The Journey of ISRO
India's Tryst with the Stars
ISRO Founded
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established on August 15, 1969, succeeding the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). Its vision was to harness space technology for national development.
Aryabhata: India's First Satellite
India's first satellite, Aryabhata, named after the ancient Indian astronomer, was launched on April 19, 1975, from Kapustin Yar, Soviet Union, using a Soviet Kosmos-3M launch vehicle. This marked India's entry into the space age.
SLV-3 & Rohini-1: Indigenous Launch Capability
On July 18, 1980, India successfully launched its Rohini-1 satellite using its own Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) from Sriharikota. This achievement made India the sixth nation to develop its own satellite launch capability.
PSLV's Maiden Success
After a partial failure in 1993, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) had its first successful launch on October 15, 1994, placing the IRS-P2 satellite into orbit. PSLV became ISRO's workhorse, known for its reliability.
Chandrayaan-1: India's First Lunar Mission
ISRO launched Chandrayaan-1 on October 22, 2008, India's first mission to the Moon. It successfully orbited the Moon and confirmed the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface, a significant scientific discovery.
Mangalyaan: Mission to Mars
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan, was successfully inserted into Mars orbit on September 24, 2014. India became the first Asian nation and the fourth entity in the world to reach Mars, and the first to do so on its maiden attempt.
104 Satellites in a Single Launch
On February 15, 2017, ISRO created a world record by successfully launching 104 satellites on a single PSLV-C37 mission. This demonstrated ISRO's exceptional capability in precise multi-satellite deployment.
Chandrayaan-3: Lunar South Pole Landing
Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed near the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to reach the uncharted south polar region. This was a monumental achievement for ISRO.
