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"ISRO" redirects here. For the Turkish think tank, see International Strategic Research Organization.
Indian Space Research Organisation
File:Isro-logo.jpg
ISRO logo
Agency overview
AbbreviationISRO
Formed15th August, 1969
TypeSpace agency
HeadquartersAntariksh Bhavan, New BEL Road, Bangalore, India
AdministratorG. Madhavan Nair (Chairman)
Primary spaceportSatish Dhawan Space Centre
Annual budgetRs.65 billion rupees (US$1.3 billion)(2008)
WebsiteISRO homepage

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Devanagari: भारतीय अन्तरिक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन)—the primary body for space research under the control of the government of India—was created in its modern form in 1969 as a result of coordinated efforts initiated earlier. Under the guidance of a number of scientists, ISRO has conducted a variety of operations—including satellite, lunar, and interplanetary missions, supported by its launch vehicle fleet—for both Indian and foreign clients. ISRO has several field installations at its disposal and cooperates with the international community as a part of several bilateral and multilateral agreements.

Formative years

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was instrumental in the creation of both the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Physical Research Laboratory (Ahemadabad).

Modern space research in India is most visibly traced to the activities of scientist S.K. Mitra who conducted a series of experiments leading to the sounding of the ionosphere by application of ground based radio methods in 1920's Calcutta.[1] Later, Indian scientists like C.V. Raman and Meghnad Saha contributed to scientific principles applicable in space sciences.[1] However, it was the period after 1945 which saw important developments being made in coordinated space research in India.[1] Organized space research in India was spearheaded by two scientists: Vikram Sarabhai—founder of the Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmadabad—and Homi Bhabha, who had played a role in the establishment of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 1945.[1] Initial experiments in space sciences included the study of cosmic radiation, high altitude and airborne testing of instruments, deep underground experimentation at the Kolar mines—one of the deepest mining sites in the world — and studies of the upper atmosphere.[2] Studies were carried out at research laboratories, universities, and independent locations.[2][3]

Government support became visible by 1950 when the Department of Atomic Energy (India) was founded with Homi Bhabha as secretary.[3] The Department of Atomic Energy provided funding for space research throughout India.[4] Tests on the Earth's magnetic field—studied in India since the establishment of the observatory at Colaba in 1823—and aspects of meteorology continued to yield valuable information and in 1954, Uttar Pradesh state observatory was established at the foothills of the Himalayas.[3] The Rangpur Observatory was set up in 1957 at Osmania University, Hyderabad.[3] Both these facilities enjoyed the technical support and scientific cooperation of the United States of America.[3] Space research was further encouraged by the technically inclined prime minister of India—Jawaharlal Nehru.[4] In 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched the Sputnik and opened up possibilities for the rest of the world to conduct a space launch.[4] The Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was found in 1962 with Vikram Sarabhai as its chairman.[4]

Beginning in the 1960s, close ties with the Soviet Union enabled ISRO rapidly to develop the Indian space program and advance nuclear power in India even after the first nuclear test explosion by India on May 18, 1974 at Pokhran.[5] The death of Homi Bhabha in an air crash on January 24, 1966 came as a blow to the Indian space program.[6] Following Bhabha's passing, Sarabhai was sent to assume Bhabha's place as the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.[6] The 1960s also saw the founding of the Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC), Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station (ESCES, 1967), the Sriharikota base, and the Indian Satellite System Project (ISSP).[6] The Indian Space Research Organization in its modern form was created by Vikarm Sarabhai in 1969.[6] This body was to take control of all space activities in the Republic of India.[6]

Goals and objectives

The prime objective of ISRO is to develop space technology and its application to various national tasks.[7] The Indian space program was driven by the vision of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, considered as the father of Indian Space Programme.[8] As stated by him:

There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society.[7]

As also pointed out by Dr.APJ Kalam:

Many individual with myopic vision questioned the relevance of space activities in a newly independent nation, which was finding it difficult to feed its population. Their vision was clear if Indians were to play meaningful role in the community of nations, they must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to their real-life problems. They had no intention of using it as a mean to display our might.[9]

India's economic progress has made its space program more visible and active as the country aims for greater self-reliance in space technology.[10] Hennock etc. hold that India also connects space exploration to national prestige, further stating: 'This year India has launched 11 satellites, including nine from other countries—and it became the first nation to launch 10 satellites on one rocket.'[10]

Launch vehicle fleet

Comparison of Indian carrier rockets. Left to right: SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV, GSLV III.

