Achievements of India’s Space Program

India’s space program has achieved wonderful feats under ISRO, from the economical Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) to successful lunar exploration with Chandrayaan. It has elevated India into a big player in space while participating in scientific research, satellite technology, and let alone international space cooperation. This article wishes to acquaint you with the Achievements of Indian Space Programs.

About India’s Space Program

• Dr Vikram Sarabhai is considered to be the father of Indian Space Programme. He had a vision of making India venture into space and play a meaningful role in developing technologies. Ever since 1980, India had managed to make a mark by developing its own satellite.
• Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communications satellite systems in the entire Asia-Pacific.
• Indian National Satellite System helps in weather forecasting, disaster warning along with providing search and rescue services.
• ISRO is located in Bengaluru and was established in 1969. Jawaharlal Nehru along with Vikram Sarabhai had founded INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) in 1962.
• From the establishment of INCOSPAR in 1962, the Indian space programme began establishing itself with the launch of sounding rockets, which was complemented by India’s geographical proximity to the equator.
• Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) was built near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala for this purpose. Subsequently, India developed indigenous technology of sounding rocket technology called Rohini family of sounding rockets.
• The Indian Rohini programme continued to launch sounding rockets of greater size and complexity, and the space programme was expanded and eventually given its own government department, separate from the Department of Atomic Energy.
• On August 15th 1969 the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was created from the INCOSPAR programme under the DAE, continued under the Space Commission and finally the Department of Space, created in June of 1972.
• Recognizing the advanced capability India had in building solid motors with the Rohini series, and that other nations had favoured solid rockets for similar projects, the ISRO set about building the technology and infrastructure for the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). Inspired by the American Scout rocket, the vehicle would be a four-stage all-solid vehicle.
• India began developing satellite technology anticipating the remote sensing and communication needs of the future. India concentrated more on practical missions, directly beneficial to people instead of manned space programs or robotic space explorations.
• The Aryabhata satellite, launched in 1975 from Kapustin Yar using a Soviet Cosmos-3M launch vehicle, was India’s first satellite.
• It was not until 1992 that the first successful launch of the ASLV took place. At this point the launch vehicle, which could only put very small payloads into orbit, had achieved its objective. In 1993 the time had come for the maiden flight of the PSLV.
• The first launch was a failure. The first successful launch took place in 1994 and since then the PSLV has become the workhorse launch vehicle – placing both remote sensing and communications satellites into orbit, creating the largest cluster in the world.
• Currently, GSLV III is the most powerful Indian launch vehicle in operation. The first development flight of the GSLV series took place in 2001. The programmes benefit have been scrutinized due to frequent payload cutbacks and delays.
• The indigenous cryogenic engine for the GSLV’s upper stage was tested in 2007. ISRO had recognized the necessity of the GSLVs for carrying heavy payloads and developed an indigenous launch vehicle, GSLV III.
• The MOM mission concept began with a feasibility study in 2010, after the launch of lunar satellite Chandrayaan-1 in 2008.
• ISRO created history on 15th February 2017 by launching the highest number of satellites in one go, when its PSLV-C37 rocket placed 104 satellites into space in a single mission. Earlier this record was held by Russia.
• The launch included 714 kg CARTOSAT -2, two ISRO Nano Satellites INS A and INS B and 101 foreign satellites of different countries including the US, Israel and UAE together weighing about 700 kg and placed them into polar Sun synchronous orbit about 520 km away from the earth.
• In 2019, India launched its second Moon mission i.e. Chandrayaan-2 using its indigenous launcher GSLV MKIII.
• Along with increasing its capacity and reach in Cryogenic technology, India is working for a manned mission to the moon in coming years.
• This will truly be a revolutionary achievement for India’s Space Program, and help it to outshine in the field of Space Technology and Research.

Read our detailed article on India’s Space Missions.

Achievements of India’s Space Program

India’s space program, spearheaded by ISRO, has achieved significant milestones, establishing it as a prominent player in space exploration. Key India’s Achievements in Space include:

Aryabhata (1975)	India’s first satellite, marking the nation’s entry into space research.
PSLV Success	The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has become a trusted workhorse vehicle, putting into orbit a large number of satellites for India and other countries at a fraction of the global costs.
Chandrayaan Missions	Chandrayaan-I (2008) confirmed the presence of water on the Moon, and Chandrayaan-III (2023) also brought India Quite the feat as the first nation to land near the lunar south pole.
Mangalyaan (2014)	The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) made India the first Asian country to reach into Mars orbit, and also the first worldwide to do so on its first attempt.
NAVIC	India’s regional satellite navigation system gives accurate positioning services, thereby enhancing national security and disaster management.
Gaganyaan Mission Preparation	Development of the Gaganyaan mission is underway for sending Indian astronauts to space and thereby uplifting India’s human spaceflight stature.
Commercial Launches	ISRO’s commercial arm, NSIL, has attracted international clients, launching over 300 foreign satellites, underscoring India’s competitive edge in low-cost space solutions.

These achievements underscore India’s growth in satellite technology, interplanetary missions, and global space partnerships.

Lacunae in India’s Space Program

Despite its achievements, India’s space program has certain loopholes. Funding possible constraints do not allow much scope for the larger projects, while reliance on foreign technologies affects independent growth. 

Many times, due to the imperative nature of cost-effectiveness, India undertakes space missions with immediate goals and does not venture into long-term exploratory space missions. 

Gaps in private-sector engagement and delays in the maturing of strategically important technologies such as human spaceflight infrastructure certainly impede growth and consequently hinder competitiveness and innovation at the global level.

Way Forward

• The Indian space program needs to heavily invest in research, innovation, and infrastructure to go further, especially in human spaceflight, deep-space-direct activities, and reusable launch technology.
• Doing this will enhance collaboration with other world space agencies for technology transfer and larger mission activities.
• It will also stimulate the private sector in the indigenous technology development and space application areas through policy support and incentives.
• Developing capabilities for space exploration, space industries, and resource utilization, including lunar and asteroid mining, will root India firmly in the space economy.
• Investment in space science education and STEM programs can build a skilled workforce capable of sustaining India’s space agenda in the long run.

Conclusion

• The Indian space program has become techno-industrial phenomena working for a showcase of skills, innovations, and self-reliance.
• By clearing milestones in lunar and Mars exploration, satellite technology, and cheap launching, ISRO has brought India among the highly ranked nations in space.
• However, to sustain growth and look into challenges, India needs to focus on advanced research, drawing private participation, and honing human spaceflight capabilities.
• This way, by supplementing what has been accomplished, India can carry forth with more exploits in space exploration and world scientific information.

FAQs: India’s Space Program

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