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ISRO’s achievements have positioned India as a key player in the global space industry.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is India’s national space agency, headquartered in Bengaluru. Established on August 15, 1969, by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, ISRO operates under the Department of Space, which reports directly to the Prime Minister of India. ISRO’s primary objective is to harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.
ISRO’s notable Achievements
1. Development of reliable and versatile Satellite Launch Vehicles (SLVs):
Satellite launch vehicles are used to carry a satellite into the space. As of now India has three launch vehicles which are operational. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) series, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III (LVM3).
2. Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) also known as Mangalyaan:
Launched in 2013, Mangalyaan made India the first country to reach Mars on its first attempt and the fourth space agency to do so. Mangalyaan was launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C25) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
3. Chandrayaan Missions, Our ticket to the moon:
The Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008 confirmed the presence of Hydroxyl (OH) locked in other minerals on the Moon. Chandrayaan-2, launched in 2019, aimed to further explore the lunar surface, although its lander failed to make a soft landing. Chandrayaan-3, launched in 2023, successfully achieved a soft landing on the lunar south pole, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to reach the lunar south pole region.
4. Commercial Launches:
Antrix Corporation Limited is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Established in 1992, Antrix is a government-owned company that promotes and commercially exploits space products, technical consultancy services, and transfer of technologies developed by ISRO.Through Antrix Corporation, ISRO has launched numerous foreign satellites, earning a reputation for cost-effective space missions.
5. NavIC:
The Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) is an autonomous satellite navigation system developed by ISRO, providing accurate position information to users in India and the surrounding region. NavIC is India’s counterpart to the GPS (Global Positioning System) of the United States, Galileo of the European Union, GLONASS of Russia, and BeiDou of China.
Future Missions of ISRO
ISRO’s upcoming missions include the Gaganyaan mission, aiming to send Indian astronauts into space, and the Shukrayaan-1 mission to explore Venus. ISRO is also planning further interplanetary missions to explore more of the solar system.