Geopolitical and economic considerations during the 1960s and 1970s compelled India to initiate its own launch vehicle program.[11] During the first phase (1960s-1970s) the country successfully developed a sounding rockets program, and by the 1980s, research had yielded the reliable Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 and the more advanced Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), complete with operational supporting infrastructure.[11] ISRO further applied its energies to the advancement of launch vehicle technology resulting in the creation of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) technologies.[11]

By 2007, the PSLV had launched 10 remote sensing satellites, carrying 6 foreign satellites as co-passenger payloads, with maximum payload of 1600 kg in Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO).[11] The GSLV series—capable of carrying heavier payloads weighing in excess of 2.5 tons—has also launched Geosynchronous satellites (GSAT) weighing up to 1950 kg, in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).[11] ISRO is presently developing the GSLV Mk-3, capable of placing payloads ranging from 4 tons in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit to 10 tons in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).[11] ISRO has also embarked upon the AVATAR Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) project.[11]

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

Main article: PSLV

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, usually known by its abbreviation PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV, commercially viable only from Russia. PSLV can also launch small satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The reliability and versatility of the PSLV is proven by the fact that it has launched 30 spacecraft (14 Indian and 16 from other countries) into a variety of orbits so far.[12] In April 2008, it successfully launched 10 satellites a once, breaking a world record held by Russia.[13]

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

Main article: GSLV

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, usually known by its abbreviation GSLV, is an expendable launch system developed to enable India to launch its INSAT-type satellites into geostationary orbit and to make India less dependent on foreign rockets. At present, it is ISRO's heaviest satellite launch vehicle and is capable of putting a 2.5 ton satellite into Low Earth Orbit.

Earth observation satellites

File:Insat vhrr.jpg
Image taken by INSAT 2-E.
INSAT-1B.

India's first satellite, the Aryabhata, was launched by the Soviets in 1975. This was followed by the Rohini series of experimental satellites which were built and launched indigenously. At present, ISRO operates a large number of earth observation satellites.

The INSAT series

Main article: INSAT

INSAT (Indian National Satellite System) is a series of multipurpose geostationary satellites launched by ISRO to satisfy the telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology and search-and-rescue needs of India. Commissioned in 1983, INSAT is the largest domestic communication system in the Asia-Pacific Region. It is a joint venture of the Department of Space, Department of Telecommunications, India Meteorological Department, All India Radio and Doordarshan. The overall coordination and management of INSAT system rests with the Secretary-level INSAT Coordination Committee.

The IRS series

Main article: IRS

Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS) are a series of earth observation satellites, built, launched and maintained by ISRO. The IRS series provides remote sensing services to the country. The Indian Remote Sensing Satellite system is the largest constellation of remote sensing satellites for civilian use in operation today in the world. All the satellites are placed in polar sun-synchronous orbit and provide data in a variety of spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions to enable several programs to be undertaken relevant to national development.

Other satellites

ISRO has also launched a set of experimental geostationary satellites known as the GSAT series. Kalpana-1, ISRO's first dedicated meteorological satellite, was launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on September 12, 2002. The satellite was originally known as MetSat-1. In February 2003 it was renamed to Kalpana-1 by the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in memory of Kalpana Chawla – a NASA astronaut who perished in Space Shuttle Columbia.

Lunar and interplanetary missions

File:Chandrayaanliftoff.jpg
Chandrayaan-1 moon mission lifts off on the PSLV-C11.

