From Bicycle to Mars : ISRO's Journey

   From Bicycle to Mars: ISRO's Journey

                      The Journey of ISRO

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, "Father of the Indian space program"        

                                           

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was established in the 1960s, when India decided to venture into space research. The key points of its journey are as follows:

1. Initial Steps (1962-1969): Space research in India began under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, often regarded as the father of the Indian space program. 

In 1962, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established to promote space science. 

1. First sounding rocket on Bicycle
2. First satellite on Bullcart

In 1963, the first rocket (Nike-Apache) was launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Thumba (Kerala). This was India's first space experiment.

First sounding rocket Nike - Apache.

From Bicycle to Mars: ISRO's Journey

2. Establishment of ISRO (1969): 

ISRO was established on 15 August 1969 by reorganizing the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR).  Its aim was to promote space research and satellite launches with indigenous technology. 

 Dr. Sarabhai gave the vision of using space technology for national development, such as communication, weather forecasting, and resource monitoring.

3. First Satellite - Aryabhatta (1975): ISRO launched its first satellite (Aryabhatta) on 19 April 1975. It was launched by a Soviet Union rocket. This was India's first step into satellite manufacturing and space research.

4. SLV and Indigenous Development (1970-1980):  ISRO focused on developing indigenous launch vehicles. In 1980, Rohini satellite was successfully placed in orbit with the help of SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle). This was India's first indigenous rocket launch.

                                                   ISRO vs SUPARCO

SLV-3

 5. Further Progress: ISRO then developed powerful rockets like PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle). 

Satellite Launcher

 Satellites like INSAT and IRS in the 1980s and 1990s revolutionised communication, remote sensing, and weather monitoring. 

 Missions like Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mangalyaan (MOM) in 2014 put ISRO on the global map. 

6. Cost-Effectiveness: ISRO is famous for its low-budget missions. The Mars mission (MOM) was completed in just Rs 450 crore, while the same mission of NASA was many times more expensive than this

India marked a significant milestone in the realm of space exploration with the successful launch of a record 104 satellites on 15 February 2017, orchestrated by ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in a single mission. The PSLV-C37 took off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This remarkable accomplishment not only demonstrated India's technological capabilities but also established a new benchmark in satellite launches.

Out of the total 104 satellites placed in orbit, 101 satellites belonged to six foreign countries. They included 96 from the US and one each from Israel, the UAE, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan.

Information About the Mission Completed by ISRO:

Mission Name

Launch Date

Mission Details

Chandryaan-1	22 Oct   2008	Chandrayaan-1, India's first Lunar mission, found the water molecule on the Moon.
Chandryaan-2	22 July 2019	The mission involved a satellite, a lander, and a rover, marking it as a 3 1 project. While the lander unfortunately crashed on the moon's surface, we can assess that 90% of the mission was successful. This was a challenging endeavor, as the lander targeted the moon’s south pole, known to be one of the darkest and most unexplored regions, with no other country having landed there before.

Chandrayaan-3

14 July 2023

On 23 August 2023 at 18:05 IST, technology demonstration experiments were conducted with the Vikram lander. The Propulsion Module of Chandrayaan-3 was moved from an orbit around the Moon to an orbit around Earth, where it will operate until 22 August 2024.

Mars Orbiter Mission(MOM)	5 Nov 2013	The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), known as Mangalyaan, has been orbiting Mars since September 24, 2014. Launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on November 5, 2013, it marks India's first interplanetary mission. With this achievement, ISRO became the fourth space agency to reach Mars, following the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency. Notably, India became the first Asian country and the first in the world to reach Mars orbit on its maiden attempt.
Aditiya L-1	2 Sept 2023	Aditya-L1 marks India's inaugural observatory-class mission aimed at studying the solar corona through a solar coronagraph, along with the chromosphere, utilizing a near-UV instrument. The mission includes X-ray spectroscopic instruments that will capture flare spectra, while the in-situ payload will monitor solar events as they travel from the Sun to Earth. On January 6, 2024, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft successfully reached its final orbit around the first Sun-Earth Lagrangian point (L1), located around 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.
ASTROSAT	28 Sept 2015	ASTROSAT is an Indian Astronomy satellite mission launched by ISRO on 28 September 2015. It enables multi-wavelength observations of celestial bodies and cosmic sources across X-ray and UV spectral bands simultaneously. The scientific payloads include observations in the Visible (3500–6000 Å...), UV (1300–op Å...), and both soft and hard X-ray regimes (0.5–8 keV; 3–80 keV). ASTROSAT is unique due to its wide spectral coverage that spans visible light, UV, soft X-rays, and hard X-rays.

Upcoming Mission	Launch date	Mission Details
Gaganyaan-1	2025	Gaganyaan ("Orbital Vehicle") is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft jointly developed by ISRO and HAL, which aims to serve as the foundation for the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. It is designed to accommodate three crew members, and there are plans for an upgraded version that will include rendezvous and docking capabilities. This mission will conduct the first of two flight tests leading up to the inaugural crewed mission.
NISAR	July 2025	NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is a collaborative effort between NASA and ISRO aimed at co-developing and launching a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite intended for remote sensing applications. This satellite stands out as the first of its kind to utilise dual-band radar imaging technology.
Gaganyaan-2	2026	The second of two flight tests before the inaugural crewed mission.
Gaganyaan-3	2026	The first crewed Gaganyaan mission, if successful, would make India the fourth country in the world, following the US, Soviet Union, and China, to independently send humans into space.
Chandrayaan-4	2027	Chandrayaan-4 is set to be a significant lunar sample-return mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), marking the fourth iteration of its Chandrayaan programme. This mission comprises four main components: the Transfer Module (TM), Lander Module (LM), Ascender Module (AM), and Reentry Module (RM).
Future Mission	Launch Date	Mission Details
Venus Orbiter mission-1	29 March 2028	The Venus Orbiter Mission is a planned orbiter to study the atmosphere of Venus.
Lunar Polar Exploration mission	2028-29	The Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, referred to as Chandrayaan-5 in India, is a proposed initiative involving JAXA and ISRO to investigate the south pole region of the Moon. The concept for this mission has been officially submitted for funding and planning purposes.
Indian space station	2028-2035	The Bharatiya Antariksha Station, commonly mentioned in the media as the Indian Space Station, is a proposed project by India, designed to be operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This space station is expected to weigh around 20 tonnes and will orbit approximately 400 kilometres above the Earth. Astronauts will have the opportunity to stay onboard for durations of 15 to 20 days.
ASTROSAT-2	TBD	AstroSat-2 is India's second dedicated multi-wavelength space telescope, proposed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as the successor to the current Astrosat-1. Observatory. In February 2018, ISRO launched an 'Announcement of Opportunity' inviting proposals from Indian scientists for innovative ideas and the development of instruments in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics.
Mars Lander Mission	2031	The Mars Lander Mission, also known as Mangalyaan 2, is India's second interplanetary mission aimed at Mars. This mission will include a lander, a rover, and a helicopter, similar to NASA's Ingenuity, showcasing India's capability to land on the Martian surface.

Bharatiya Antariksha Station

                                          

ISRO is indeed a source of immense pride for India, having achieved remarkable milestones such as Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan-3. Their advancements in space research through low-cost indigenous technology have significantly transformed areas like weather forecasting, communication, and disaster management. ISRO’s achievements inspire and unite every Indian, showcasing the nation's potential on the global stage.

JAI HIND