT/GSAT-3
EDUSAT is India's complete education satellite. GSAT 3, which was launched from Sriharikota on 20 September 2004, is also called EDUSAT. The satellite was launched on the GSLVMK1F01 vehicle. It weighs 1950 kg. The VICTERS program is a project conceived to bring education directly to all schools and colleges in India through EDUSAT. VICTERS is India's first broadband network under EDUSAT. This satellite can also provide telemedicine services to leading hospitals.
Cartosat
Cartosat is an Indian satellite that helps in the preparation of maps and resource maps. The information it provides is very useful for updating maps, especially topographical maps. Apart from this, it is useful for resource mapping, forest fire detection, road and river mapping, water availability study, forest extent and types study and many other things. Cartosat-1 was launched on 5 May 2005 from Sriharikota on PSLV-C6. Hamsat is a light satellite launched along with Cartosat-1. It is a satellite that helps in expanding amateur radio services (ham radio).
SRE-1 (Space Capsule Recovery Experiment, SRE-1)
SRE-1, India's first satellite that can be recovered from orbit, was launched on 10 January 2007. SRE-1, launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on a PSLV C7 vehicle, weighed 550 kg. SRE-1 crashed into the Bay of Bengal on 22 January 2007. The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard brought SRE-1 to land, making India one of the few countries capable of returning satellites to Earth.
Chandrayaan 1
Chandrayaan 1 was launched on 22 October 2008 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The PSLV C11 rocket took the spacecraft into the sky. The energy required for Chandrayaan's operations is obtained from the sun. A lithium-ion battery was installed to provide the energy required for Chandrayaan's operations in the absence of sunlight. This 1308 kg spacecraft was made possible in four years at a cost of about Rs 386 crore. The Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft had two parts, the Lunar Orbiter and the Impactor. The orbiter and the impactor were connected in a way that they would separate themselves when they reached the lunar orbit. The orbiter was a remote sensing satellite that orbited the moon and observed the moon. It was controlled from the control center on Earth.
On November 8, 2008, the spacecraft reached the lunar orbit. On November 14, the orbiter and impactor separated. The impactor crashed into the lunar surface. The orbiter began observing the moon from an altitude of 100 km above the lunar surface. The main objective of the Chandrayaan 1 mission was to study the lunar surface in detail. The reason was the assumption that there is water in the form of ice at the south pole of the moon. On September 24, 2009, Chandrayaan also made the important discovery that there is more water on the moon than previously thought. The orbiter was operational until August 2009. After that, communication was lost. The Chandrayaan 1 mission was terminated 312 days after reaching orbit. ISRO stated that the spacecraft had achieved 95 percent of its goal. During this period, the orbiter orbited the Moon 3400 times. This is one of the biggest achievements of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). India is the fourth country to launch a spacecraft to study the Moon.
RISAT
RISAT-I is an indigenously built radar imaging satellite. RISAT is an abbreviation for Radar Imaging Satellite. It was launched on 26 April 2012 aboard the PSLV C-19 vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The 1850 kg satellite is the heaviest indigenously built. RISAT-I is aimed at disaster management and precision weather monitoring. Its mission is for five years. RISAT-2, an Earth observation satellite, is a precision satellite that will help in disaster management. It was launched on 20 April 2009 on PSLV C-12.
ANUSAT
Anusat is the first satellite built by an Indian university under the auspices of ISRO. Built by Anna University in Tamil Nadu, Anusat was launched on 20 April 2009 on PSLV C-12 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The satellite carried amateur radio and technology demonstration experiments. ISRO, which carried out the launch operations, also funded the development of the satellite.
MEGHA-TROPIQUES
MEGHA-TROPIQUES is a satellite that will help in studying climate change. Megha Tropiques was launched on 12 October 2011 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, aboard the PSLV C 18 vehicle. This satellite will collect data on the water cycle and energy exchange in the tropics. It is a joint venture between India and France. Megha Tropiques is a 1000 kg satellite. It was also launched along with Jugnu.
Jugnu Satellite
Jugnu is a three kg remote sensing satellite built by students and teachers of IIT Kanpur. It is India's first nano satellite. It will help in agriculture and disaster management. The satellite was launched on 12 October 2011. It was launched on the PSLV C 18 vehicle from Sriharikota.
SARAL Satellite
The SARAL satellite is a joint venture between India and France for ocean studies. It was launched on 25 February 2013 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, aboard the PSLV C20 vehicle. The main objective of SARAL is to study the surface of the oceans in detail. SARAL operates with the help of the Argos and Altika instruments developed by France. SARAL weighs 407 kg.