India's first mission beyond Earth orbit was Chandrayaan-1, a lunar spacecraft which successfully entered the lunar orbit on November 8, 2008. The mission is still ongoing. ISRO plans to follow up Chandrayaan-1 with Chandrayaan-2 and unmanned missions to Mars and Near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets.

Chandrayaan-1

Main article: Chandrayaan-1

Chandrayaan-1 (Sanskrit: चंद्रयान-१) is India's first mission to the moon. The unmanned lunar exploration mission includes a lunar orbiter and an impactor called the Moon Impact Probe. India launched the spacecraft using a modified version of the PSLV C11 on 22 October 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The vehicle was successfully inserted into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008. It carries high-resolution remote sensing equipment for visible, near infrared, and soft and hard X-ray frequencies. Over its two-year operational period, it is intended to survey the lunar surface to produce a complete map of its chemical characteristics and 3-dimensional topography. The polar regions are of special interest, as they might contain ice. The lunar mission carries five ISRO payloads and six payloads from other international space agencies including NASA, ESA, and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which were carried free of cost.

Human spaceflight program

The SRE-1 kept for public display.
Main article: Indian human spaceflight program

The Indian Space Research Organization has proposed a crewed mission by 2015 and the proposal is still waiting formal Government approval. The Indian government has already allotted a budget for pre-project initiatives. If realized in the stated time-frame, India will become only the fourth nation, after the USSR, USA and China, to successfully carry out manned missions indigenously.

Technology demonstration

The Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SCRE or more commonly SRE or SRE-1) is an experimental Indian spacecraft which was launched using the PSLV C7 rocket, along with three other satellites. It remained in orbit for 12 days before re-entering the Earth's atmosphere and splashing down into the Bay of Bengal.

The SRE-1 was designed to demonstrate the capability to recover an orbiting space capsule, and the technology for performing experiments in the microgravity conditions of an orbiting platform. It was also intended to test thermal protection, navigation, guidance, control, deceleration and flotation systems, as well as study hypersonic aero-thermodynamics, management of communication blackouts, and recovery operations.

ISRO also plans to launch SRE-2 and SRE-3 in the near future to test advanced re-entry technology for future manned missions.

Astronaut training and other facilities

ISRO will set up an astronaut training centre in Bangalore by 2012 to prepare personnel for flights onboard the crewed vehicle. The centre will use water simulation to train the selected astronauts in rescue and recovery operations and survival in zero gravity, and will undertake studies of the radiation environment of space.

ISRO will build centrifuges to prepare astronauts for the acceleration phase of the mission. It also plans to build a new launchpad to meet the target of launching a manned space mission by 2015. This would be the third launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, specifically for manned missions.

Development of crewed vehicle

ISRO envisaged designing two space modules — for carrying two and three astronauts respectively into space. The first one will be a completely indigenous cone shaped Mercury-class module. The second vehicle will be a Soyuz-derived design.[14]

In the first manned mission, two Indian astronauts will be sent for a seven-day stay in a low earth orbit on the indigenous space module — anywhere between 160 km to 2000 km — above the earth’s surface using a present version of the GSLV rocket.

ISRO plans to develop the second crew vehicle with the cooperation of the Russian Space Agency. The vehicle is to be similar to Soyuz but would be designed according to Indian requirements, which means having a large and independent orbital module. The re-entry module would be adopted from the planned ISRO Orbital Vehicle. The indigenous crew vehicle is slated to fly in 2015. It would be launched on ISRO's heavy-lift vehicle in development, GSLV Mk-3.

Field installations

ISRO's headquarters is located at Antariksh Bhavan in Bangalore.

