It’s a journey that began with humble wheels – literally! No one ever imagined that the first satellite would be transported on a bicycle? From its inception as the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962, to the formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969, India’s space programme has lived up to its motto – ‘reaching for the stars’.
Led by Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of India’s space programme, and Satish Dhawan, ISRO has achieved incredible milestones. From Aryabhata in 1975 to becoming a global space technology leader, India’s space journey is a testament to innovation and determination. Merely after an year of it’s inception, in 1963, India made its debut in space exploration with the launch of its first rocket. This sounding rocket, intended for upper atmosphereic studies, was launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, located in the fishing village of Thumba, Kerala—now known as the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions in the years to come.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2025
In it’s initial years, Soviet Union played a significant role in the growth of ISRO. It was during this period, the first Indian spacecraft ‘Aryabhata’ was developed and was launched using a Soviet Launcher, including the landmark 1984 mission where Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. Another major landmark was the development of the first launch vehicle SLV-3 with a capability to place 40 kg in Low Earth Orbit (LEO (Low Earth Orbit) ), which had its first successful flight in 1980.
During the 90’s, major space infrastructure was created under two broad classes: one for the communication, broadcasting and meteorology through a multi-purpose Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), and the other for Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) system. The development and operationalisation of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and development of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) were significant achievements during this phase. Bhaskara-I & II missions, ‘Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE), Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) were another important missions
📸 Relive the moment! Here are stunning visuals from the GSLV-F15/NVS-02 launch.
A proud milestone for India’s space journey! 🌌 #GSLV #NAVIC #ISRO pic.twitter.com/RK4hXuBZNN
— ISRO (@isro) January 29, 2025
Slowly but steadily, India has soared past Mars, landed on the Moon, and has begun scientific missions to study the Sun and unravel the many mysteries of space. It was Mars Orbiter Mission(MOM) which brought global recognition to India’s capabilities in space exploration. However, the Chandrayaan missions stand out as India’s most significant achievement. In 2009, Chandrayaan-1 detected water ice on the Moon. On August 23, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 made history by becoming the first spacecraft to successfully land near the Moon’s unexplored South Pole, a day we now celebrate as National Space Day.
Shortly after, ISRO launched Aditya-L1 to study the Sun, further underscoring the rapid advancement of India’s space programme. The successes of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 highlight the coming of age of Indian space endeavours.
Most recently, ISRO achieved yet another significant milestone of completing 100 launches by placing the second-generation navigational satellite in orbit from the Sriharikota space centre in Andhra Pradesh. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F15) lifted off with the NVS-02 satellite, which is part of India’s growing network of navigation systems.
Indeed ISRO’s journey has been a remarkable one shaped by the dedication and vision of pioneering scientists like Vikram Sarabhai and APJ Abdul Kalam.