NavIC
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is the first indigenously developed navigation satellite system in India. IRNSS is now known as NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation). The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota is the launch centre for the NAVIC satellite network. The satellite system can provide useful information for areas such as air, naval, land transport, disaster management, mobile navigation control and can monitor the situation within a radius of 1500 km of the country. The ground control centre of NAVIC, India's regional satellite navigation system, is located in Byalalu near Mysore. With this satellite development, India has joined the US (Navstar GPS), Russia (GLONASS), China (BeiDou), Japan, France (DORIS) and the European Union (Galileo) in developing a navigation satellite system indigenously.
Vehicle and launch date of IRNSS satellites
◆ IRNSS 1A - PSLV C22 (1 July 2013)
◆ IRNSS 1B - PSLV C24 (4 April 2014)
◆ IRNSS 1C - PSLV C26 (16 October 2014)
◆ IRNSS 1D - PSLV C27 (28 March 2015)
◆ IRNSS 1E - PSLV C31 (20 January 2016)
◆ IRNSS 1F - PSLV C32 (10 March 2016)
◆ IRNSS 1G - PSLV C33 (28 April 2016)
◆ IRNSS 1H (failed) - PSLV C39 (31 August 2017)
◆ IRNSS 1I - PSLV C41 (12 April 2018)
Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission)
On November 5, 2013, India launched its first interstellar spacecraft, Mangalyaan, to Mars. Mangalyaan is India's first Mars exploration mission. Mangalyaan was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota on a PSLV C25 rocket. Mangalyaan weighed 1337 kilograms at the time of launch. Mangalyaan entered the orbit of Mars on September 24, 2014. Mangalyaan's objective was to study the presence of meteorites on Mars. India is the only country to have successfully launched the first Mars mission and the first Asian country to have successfully launched a Mars mission. India is the fourth space power to have successfully launched a mission to Mars. ISRO is the fourth space agency to have successfully launched a mission to Mars after Roscosmos (Russia), NASA (USA) and the European Space Agency. Other countries that have successfully launched Mars missions include the US, Russia, the European Union, China, and the UAE.
Astrosat
The Astrosat space telescope is India's first space observation mission. India is the fifth country in the world to have a space observation mission after the USA, Russia, Japan, and the European Space Agency (ESA). Astrosat is described as 'India's eyes on the universe'. It was successfully launched on 27 September 2015 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Astrosat was put into orbit on a vehicle called PSLV C30 along with seven satellites. The other satellites that entered orbit with Astrosat are Indonesia's LAPAN - A2, Canada's NLS-14, and four LEMUR satellites of the USA. This is the first time that India has launched a satellite from the United States. Astrosat is a space telescope capable of observing the universe using ultraviolet, optical and X-ray wavelengths. Astrosat, which weighs 1513 kg, has a five-year operational life. Astrosat will be able to observe everything from distant galaxies to black holes. It is orbiting at a distance of 650 km from the equator.
South Asia Satellite
The South Asia Satellite is an artificial satellite launched with the aim of providing India's neighboring countries in South Asia with a leap in the field of information and telecommunications through space technology. The South Asia Satellite came into being after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea of a satellite that would meet the needs of the SAARC member countries at the 18th SAARC Summit held in Nepal in 2014. The successful launch was on 5 May 2017 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The satellite was launched into orbit on a GSLV F09 vehicle. GSAT-9 is known as the South Asia Satellite.
NIUSAT
The 15 kg nano satellite NIUSAT, built by the Takkala Noorul Islam University (Tamil Nadu) in Kanyakumari district under the supervision of ISRO, was put into orbit by PSLV. It was launched on a PSLV C38 vehicle along with the ISRO-built Cartosat for Earth observation. NIUSAT is equipped with sensing technology that can predict and detect natural disasters such as landslides, sea waves, tsunamis, floods, and forest fires. The satellite will also be used in disaster management and agriculture. A mission control centre has been set up at the university for ground control of Niusat. A UHF/VHF antenna for telemetry/tele-command operations and an S-band antenna for payload data reception have been installed at the university control centre.
HySIS
HySIS is India's first Hyper Spectaral Imaging Satellite. The 380-kg HySIS was developed by the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad. It was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on 29 November 2018. The satellite, an Earth observation satellite, aims to study the Earth's surface with greater precision and accuracy. The satellite's specialty is the modern technology of hyperspectral imaging. The satellite was launched into orbit on the PSLV C43 vehicle. Along with HySIS, 30 foreign satellites were also launched into orbit by the PSLV C43 launch vehicle.
