ISRO Missions & Space

Aryabhata, India's first satellite, was launched on 19 April 1975 by the Soviet Union's Kosmos-3M rocket. It was named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata.

Chandrayaan-1 was launched on 22 October 2008 by PSLV-C11. It made a significant discovery — the presence of water molecules on the Moon's surface. The mission also sent an impact probe onto the Moon.

Mangalyaan was launched on 5 November 2013 and entered Mars orbit on 24 September 2014. India became the first country to reach Mars in its first attempt and the first Asian country to do so.

Gaganyaan is India's first human spaceflight mission aiming to send Indian astronauts (called Vyomnauts) to low Earth orbit. The mission is being developed by ISRO with a target of carrying a 3-member crew.

PSLV-C37 launched 104 satellites in a single mission on 15 February 2017, setting a world record. Of these, 101 were from foreign countries and 3 were Indian, including Cartosat-2D.

Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed near the Moon's south pole on 23 August 2023, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to land near the south pole. The lander was named Vikram and the rover Pragyan.

AstroSat was launched on 28 September 2015 by PSLV-C30. It is India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, capable of observing the universe simultaneously in ultraviolet, optical, and X-ray wavelengths.

Russia agreed to transfer cryogenic technology to India, but under US pressure, Russia backed out of the deal in 1993. ISRO then indigenously developed cryogenic engine technology, and GSLV with indigenous cryogenic stage (GSLV Mk-II) succeeded in 2014.

Aditya-L1 was launched on 2 September 2023 (shortly after Chandrayaan-3's success) by PSLV-C57. It was placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1) between Earth and the Sun to continuously observe the Sun.

SLV-3 was India's first experimental satellite launch vehicle, successfully launched on 18 July 1980 under the project leadership of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (later President of India). It placed the Rohini satellite into orbit.

India's regional navigation satellite system is called IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System), commercially known as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation). It consists of 7 satellites providing accurate positioning over India and surrounding regions.

Chandrayaan-1 (2008) carried NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument which confirmed the presence of water ice in the polar regions of the Moon. This was a major scientific discovery.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It is ISRO's lead centre for launch vehicle development. The Satish Dhawan Space Centre (launch pad) is at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to go to space on 3 April 1984 aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked how India looked from space, he replied "Saare Jahan Se Achha" (Better than the whole world).

ISRO's commercial activities are handled by Antrix Corporation (established 1992, for commercial marketing of satellite services) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL, established 2019, for transfer of technologies and commercial space activities).

LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk III) launched 36 satellites of the OneWeb constellation in two missions (October 2022 and March 2023), marking ISRO's entry into the commercial mega-constellation launch market.

Mangalyaan carries 5 scientific payloads: Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP), Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM), Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA), Mars Colour Camera (MCC), and Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS).

ISRO's SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission tests space docking technology — the ability to join two spacecraft in orbit. This is essential for future missions like Gaganyaan, lunar sample return, and an Indian space station.

LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3, formerly GSLV Mk III) is ISRO's heaviest and most powerful rocket, capable of placing 4 tonnes in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and 10 tonnes in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). It uses indigenous cryogenic engine CE-20.