Research facilities

Facility Location Description
Physical Research Laboratory Ahmedabad Solar planetary physics, infrared astronomy, geo-cosmo physics, plasma physics, astrophysics, archaeology, and hydrology are some of the branches of study at this institute.[15] An observatory at Udaipur also falls under the control of this institution.[15]
Semi-Conductor Laboratory Chandigarh Research & Development in the field of semiconductor technology, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems and process technologies relating to semiconductor processing.
National Atmospheric Research Laboratory Chittoor The NARL carries out fundamental and applied research in Atmospheric and Space Sciences.
Raman Research Institute (RRI) Bangalore RRI carries out research in selected areas of physics like Astrophysics and Astronomy.
Space Applications Centre Ahmedabad The SAC deals with the various aspects of practical use of space technology.[15] Among the fields of research at the SAC are geodesy, satellite based telecommunications, surveying, remote sensing, meteorology, environment monitoring etc.[15] The SEC additionally operates the Delhi Earth Station.[16]

Test facilities

Facility Location Description
Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre Bangalore, Thiruvanthapuram, and Mahendragiri The LPSC handles testing and implementation of liquid propulsion control packages and helps develop engines for launch vehicles and satellites.[15] The testing is largely conducted at Mahendragiri.[15] The LPSC also constructs precision transducers.[17]

Construction and launch facilities

Facility Location Description
ISRO Satellite Centre Bangalore The venue of eight successful spacecraft projects is also one of the main satellite technology bases of ISRO. The facility serves as a venue for implementing indigenous spacecrafts in India.[15] The satellites Ayrabhata, Bhaskara, APPLE, and IRS-1A were constructed at this site, and the IRS and INSAT satellite series are presently under development here.[17]
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Andhra Pradesh With multiple sub sites the Sriharikota island facility acts as a launching site for India's satellites.[15] The Sriharikota facility is also the main launch base for India's sounding rockets.[17] The centre is also holds India's largest Solid Propellant Space Booster Plant (SPROB) and also houses the Static Test and Evaluation Complex (STEX).[17]
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Thiruvanthapuram The largest ISRO base is also the main technical centre and the venue of development of the SLV-3, ASLV, and PSLV series.[15] The base supports India's Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station and the Rohini Sounding Rocket program.[15] This facility is also developing the GSLV series.[15]
Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station Thumba TERLS is used to launch sounding rockets.

Tracking and control facilities

Facility Location Description
National Remote Sensing Agency Hyderabad The NRSA applies remote sensing to manage natural resources and study aerial surveying.[15] With centres at Balanagar and Shadnagar it also has training facilities at Dehradun in form of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing.[15]
Indian Space Research Organisation Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network Bangalore (headquarters) and a number of ground stations throughout India and abroad.[16] Software development, ground operations, Tracking Telemetry and Command (TTC), and support is provided by this institution.[15] ISTRAC has an S-band receive only station in Mauritius, Satellite Tracking and Ranging Station (STARS) at Kavalur, and a Mission Control Centre (MCC) for international operations in Tamil Nadu.[16]
Master Control Facility Hassan For geostationary satellites orbit raising, payload testing, and in-orbit operations are performed at this facility.[18] The MCF has earth stations and Satellite Control Centre (SCC) for controlling satellites.[18] A second MCF like facility named 'MCF-B' is being constructed at Bhopal.[18]
Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) Bangalore It receives the spacecraft health data as well as the payload data in real time and also conditioning of the data takes place.

Human resource development

Facility Location Description
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) Thiruvananthapuram The institute offers undergraduates and graduate courses in Avionics, Aerospace Engineering.
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bangalore IIA is a premier institute devoted to research in astronomy, astrophysics and related physics.
Development and Educational Communication Unit Ahmedabad The centre works for education, research, and training, mainly in conjunction with the INSAT program.[15] The main activities being carried out at DECU include GRAMSAT and EDUSAT projects.[17] The Training and Development Communication Channel (TDCC) also falls under the operational control of the DECU.[16]

Commercial wing

Facility Location Description
Antrix Corporation Bangalore The marketing agency under government control markets ISRO's hardware, manpower, and software.[18]

Other facilities include :

Vision for the future

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle III.

ISRO plans to launch a number of new generation Earth Observation Satellites in the near future. It will also undertake the development of new lauch vehicles and spacecraft. ISRO has stated that it will send unmanned missions to Mars and other Near-Earth Objects.