Exseedsat-1
'Exseedsat-1' is India's first privately built communication satellite. It was launched from the American rocket launch center SpaceX along with 63 other satellites from 17 countries. The launch was on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. ExceedSat-1 was built by some private entrepreneurs in the city under the leadership of Asher Farhan, a ham radio operator and social activist from Hyderabad. ExceedSat-1 is a private satellite that was built in two years at a cost of Rs 2 crore without the help of any other government agencies including ISRO.
Kalamsat-V2
Kalamsat V2 is the lightest man-made satellite launched by India, which ISRO successfully put into orbit. Kalamsat V2 weighed 1.26 kilograms. It was launched on January 24, 2019, on a PSLV C-44 vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. Kalamsat was designed by an educational institution called Space Kids India in Chennai. Kalamsat V2 is the first satellite launched by ISRO by a private sector. Kalamsat (64 gm) and Jai Hind 1s (33.39 gm) are two satellites that are lighter than Kalamsat V2 and have not reached orbit. Microsat - R is the satellite that ISRO successfully tested along with Kalamsat V2.
GEMINI Device
GEMINI is the full form of Gagan Enabled Mariner's Instrument for Navigation and Information. Gagan stands for GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation. Gemini is a portable receiver connected to ISRO satellites. GEMINI is a device developed in collaboration with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service and the Airports Authority of India. This device can be used to warn fishermen who are outside the signal range of phone companies. Signals can be sent up to 300 nautical miles. It is used for disaster warnings, fishing zones, and ocean state forecasts. India is the third country after the USA and the European Union to have satellite-based navigation.
Mission Shakti
A - SAT (Anti-Satellite Missile Test) is an anti-satellite missile developed and successfully tested jointly by DRDO and ISRO. Mission Shakti is the name of the A - SAT test mission. A - SAT was launched from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore, Odisha on March 27, 2019. The special feature of A-SAT is that it can destroy a satellite in space with a missile. India is the fourth country to acquire A-SAT technology after the United States, Russia and China. The first A-SAT to destroy a satellite called Microsat-R was expected.
EMISAT
EMISAT (Electro Magnetic Intelligence Satellite) is a radar-detectable spy satellite developed jointly by DRDO and ISRO. EMISAT was developed under Project Kautilya. It was launched on 1 April 2019 on PSLV C-45 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The 436-kg EMISAT successfully entered orbit along with 29 other satellites from countries including the US, Spain and Switzerland. EMISAT was designed by DRDO based on Israel's spy satellite Saral. The satellite has technologies such as automatic identification system and electromagnetic system to capture messages from ships.
Chandrayaan 2
Chandrayaan 2 is India's second lunar exploration mission. Chandrayaan 2 was launched to confirm and study the presence of ice found at the south pole of the moon by Chandrayaan-1. The mission also included a lander, a rover and an orbiter. Chandrayaan 2 was launched on July 22, 2019, aboard the GSLV Mark 3 launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. India's Chandrayaan-2 mission targeted the Moon's south pole, which no country has explored so far. India's second lunar mission did not reach its full goal after Chandrayaan-2, which came within two kilometers of the Moon on September 7, 2019, deviated from its pre-determined path and lost signal from the Vikram lander. The mission cost about Rs 978 crore.
EOS (Earth Observation Satellite)
Earth Observation Satellites are satellites with remote sensing technology. Earth observation satellites are responsible for collecting information about the physical, chemical and biological systems of the Earth. EOS is a satellite series launched for agriculture, forestry, horticulture, soil moisture, disaster management, hydrology, flood mapping, etc. The EOS series includes EOS 01, EOS 02, EOS 03, EOS 04, EOS 05 and EOS 06. Other Earth observation satellites launched by ISRO include ResourceSat 2, ResourceSat 2A, Cartosat 1, Cartosat 2, Cartosat 2A, Cartosat 2B, Risat 1, Risat 2, OceanSat 2, Megha Tropics, Saral, Scatsat 1, INSAT 3DR and INSAT 3D.
Sindhu Netra
Sindhu Netra is a satellite developed by young scientists at DRDO. Sindhu Netra is an Earth observation satellite aimed at monitoring warships and cargo ships in the Indian Ocean. Launched on 28 February 2021 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Sindhu Netra was successfully placed into orbit along with 18 other satellites aboard the PSLV C-51. A picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an electronic version of the Bhagavad Gita, and the names of 25,000 Indian citizens were sent into space as part of this mission.
