ISRO Full Form
What is the full form of ISRO?
The full form ISRO is Indian Space Research Organization. To serve India and humanity as a whole, the organisation works in science, engineering, and technology. The Indian government's Department of Space (DOS) includes ISRO as a significant component. Through a number of ISRO Centers or Units, the department principally carries out the Indian Space Programme. According to Dr. Vikram Sarabhai's vision, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established by the Indian government in 1962 and later became the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). On August 15, 1969, ISRO was established, replacing INCOSPAR and taking on a more significant role in the development of space technology. In 1972, DOS was established, and it included ISRO.
Development and use of space technology for diverse national needs is the primary objective of ISRO/DOS. ISRO has created significant space systems for communication, television broadcasting, meteorological services, resource monitoring, and management, and space-based navigation services to achieve this goal. For the purpose of launching satellites into the proper orbits, ISRO has created the PSLV and GSLV launch vehicles.
ISRO advances research and science education in the nation in addition to its advancement of technology. Under the direction of the Department of Space, a number of specialised research centres and independent organisations for remote sensing, astronomy and astrophysics, atmospheric sciences, and space sciences in general operate.
Along with fostering and promoting science education, ISRO's own lunar and interplanetary missions and other scientific endeavours also contribute to the advancement of science by giving the scientific community useful information. The Chairman of ISRO, who is also Secretary of DOS and Chairman of the Space Commission, which is the apex body in charge of developing the policies and directing the execution of the Indian Space Programme, serves as the organisation's leader.
History of ISRO
Modern space research in India dates back to the 1920s when scientist S. K. Mitra experimented using ground-based radio in Kolkata to hear the ionosphere. Later, Indian scientists like C.V. Raman and Meghnad Saha contributed to the development of scientific theories that are useful to the study of space. Two scientists, Vikram Sarabhai, who founded the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, and Homi Bhabha, who founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 1945, achieved significant advancements in coordinated space research in India after 1945.
Homi Bhabha was named secretary of the newly established Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in 1950. For space research across India, it provided funds.
The Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) was founded in the Himalayan foothills in 1954.
Osmania University in Hyderabad established the Rangpur Observatory in 1957. The Indian government further promoted space research. A space launch was made possible for the rest of the world in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1.
On Vikram Sarabhai's recommendation, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru established the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. INCOSPAR established the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) at Thiruvananthapuram for upper atmospheric research. At first, there was no separate ministry for the space programme, and DAE continued to oversee all INCOSPAR activities related to space technology.
INCOSPAR was replaced by ISRO during the tenure of the Indira Gandhi government and Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was appointed as the 1st Chairman of ISRO. Later in 1972, a space commission and Department of Space (DOS) were established to supervise the development of space technology exclusively in India, and ISRO was placed under DOS. This institutionalised space research in India and shaped the Indian space programme into its current form. India joined the Soviet Interkosmos programme for space cooperation and launched its first satellite, Aryabhatta, into orbit using a Soviet rocket.
Centres of ISRO
Headquarters of ISRO is in Bengaluru.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) at Thiruvananthapuram, manufactures launch vehicles.
At the U. R. Rao Satellite Center (URSC), Bengaluru, satellites are built and designed.
The Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Sriharikota, handles the integration and launch of satellites and launch vehicles.
Development of liquid stages, including cryogenic stages, is done at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala, and Bengaluru.
Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, focuses on space technology applications, remote sensing satellites, and sensors for Communication.
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, is in charge of receiving, processing, and disseminating data from remote sensing satellites.
Vision of ISRO
To pursue planetary exploration and space science research while utilising, sustaining, and enhancing space technology for national development.
Mission of ISRO
Developing and designing launch vehicles as well as related technology to enable access to space.
Development and design of satellites and related technologies for meteorology, space science, communication, and earth observation.
Program for communication to satisfy needs in broadcasting, communications, and development.
Programme using space-based imagery for remote sensing satellites to manage natural resources and monitor the environment.
Navigation system based in space.
Applications for the growth of society based in space.
Research and development in planetary exploration and space science.
Promote and provide private companies permission to play a significant role in the global space market
Objectives of ISRO
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) operational flights.
Designing and creating new methods of space travel.
Creation of communication satellites through design, development, and manufacturing.
Earth observation satellite development, design, and implementation.
The advancement of satellite navigation systems.
Satellite creation for planet exploration and space science.
Earth Observation Applications.
Systems for societal use based in space.
Innovative initiatives and cutting-edge technologies.
Education, training, and capacity building.
Support for space technologies.
Construction of facilities and infrastructure for space research.
Collaboration internationally.
The commercial use of goods and services derived from the Indian space programme.
Promotion and authorization of private Indian companies in the space sector.
Achievements of ISRO
The nation's first satellite was the Aryabhatta spacecraft, which was named after the well-known Indian astronomer. Because it was entirely designed in India and launched from a Russian facility in 1975, it was a significant achievement for India's space programme.
India's first experimental four-stage satellite launch vehicle was called the Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3) whose project director was Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam. It had the capacity to launch payloads of 40 kg into low-earth orbit (LEO). The launch date was July 18, 1980. According to the ISRO's official website, SLV-3 launched Rohini into orbit, making India the sixth country to have access to space. The Indian Space Research organisation launched the Rohini series of satellites. Each of the four satellites in the Rohini series was launched by an SLV, and three of them successfully entered orbit. The majority of the series was test satellites.
Indian National Satellite system, also known as INSAT, is a network of satellites that enables broadcasting and communications throughout South Asia. The first satellite in the series was launched into space in 1983, ushering in a revolution in India's television and radio broadcasting, telecommunications, and meteorological industries.