Indian lunar exploration programme

  • With the success of Chandrayaan-1, the country's first moon mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to follow it up with a set of lunar missions in the next decade, including a manned mission which is slated to take place in 2020.
  • Chandrayaan-2 (Sanskrit: चंद्रयान-२), is the second unmanned lunar exploration mission proposed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at a projected cost of Rs. 425 crore (US$ 90 million). The mission includes a lunar orbiter as well as a Lander/Rover.
  • ISRO plans to land a motorised rover on the Moon likely in 2012, as a part of its second Chandrayaan mission. The wheeled rover will move on the lunar surface, to pick up soil or rock samples for on site chemical analysis. The data will be sent to Earth through Chandrayaan II, which will be in lunar orbit.
  • ISRO also plans to carry out a manned lunar mission by 2020, which is approximately the same time as the China National Space Administration (CNSA) manned lunar mission in 2020 and NASA's Project Constellation plans to return to the moon with its Orion-Altair project.

Space exploration

  • ISRO plans to carry out an umanned mission to Mars in 2013. According to ISRO, the Mars mission remained at a conceptual stage, but was expected to be finalised in 2009. It was also noted that the current iteration of India's geo-synchronous satellite launch vehicle would be used to loft the new vessel into space.[19]
  • The ISRO is also designing a solar probe named Aditya. It is a small satellite designed to study the coupling between the sun and the earth. It is a mini-satellite which will be launched in 2011.

IRNSS

Main article: IRNSS

The Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system being developed by Indian Space Research Organisation which would be under total control of Indian government. The requirement of such a navigation system is driven by the fact that access to Global Navigation Satellite Systems like GPS are not guaranteed in hostile situations. ISRO plans to launch the constellation of satellites, beginning from 2010 and up to 2012.

Development of new launch vehicles

ISRO is currently developing two new generation lauch vehicles, which are the GSLV-Mk3 and the AVATAR RLV. These launch vehicles will increase ISRO's present launch capability and would provide a greater share of world satellite launch market to India.

Applications

With one of the largest satellite communication systems in the world applications like land management, water resources management, natural disasters forecasting, radio networking, weather forecasting, meteorological imaging and computer communication are used for practical purposes.[20] Business, administrative services, and schemes such as the National Informatics Centre (NICNET) are direct beneficiaries of applied satellite technology.[20] Dinshaw Mistry—on the subject of practical applications of the Indian space program—writes:

The INSAT-2 satellites also provide telephone links to remote areas; data transmission for organizations such as the National Stock Exchange; mobile satellite service communications for private operators, railways, and road transport; and broadcast satellite services, used by India’s state-owned television agency as well as commercial television channels. India’s Edusat (Educational Satellite), launched aboard the GSLV in 2004, was intended for adult literacy and distance learning applications in rural areas. It augmented and would eventually replace such capabilities already provided by INSAT-3B.

The IRS satellites have found applications with the Indian Natural Resource Management program, with regional Remote Sensing Service Centers in five Indian cities, and with Remote Sensing Application Centers in twenty Indian states that use IRS images for economic development applications. These include environmental monitoring, analyzing soil erosion and the impact of soil conservation measures, forestry management, determining land cover for wildlife sanctuaries, delineating groundwater potential zones, flood inundation mapping, drought monitoring, estimating crop acreage and deriving agricultural production estimates, fisheries monitoring, mining and geological applications such as surveying metal and mineral deposits, and urban planning.

India’s satellites and satellite launch vehicles have had military spin-offs. While India’s 93–124 mile (150–250 km) range Prithvi missile is not derived from the Indian space program, the intermediate range Agni missile is drawn from the Indian space program’s SLV-3. In its early years, when headed by Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan, ISRO opposed military applications for its dual-use projects such as the SLV-3. Eventually, however, the Defence Research and Development (DRDO)–based missile program borrowed human resources and technology from ISRO. Missile scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (elected president of India in 2002), who had headed the SLV-3 project at ISRO, moved to DRDO to direct India’s missile program. About a dozen scientists accompanied Abdul Kalam from ISRO to DRDO, where Abdul Kalam designed the Agni missile using the SLV-3’s solidfuel first stage and a liquid-fuel (Prithvi-missile-derived) second stage. The IRS and INSAT satellites were primarily intended and used for civilian-economic applications, but they also offered military spin-offs. In 1996 New Delhi’s Ministry of Defence temporarily blocked the use of IRS-1C by India’s environmental and agricultural ministries in order to monitor ballistic missiles near India’s borders. In 1997 the Indian air force’s “Airpower Doctrine” aspired to use space assets for surveillance and battle management.[21]

