India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched by Soviet Union's Kosmos-3M Rocket

ISRO--the government agency working to harvest the benefits of space exploration for India--is the state--run space agency of India.

It has been playing a stellar role in the field of space exploration to harvest the benefits of outer space for the country and mankind in general.

ISRO was previously known as the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which was established by the government in 1962, as envisioned by Vikram Sarabhai. ISRO was formed on August 15, 1969, and superseded INCOSPAR with an expanded role to harness space technology.

The Department of Space (DOS) was subsequently set up, and ISRO was brought under DOS in 1972. The prime objective of ISRO/DOS is the development and application of space technology for various national needs. To fulfil this objective, ISRO has established major space systems for communication, television broadcasting, meteorological services, resources monitoring and management, and space-based navigation services. ISRO has developed satellite launch vehicles, PSLV and GSLV, to place the satellites in the required orbits.

Alongside its technological advancement, ISRO contributes to science and science education in the country. Various dedicated research centres and autonomous institutions for remote sensing, astronomy and astrophysics, atmospheric sciences, and space sciences in general function under the aegis of the Department of Space.

ISRO's own lunar and interplanetary missions along with other scientific projects encourage and promote science education, apart from providing valuable data to the scientific community, which in turn enriches science. ISRO has its headquarters in Bengaluru. Its activities are spread across various centers and units.

Launch vehicles are built at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram. Satellites are designed and developed at UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru. Integration and launching of satellites and launch vehicles are carried out from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota.

The development of liquid stages, including the cryogenic stage, is carried out at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala and Bengaluru. Sensors for Communication and Remote Sensing satellites and application aspects of space technology are taken up at Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad. Remote Sensing satellite data reception, processing, and dissemination are entrusted to National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad. The activities of ISRO are guided by its Chairman, who also serves as the Secretary of DOS and Chairman of the Space Commission – the apex body that formulates the policies and oversees the implementation of the Indian Space Programme.

ISRO built India's first satellite, Aryabhata, which was launched by the Soviet space agency Interkosmos in 1980. It launched the satellite RS-1 onboard the indigenously built launch vehicle SLV-3, making India the seventh country to undertake orbital launches.

It has subsequently developed various small-lift and medium-lift launch vehicles, enabling the agency to launch various satellites and deep space missions. It is one of the six government space agencies in the world that possess full launch capabilities with the ability to deploy cryogenic engines, launch extra-terrestrial missions, and artificial satellites.

It is also one of only four governmental space agencies to have demonstrated unmanned soft landing capabilities. ISRO became the toast of the nation in 2023 when the Chandrayaan 3 mission succeeded in soft landing a rover in the hitherto unexplored south pole of the moon.

ISRO has so far carried out 125 spacecraft missions and 92 launch missions. Future missions planned by it include the crewed Gaganyaan mission and the interplanetary missions Chandrayaan-4, Shukrayaan, and Mangalyaan-2 (MOM 2), and to set up a space station of its own.

Tribune News Service