Sri Shakthi Sat
Sri Shakthi Sat is an Indian satellite launched on 28 February 2021 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Sri Shakthi Sat is a nano satellite designed by students of Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Coimbatore. Sri Shakthi Sat was successfully launched into orbit along with 18 other satellites on the PSLV C-51 vehicle. The same vehicle was used to successfully launch Space Kids India's Satish Dhawan SAT (SD SAT). JITSAT (Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Sriperumbudur) and GHRCESAT (G.H.Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur) are other Indian satellites launched on PSLV C-51. Sri Shakthi Sat, JITSAT, and GHRCESAT are collectively known as UNITYSat.
Amazonia-1
Amazonia-1 is a Brazilian Earth observation satellite launched by ISRO. It was launched on 28 February 2021 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Amazonia-1 was successfully placed into orbit along with 18 other satellites on the PSLV C-51 vehicle. This is the 53rd mission of PSLV. It is also the 78th launch vehicle mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and the first mission of ISRO in 2021. The main mission of Amazonia-1 is to detect deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Amazonia 1 is the first fully commercial launch of ISRO's commercial arm, New Space India Limited (NSIL). With this mission, ISRO has joined the ranks of space research agencies that launch satellites for a fee.
Vikram-S Rocket
The country's first private rocket, Vikram-S, was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on November 18, 2022. Vikram S is a rocket manufactured by Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad. The project developed a small rocket measuring six meters tall and weighing 545 kilograms. Skyroot was developing three rockets in the Vikram series to put small satellites into low-Earth orbit. The rocket launched a 2.5 kg Funsat and two nano satellites built by students from the US, Singapore and India under the leadership of Space Kids in Chennai.
INSPIRESAT 1
The satellite was built by students from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology and the University of Atmospheric and Space Physics in Colorado, USA.
Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 is ISRO's third lunar mission. Like Chandrayaan-2, this is also a robotic space mission. The target of this mission, which includes a rover and a lander, is the polar region of the moon. Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023. With the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface, India became the fourth country to land/soft land on the Moon after the USA, Russia, and China. India also became the first country to land a spacecraft on the Moon's south pole.
Aditya-L1
India's first mission to study the Sun and its outer rings, Aditya L1, is launched in September 2, 2023. The launch vehicle used is PSLV C57. The spacecraft was placed at Lagrangian Point 1 (L1), 1.5 million km from Earth, to study the Sun. Aditya L1 reached the halo orbit at Lagrangian Point in 2024 January 6. With Aditya-L1 reaching the Lagrangian Point of the Sun-Earth system, India will become the fourth country to achieve this feat. The Lagrangian Point is unique in that it provides uninterrupted view of the Sun at all times. Aditya, which studies the Sun's magnetic field and plasma flow, can also predict the attack of solar gases. The Aditya L1 satellite has seven payloads. The payloads are Visible Line Emission Coronagraph, Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer, High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer, Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment, Plasma Analyzer Package for Aditya, and Magnetometer.
X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat)
The X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) is a satellite launched by India to study black holes, neutron stars, etc. by observing the extremely powerful X-Ray waves in the universe. India is the second country in the world (the first was the United States) to send a special satellite to study black holes and neutron stars. XPoSat was launched on January 1, 2024. The launch vehicle was PSLV C58.
PSLV Milestones
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is India's most trusted satellite launch vehicle. PSLV is ISRO's third-generation rocket. ISRO's first attempt to design and develop an operational vehicle that can be used to orbit application satellite is PSLV. Out of 62 launches of PSLV till 30 December 2024, 59 have been successful.