Institutions like the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the Indian Institute of Technology use satellites for scholarly applications.[22] Between 1975–1976 India conducted its largest sociological program using space technology reaching 2400 villages through video programming in local languages aimed for educational development via ATS-6 technology developed by NASA.[23] This experiment—named Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE)—conducted large scale video broadcasts resulting in significant improvement in rural education.[23]

ISRO has applied its technology to telemedicine, directly connecting patients in rural areas to medical professionals in urban medical locations via satellites.[22] Since high-quality healthcare is not universally available in some of the remote areas of India, the patients in remote areas are diagnosed and analyzed by doctors in urban centres in real time via video conferencing.[22] The patient is then advised medicine and treatment by doctors not physically present in the remote areas.[22] The patient is then treated by the staff at one of the 'super-specialty hospitals' under instructions from the doctor.[22] Mobile telemedicine vans are also deployed to visit locations in far flung areas and provide diagnosis and support to patients.[22]

ISRO has also helped implement India's Biodiversity information system, completed in October 2002.[24] Nirupa Sen details the program: "Based on intensive field sampling and mapping using satellite remote sensing and geospatial modelling tools, maps have been made of vegetation cover on a 1 : 250,000 scale. This has been put together in a web-enabled database which links gene-level information of plant species with spatial information in a BIOSPEC database of the ecological hot spot regions, namely northeastern India, Western Ghats, Western Himalayas and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This has been made possible with collaboration between the Department of Biotechnology and ISRO."[24]

The Indian IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1) was equipped with high resolution panchromatic equipment to enable it for cartographic purposes.[25] IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1) was followed by a more advanced model named IRS-P6 developed also for agricultural applications.[25] The CARTOSAT-2 project, equipped with single panchromatic camera which supported scene specific on-spot images, succeed the CARTOSAT-1 project.[26]

Global cooperation

ISRO had the benefit of International cooperation since inception.

  • Establishment of TERLS, conduct of SITE & STEP, launches of Aryabhata, Bhaskara, APPLE, IRS-IA and IRS-IB/ satellites manned space mission, etc involved international cooperation.
  • ISRO operates LUT/MCC under international COSPAS/SARSAT Programme for Search and Rescue.
  • India has established a Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTE-AP) that is sponsored by United Nations.
  • India hosted the Second UN-ESCAP Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific in November 1999.
  • The Chandrayaan-1 carried scientific payload from NASA, ESA and the Bulgarian Space Agency.
  • Russian Space Agency is cooperating with India in developing the rover for Chandrayaan-2 and also in Indian manned mission.

ISRO and Department of Space has signed formal Memorandum of Understanding agreements with a number of foreign governments including Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, European Space Agency (ESA), France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Hungary, the Netherlands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.[27] India carries out joint operations with foreign space agencies, such as the Indo-French Megha-Tropiques Mission.[27] India is a member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Cospas-Sarsat, International Astronautical Federation, Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), International Space University, and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellite (CEOS).[27] On 25 June 2002 India and the European Union agreed to bilateral cooperation in the field of science and technology.[28] A joint EU-India group of scholars was formed on 23 November, 2001 to further promote joint research and development.[28] India holds observer status at CERN while a joint India-EU Software Education and Development Center is due at Bangalore.[28]

