Since its founding in 1969, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has served as a source of pride for India. It is one of the top space organisations in the world, with 94 launches and 124 spacecraft missions. Chandrayaan-3, the lunar spacecraft that achieved successful contact with the moon, represents its most recent achievement. With this, India became one of the four countries to have set foot on the Moon and the first to do it at the Moon’s South Pole.
Let’s explore the prior notable accomplishments of India’s pride, ISRO, in light of this enormous success.
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Aryabhata 1, 1975
The Aryabhata satellite was the first Indian satellite created by ISRO and was named for the illustrious Indian astronomer of the same name. It was entirely produced, planned, and put together in India. The satellite, which weighed more than 360 kg, was launched on April 19, 1975, from the Russian Volgograd Launch Station by a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket. It opened the way for later, fruitful expeditions.
Image Source: Gunter’s Space Page
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Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) Series, 1983
The INSAT series, which was first introduced in 1983, revolutionised India’s telecommunications industry. The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in the Asia-Pacific region, with nine active communication satellites in geostationary orbit. With its 200+ correspondents, the INSAT system offers television broadcasting, satellite news gathering, social media applications, weather forecasting, disaster warning, and search and rescue operations.
Image Source: Current Affairs
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Chandrayaan 1, 2008
It was India’s first lunar mission. The mission, which was successfully launched on October 22, 2008, proved to be one of the most significant advances in science because the ship discovered the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface. The world learned that there is water on the Moon thanks to Chandrayaan-1.
Image Source: Britannica
Also Read: How Did ISRO Come To Bengaluru. Here’s All You Need To Know
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Mars Orbiter Mission, 2014
Thanks to the Mars Orbiter Mission, or MOM for short, India became the first to orbit Mars successfully. Additionally, it was the country’s first interplanetary mission. On November 5, 2013, the PSLV-C25 rocket from Sriharikota launched Mangalyaan into space. With this, ISRO made history by being the fourth space agency to launch a spacecraft into an orbit around Mars successfully. As of September 24, 2021, MOM has been in orbit for 7 years despite having a 6-month mission.
Image Source: OpIndia
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Chandrayaan 3, 2023
Following Chandrayaan-2, which intends to land on the moon and examine its surface safely, came Chandrayaan-3. With its triumph, India has joined the US, China, and the other three elite countries in the world that have set foot on the moon. It is a significant historical event for the entire world, not just for India. India has accomplished the first-ever successful landing on the Moon’s South Pole.
Image Source: Wikipedia
Apart from these missions, ISRO is planning to launch another mission to the Sun. The space agency revealed on Monday that Aditya-L1, India’s first Sun mission, will launch from Sriharikota on September 2 in the early morning.