PSLV D1 - launched IRS 1E on September 20, 1993 (failure)
PSLV D2 - launched IRS P2 on October 15, 1994
PSLV D3 - launched IRS P3 on March 21, 1996
PSLV C1 - launched IRS 1D on September 29, 1997 (partial failure)
PSLV C2 - launched OCEANSAT (IRS P4), KITSAT-3 and DLR - TUBSAT on May 26, 1999
PSLV C3 - launched TES on October 22, 2001
PSLV C4 - launched KALPANA 1 (METSAT) on September 12, 2002
PSLV C5 - launched RESOURCESAT-1 (IRS P6) on October 17, 2003
PSLV C6 - launched CARTOSAT1 and HAMSAT on May 5, 2005
PSLV C7 - launched CARTOSAT2, SRE-1, LAPAN-TUBSAT and PEKUENSAT-1 on January 10, 2007
PSLV C8 - launched AGILE on April 23, 2007
PSLV C9 - launched CARTOSAT-2A, IMS-1 and Eight nano satellites on April 28, 2008
PSLV C10 - launched TECSAR on January 23, 2008
PSLV C11 - launched CHANDRAYAAN-1 on October 22, 2008
PSLV C12 - launched RISAT-2 and ANUSAT on April 20, 2009
PSLV C14 - launched Oceansat-2 and six Nano satellites on September 23, 2009
PSLV C15 - launched CARTOSAT - 2B, Alsat 24 of Algeria, 2 nano satellites of Switzerland and Canada and one tiny Studsat on July 12, 2010
PSLV C16 - launched Indian Satellite Resourcesat-2, 92 kg Indo - Russian Youthsat and a 106kg remote - sensing satellite X-sat of Singapore
PSLV C17 - launched GSAT-12 in orbit on July 15, 2011
PSLV C18 - launched Megha Tropiques, SRMSat Jugnu and Vessel Sat in Orbit on October 12, 2011
PSLV C19 - launched RISAT 1 in orbit on 26 April 2012
PSLV C21 - launched SPOT 6 (France) and PROITERES (Japan) on September 9, 2012
PSLV C20 - launched SARAL, and 6 other satellites Sapphire, Neossat, TUGSAT-1, UniBRITE-1, STRAND-1, AAUSAT3 on 25 February 2013
PSLV C22 - launched IRNSS-1A on 1 July 2013
PSLV C25 - launched Mars Orbiter Mission on 5 November 2013
PSLV C24 - launched IRNSS-1B on 4 April, 2014
PSLV C23 - launched SPOT7, CanX4, Can X5, AISAT and VELOX1 on 30 June 2014
PSLV C26 - launched IRNSS-1C on 15 October 2014
PSLV C27 - launched IRNSS-1D on March 28, 2015
PSLV C28 - launched UK's Earth observation satellites (DMC3-1, DMC3-2 & DMC3-3), CBNT-1) and De-orbitSail on July 10, 2015
PSLV C30 - launched India's Astrosat, Indonesia's LAPAN-A2, Canada's exactView 9 and United States's Lemur-2 on 28 September 2015
PSLV C29 - launched Singapore's TeLEOS-1 and other five are co-passenger satellites on December 16, 2015
PSLV C31 - launched IRNSS-1E on 20 January 2016
PSLV C32 - launched IRNSS-1F on 10 March 2016
PSLV C33 - launched IRNSS-1G on 28 April 2016
PSLV C34 - launched Cartosat-2C, Swayam SathyabamaSat on 22 June 2016
PSLV C35 - launched ScatSat-1, Pratham and PISat on 26 September 2016
PSLV C36 - launched Resourcesat-2A on 7 December 2016
PSLV C37 - launched Cartosat-2D, INS-1A, INS-1B on 15 February 2017. PSLV-C37 successfully carried and deployed a record 104 satellites in the sun-synchronous orbit.
PSLV C38 - launched Cartosat-2E, NIUSAT on 23 June 2017
PSLV C39 - launched IRNSS-1H on 31 August 2017 (failure)
PSLV C40 - launched Cartosat-2F, MICROSAT-TD, INS-1C on 12 January 2018
PSLV C41 - launched IRNSS-1I on 11 April 2018
PSLV C42 - launched United Kingdom's NovaSAR-S and SSTL S1-4 on 16 September 2018
PSLV C43 - launched HySIS on 29 November 2018
PSLV C44 - launched Microsat-R, Kalamsat V2 on 25 January 2019
PSLV C45 - launched EMISAT, ExseedSat-2, ARIS 101F, ISRO AIS payload on 1 April 2019
PSLV C46 - launched RISAT-2B on 22 May 2019
PSLV C47 - launched Cartosat-3 on 27 November 2019
PSLV C48 - launched RISAT-2BR1 on 11 December 2019
PSLV C49 - launched EOS-01 on 7 November 2020
PSLV C50 - launched GSAT-12R (CMS-1) on 17 December 2020
PSLV C51 - launched SindhuNetra, UNITYSats (x3) on 28 February 2021
PSLV C52 - launched EOS-4/RISAT-1A, INSPIRESat-1, INS-2TD on 14 Feb 2022
PSLV C53 - launched 6 × payloads on POEM-1 on 30 June 2022
PSLV C54 - launched Oceansat-3/EOS-6, BhutanSat (aka INS-2B), Pixxel TD-1 Anand, Thybolt 1 & Thybolt 2 on 26 November 2022
PSLV C55 - launched 7 × payloads on POEM-2 on 22 April 2023
PSLV C56 - launched 7 singapore's satellites on 30 July 2023
PSLV C57 - launched Aditya-L1 on 2 September 2023
PSLV C58 - launched XPoSat, 10 × payloads on POEM-3 on 1 January 2024
PSLV C59 - launched Europe's PROBA-3 - Occulter and Coronagraph on 5 December 2024
PSLV C60 - launched SPADEX (Chaser + Target), 24 × payloads on POEM-4 on 30 December 2024