People

Person Period Contribution
Homi Jehangir Bhabha Born: October 30, 1909 – Deceased: January 24, 1966 Homi Bhabha helped establish the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 1945, and by 1950 was appointed secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy in charge of the space research in India.[29] He served as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy until his passing in an air crash on January 24, 1966.[29]
Vikram Sarabhai Born: August 12, 1919 – Deceased: December 31, 1971 Sarabhai established the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad; Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram; Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad; Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam; Variable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta; Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad; and the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar.[30] He served as chairman of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962 and, following the passing of Homi Bhabha, was sent to assume Bhabha's place as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.[31] Sarabhai formally set up ISRO in its modern avatar in 1969.[31]
Satish Dhawan Born: 25 September 1920– Deceased: 3 January 2002 Dhawan was appointed as the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1972.[32] He was also the secretary in India's Department of Space.[32] His long tenure was marked with several successes and rapid development of India's space program.[33]
Rakesh Sharma Born: January 13, 1949 - present On April 3, 1984, Rakesh Sharma along with Gennady Strekalov and Yury Malyshev successfully docked with the Salyut 7 station abroad the Soviet Soyuz T-11.[34] Rakesh Sharma became the first citizen of India to travel to space, and was awarded the Soviet honor Hero of Soviet Union and the Indian Ashoka Chakra for this mission.[34][35]
Raja Ramanna Born: 1925 - Deceased: September 23, 2004 Raja Ramanna served as the director of the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (1972–78 and 1981–83); Director-General, DRDO; secretary for defense research, Government of India (1978-81); chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission between 1984–87; director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore; minister of state for defense in the Indian cabinet between January–November 1990; member of the Rajya Sabha between August 1997–August 2003; and as a member of the India's first National Security Advisory Board.[36]
Abdul Kalam Born: October 15, 1931 — present A.P.J. Abdul Kalam contributed significantly to the Indian nuclear program, the Indian space program, and several defense projects.[37] He served as the director of the SLV-3 project.[37] After serving successfully with the ISRO Kalam moved on to the DRDO where he served as the director.[37] In the DRDO he was in charge of the development of several missiles including the Nag, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul, and Agni series.[37] He was chosen as the eleventh President of India, serving from 2002 to 2007.[37]
U.R. Rao - From 1972 onwards Rao oversaw the development of over 15 satellite projects in India, including the Aryabhata, APPLE, Rohini, INSAT, and Indian Remote Sensing satellite.[38] He also served as the chairman of the governing council of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad; as chairman, Space Commission; and as secretary, Department of Space.[38] He also contributed significantly to the ASLV, PSLV, and the GSLV series.[38] Rao also helped develop cryogenic technology and apply space technology to practical uses in India.[38]
K. Kasturirangan Born: 20th October, 1940 — present Kasturirangan held several key posts in the Indian space program and served in the Rajya Sabha from August 27, 2003 onwards.[39] His important contributions included the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) program, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLV) series, and the Indian Remote Sensing satellite (IRS) satellite series during his tenure as the head of the Indian space program from March 1994 to August 2003.[40]
G. M. Nair Born October 31, 1943 — present Incumbent chairman of ISRO, secretary to the Indian Department of Space, and the chairman of the Antrix Corporation, Bangalore.
Mylswamy Annadurai Born: 2 July, 1958 — present Annadurai served as the director of the successful Chandrayan moon mission.[41] He had previously served in the IRS-1A, IRS 1B, INSAT 2A, INSAT 2B, and EDUSAT projects.[41]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Daniel, 486
  2. ^ a b Daniel, 487
  3. ^ a b c d e Daniel, 488
  4. ^ a b c d Daniel, 489
  5. ^ Khan, Sultanat Aisha (2006), "Russia, relations with", Encyclopedia of India (vol. 3) edited by Stanley Wolpert, 419-422, Thomson Gale: ISBN 0-684-31352-9.
  6. ^ a b c d e Daniel, 490
  7. ^ a b "About ISRO", ISRO, Government of India.
  8. ^ Burleson, 136
  9. ^ In Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam (1999), his autobiography.
  10. ^ a b Hennock etc. (2008), "The Real Space Race Is In Asia", Newsweek.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Gupta, 1697
  12. ^ PSLV-C11 Successfully Launches Chandrayaan-1
  13. ^ "India sets its sights on the Moon". BBC. 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  14. ^ http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jan42009/national20090104110557.asp
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o India in Space", Science & Technology edited by N.N. Ojha, 142.
  16. ^ a b c d "Space Research", Science and Technology in India edited by R.K. Suri and Kalapana Rajaram, 415.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Space Research", Science and Technology in India edited by R.K. Suri and Kalapana Rajaram, 414.
  18. ^ a b c d "Space Research", Science and Technology in India edited by R.K. Suri and Kalapana Rajaram, 416.
  19. ^ http://www.itexaminer.com/isro-confirms-new-space-plans.aspx
  20. ^ a b Bhaskaranarayana, 1738–1746 Cite error: The named reference "Bhaskaranarayana1738" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  21. ^ Mistry, 94–95
  22. ^ a b c d e f Bhaskaranarayana, 1744
  23. ^ a b Bhaskaranarayana, 1737
  24. ^ a b Sen, 490
  25. ^ a b Burleson, 136
  26. ^ Burleson, 143
  27. ^ a b c "Space Research", Science and Technology in India edited by R.K. Suri and Kalapana Rajaram, 447.
  28. ^ a b c Ketkar, Prafulla (2006), "European Union, Relations with (Science and technology)", Encyclopedia of India (vol. 2), edited by Stanley Wolpert, 48-51, Thomson Gale: ISBN 0-684-31351-0.
  29. ^ a b Daniel, 486-489
  30. ^ ""Vikram Sarabhai", Vigyan Prasar, Deprtment of Science and technology, Government of India.
  31. ^ a b Daniel, 486–490
  32. ^ a b Narasimha, 223
  33. ^ Narasimha, 223–225
  34. ^ a b "U.S. and Russian Human Space Flights: 1961–September 30, 1999", NASA, Government of the United States of America.
  35. ^ "Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma", National Defence Academy, Government of India.
  36. ^ "Raja Ramanna", Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
  37. ^ a b c d e "Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam", Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
  38. ^ a b c d "IAA Attributes the Von Karman Award for 2005 to Prof. Udipi Ramachandra Rao (India)", International Academy of Astronautics, October, 2005.
  39. ^ "K. Kasturirangan ", ISRO, Government of India.
  40. ^ Current Science (2004), 86 (7): 895-896, Bangalore: Indian Academy of Sciences.
  41. ^ a b Mohapatra, Satyen (2007), "Reaching for the moon", Hindustan Times.

