By Raza Mehdi
May 5, 2022
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was formed on August 15, 1969, with Vikram Sarabhai at the helm and superseded INCOSPAR.
The first sounding rocket, i.e. a rocket carrying a measuring instrument, was transported to the facility on a bicycle and launched in 1963.
Image source: ISRO
ISRO’s total expenditure over the last 40 years is as much as NASA’s single-year budget! This is due to every single component of our rockets and satellites being built in India.
Image source: ISRO
ISRO once transported the APPLE satellite, an experimental communication satellite, in 1981, on a wooden bullock cart as the trucks made of metal could interfere with the satellite’s signals.
Image source: ISRO
In 2008, India launched Chandrayaan, a lunar orbiter that found evidence of water on the moon. India became the fourth country in the world to successfully land on the lunar surface because of Chandrayaan.
Image source: ISRO
In 2013, ISRO sent an orbiter to Mars with its Mangalyaan mission, for just $74 million. Compare this to NASA’s own MAVEN Mars orbiter, whose total mission cost was around $672 million.
Image source: ISRO
In 2017, ISRO created a world record by launching 104 satellites in a single mission using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Out of 104 satellites, 96 belonged to the United States.
Image source: ISRO
Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL), a promotional wing of ISRO, provides the cheapest and most reliable launch services worldwide. However, the US doesn’t allow commercial satellites to be launched by ACL due to the latter’s competitive rates. Hence a middle agency acts between Antrix and the US companies.
Image source: ISRO
Almost all of ISRO’s equipment has the three horizontal lines of ‘Vibhuti’ and ‘Kumkum’, similar to the one seen on Lord Shiva’s forehead.
Image source: ISRO
ISRO has unveiled the Gaganyaan programme, which will demonstrate India's capability to undertake human space flight. In the first phase, a spacecraft will carry a three-member crew in lower Earth orbit and safely return. Here you can see the first astronaut spacesuit designed by ISRO.
Image source: ISRO