India's journey in space technology has been remarkable, transitioning

from a developing nation with limited resources to a global leader in space

exploration. From humble beginnings to significant achievements, India
has established itself as a major player in the global space domain

 Early Foundations (Pre-ISRO):

 The roots of India's space program can be traced to the

visionary efforts of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. Recognizing the
potential of space technology for national development, he
laid the groundwork for future endeavors.

 In 1962, the Indian National Committee for Space Research

(INCOSPAR) was established, marking the formal beginning of
India's space activities.

 The thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS)

established in 1963 .

 The establishment of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching

Station (TERLS) in Kerala was a crucial early step, taking
advantage of India's proximity to the equator.

 The Rise of ISRO:

 In 1969, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

was formed, replacing INCOSPAR. This marked a
significant milestone in institutionalizing India's space
program.

 ISRO's focus was on developing space technology for

practical applications, such as communication, remote
sensing, and meteorology, to benefit the nation.

 Dr. vikram Ambalal sarabhai was the first chariman of

the India space research organization (ISRO) in1963. he
served until 1971.

ISRO built India's first satellite Aryabhata which was launched by

the Soviet space agency Interkosmos in 1975.[8] In 1980, it launched the
satellite RS-1 onboard the indigenously built launch vehicle SLV-3, making
India the seventh country to undertake orbital launches. It has
subsequently developed various small-lift and medium-lift launch vehicles,
enabling the agency to launch various satellites and deep space missions.
It is one of the six government space agencies in the world that possess
full launch capabilities with the ability to deploy cryogenic engines,
launch extraterrestrial missions and artificial satellites.[9][10][b] It is also the
only one of four governmental space agencies to have demonstrated
unmanned soft landing capabilities.[11][c]

Growth and Expansion (1990s-2010s)

With advancements in satellite and launch vehicle technology, India

entered a new phase of space exploration. Key achievements include:

 1994: The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) successfully

launched, becoming ISRO’s workhorse.

 2001: The first launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch

Vehicle (GSLV), boosting India's heavy-lift capability.

 2008: Chandrayaan-1, India's first lunar mission, discovered water

molecules on the Moon, a significant scientific breakthrough.

 Launch site: SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota

 Launch vehicle: PSLV C-11
 Orbit: 100 km above the moon's surface
 Mission duration: Until August 29, 2009
 Number of orbits: Over 3,400


 This achievement solidified India's position as a major space power.

 2013: Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) launched, making

India the first country to reach Mars on its first attempt at a low cost
of $74 million.

 Chandrayaan Missions:

 Chandrayaan-2 (2019): The Chandrayaan-2 mission

was successfully launched on 22nd July 2019 at 14:43
hrs by GSLV MkIII-M1 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC), Sriharikota. After a series of Earth bound
manoeuvres, the spacecraft entered into Lunar Transfer
Trajectory (LTT) on August 14th. Lunar Orbit Insertion
(LOI) manoeuvre was performed on August 20th,
thereby Chandrayaan-2 was successfully inserted into
the elliptical orbit around the Moon. This was followed
by a series of Lunar bound orbit maneuvers for reducing
the orbit to circular polar orbit around the Moon.
 o Chandrayaan-3 (2023):

o Chandrayaan-3 is an Indian Space Research Organization

mission that landed near the south pole of the Moon on Aug.
23, 2023. The mission includes a lander and a rover. India
plans to demonstrate end-to-end landing and roving
capabilities.

o Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath (born July 1963) is an Indian

aerospace engineer served as the chairman of the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Under his chairmanship,
ISRO carried out the third Indian lunar exploration mission
named Chandrayaan-3.

 This mission achieved a historic soft landing near the

Moon's south pole, making India the first nation to do so.

 This significantly boosted India's position in lunar

exploration.

 Aditya-L1 (2023):

 ISRO's inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1, which was launched on

September 2, is poised for its final maneuver and is set to reach its
designated L1 point on January 6, according to ISRO Chairman S
Somanath. The spacecraft has successfully completed four earth-
bound maneuvers and a Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I)
maneuver during its journey.

o India's first solar observatory, launched to study the Sun from

the Lagrange point L1.

o This mission will provide crucial data on solar activity and its
impact on space weather.

 XPoSat (2024):

 The XPoSat project began in September 2017 with Indian

Space Research Organisation (ISRO) grant
of ₹95,000,000. Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of the
XPoSat including the POLIX payload was completed in
September 2018, followed by preparation of POLIX
Qualification Model and beginning of some of its Flight
Model components fabrication

o X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, that will study various dynamics of

bright astronomical X-ray sources.
 o Future development of space technology in india:

 Gaganyaan Program:

o India's human spaceflight program, aiming to send astronauts

into low Earth orbit.

o Significant progress has been made with test flights, including

the Gaganyaan TV-D1 test flight.

o Artificial satellites can be of various types. Some important

types of satellites are Biosatellites, communication,
navigation, earth observation, space station, killer, crewed
spacecraft, solar power, tether, weather, miniaturized, etc. You
should know about the various types of artificial satellites for
cracking UPSC prelims.

 Television
 INSAT has been a major catalyst for the expansion of television coverage in
India. DOS has made available the required transponders through
INSAT/GSAT satellites and through leased capacity to cater to the needs of
television service.

 Radio Networking
 Radio Networking (RN) through INSAT provides a reliable high-fidelity
programme channels for National as well as Regional Networking. AIR is
utilising one C-band transponder of INSAT-3C for uplinking RN carriers
across the country.

 Telecommunications
 INSAT satellites have been traditionally supporting telecommunication
applications for providing voice and data communications. Satellite links are
the primary means of connectivity to remote and far flung regions of the
country and they are the backup links for large number of terrestrial
connectivity in the mainland.

 Communication Applications: Satellites are used

extensively for communications like television, radio,
internet, telephone, and weather data transmission.
Communications satellites play a vital role in linking remote
areas on Earth.
 Navigation Applications: Navigation systems like GPS,
GLONASS, Galileo, and NaVIC provide location and timing
information globally and regionally through satellite signals.
 Earth observation: Earth imaging satellites are used for
weather forecasting, climate monitoring, land use mapping,
disaster management, etc. They provide geospatial data
about Earth's features like land, oceans, and atmosphere.
 Space science: Hubble Space telescopes provide stunning
images and data about distant stars, galaxies, and cosmic
phenomena. Spacecraft explore planets and moons. The
International Space Station is used for microgravity
experiments.
 National security: Spy satellites and associated systems
are used for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance.
Satellite early warning systems can detect missile launches.
 Commercial purposes: Satellites provide direct-to-home
television, business communications, and support industries
like agriculture, mining, and offshore. The space sector is
also seeing private companies focus on space mining and
space tourism.
 Technology advancement: Space tech innovations in
robotics, computing, materials, etc. lead to spinoff benefits
on Earth in fields like health, transportation, public safety,
etc.
o