References

  • Bhaskaranarayana etc. (2007), "Applications of space communication", Current Science, 93 (12): 1737-1746, Bangalore: Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • Burleson, D. (2005), "India", Space Programs Outside the United States: All Exploration and Research Efforts, Country by Country, McFarland & Company, 136-146, ISBN 0-7864-1852-4.
  • Daniel, R.R. (1992), "Space Science in India", Indian Journal of History of Science, 27 (4): 485-499, New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy.
  • Gupta, S.C. etc. (2007), "Evolution of Indian launch vehicle technologies", Current Science, 93 (12): 1697-1714, Bangalore: Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • "India in Space", Science & Technology edited by N.N. Ojha, 110-143, New Delhi: Chronicle Books.
  • Mistry, Dinshaw (2006), "Space Program", Encyclopedia of India (vol. 4) edited by Stanley Wolpert, 93-95, Thomson Gale: ISBN 0-684-31353-7.
  • Narasimha, R. (2002), "Satish Dhawan", Current Science, 82 (2): 222-225, Bangalore: Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • Sen, Nirupa (2003), "Indian success stories in use of Space tools for social development", Current Science, 84 (4): 489-490, Bangalore: Indian Academy of Sciences.
  • "Space Research", Science and Technology in India edited by R.K. Suri and Kalapana Rajaram, 411-448, New Delhi: Spectrum, ISBN 81-7930-294-6.
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