The first IRS satellite was launched in 1988, and the programme went on to produce more sophisticated satellites like the RISAT-1 (Radar Imaging Satellite-1) which was launched in 2012, and the Satellite SARAL which was launched in 2013 as part of a joint Indian-French mission to measure the height of ocean waves.
The Indian space program's most dependable workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), was built in the 1990s. In 1993, the PSLV launched its first mission; nevertheless, it wasn't until 1994 that it made a successful flight. It carried out numerous satellite launches over the following 20 years, including those for Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, two important historical missions. With almost 40 satellites flown for 19 different countries.
The third-generation launch vehicle for India is called the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and it is also the country's first launch vehicle to use liquid stages. Since its introduction in October 1994, the PSLV has shown to be a dependable launch vehicle, having completed 55 missions out of which 52 were successful, 1 mission was a partial failure and 2 were complete failures as of June 2022 and has a success rate of 94%. Between 1994 and 2017, the vehicle launched 209 satellites for customers outside in addition to 48 Indian spacecraft, according to the ISRO website. The vehicle also successfully launched two spacecraft, Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013.
India's first mission to the moon was called Chandrayaan-1. It was the first unmanned lunar probe launched by ISRO as part of the Chandrayaan programme in October 2008. The spacecraft was made up of an impactor and a lunar orbiter. Additionally, it included instruments made in other nations, like the USA, UK, Germany, Sweden, and Bulgaria. In total, the spacecraft made nearly 3,400 orbits of the moon. Even though the mission was abandoned when contact with the spacecraft was lost on August 29, 2009, it nonetheless managed to significantly advance India's space programme.
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is another incredible development by ISRO (GSLV). A space launch vehicle called the GSLV is also used to put satellites and other spacecraft into geosynchronous transfer orbits. The GSLV is a three-stage launch vehicle with strap-on motors that can carry a bigger payload into orbit than the PSLV. The GSLV's first successful flight with its in-house cryogenic engine was GSLV-D5. On January 5, 2014, the D5 was launched.
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was India’s first interplanetary mission. India became the fourth space agency in the world to reach Mars orbit, after Roscosmos, NASA, and the European Space Agency. It also made India the first nation in the world to reach Martian orbit in its maiden attempt. The spacecraft, Mangalyaan, was launched on Nov 5, 2013, and reached Mars’ orbit on September 24, 2014.
India's first astronomy-specific satellite, ASTROSAT, was successfully launched by PSLV-C30 on September 28, 2015. To explore stars and galaxies, ASTROSAT offers simultaneous UV to X-ray studies. It will also give the scientific community a chance to make observations. With a combination of scientific instrumentation encompassing the near, far, and x-ray bands for multi-wavelength studies, ASTROSAT is a special mission.
By successfully launching a record of 104 satellites from the Sriharikota spaceport on a single rocket in 2017, ISRO made new records. These are the most satellites that have ever been launched in a single mission. On its 39th mission, the polar satellite launch vehicle PSLV-C37, launched 104 satellites, 101 of which belonged to foreign customers, from the Sriharikota space centre.
On March 27, 2019, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) used an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile to successfully neutralise a satellite in space in a first-of-its-kind attempt. The DRDO's Mission Shakti was one of the most significant and difficult missions it ever undertook.
Future Projects of ISRO
In order to build considerably heavier rockets in the future, ISRO is developing and deploying more potent, cleaner rocket engines like:
Semi-cryogenic engine
Methalox engine
Modular heavy rockets
Reusable launchers
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
In order to lighten the load on satellites and spacecraft and increase their useful lifespan, it also intends to develop electric and nuclear propulsion for them like:
Electric thrusters
Alpha source thermoelectric propulsion technology
Crewed Moon landings as well as landings on other planets could be part of long-term plans like:
Sun’s corona exploration - Aditya-L1 mission in the year 2022
Lunar exploration - Chandrayaan-3 mission in the year 2023 and Chandrayaan-4 mission in the year 2025
Mars exploration - Mars Orbiter Mission-2 (Mangalyaan-2) in the year 2024
Venus exploration - Shukraya-1 mission in the year 2024
To build space telescopes and observatories like:
AstroSat-2
XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite)
Applications of ISRO
Telecommunication: One of the largest satellite communication networks in the world is used by India for a variety of purposes, including radio networking, weather forecasting, meteorological imaging, land management, water resource management, natural catastrophe predictions, and computer communication. Applied satellite technology benefits businesses, administrative services, and initiatives like the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Military: India has the fourth-highest number of active satellites in space, with 14 satellites total, including GSAT-7A for solely military use and the remaining as dual-purpose spacecraft. These satellites are for the exclusive use of the IAF (Indian Air Force) and navy. Similar to the Navy's GSAT-7, the Air Force's GSAT-7A advanced military communications satellite will improve the IAF's network-centric warfare capabilities by connecting various ground radar stations, ground air bases, and airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft like the Beriev A-50 Phalcon and DRDO AEW&CS.
Academic: Satellites are used for educational purposes by organisations like the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indira Gandhi National Open University.
Telemedicine: ISRO has used telemedicine to put its technology to use, establishing direct satellite connections between patients in remote areas and medical specialists in urban areas.
Biodiversity Information System: In addition, ISRO assisted in the implementation of India's Biodiversity Information System, which was finished in October 2002. The vegetation cover has been mapped at a scale of 1: 250,000 using extensive field sampling, satellite remote sensing, and geospatial modeling technologies. This information has been compiled in a web-enabled database that connects gene-level data on plant species with geographic data in a BIOSPEC database of the ecological hot spot regions, specifically northeastern India, the Western Ghats, the Western Himalayas, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Collaboration between the Department of Biotechnology and ISRO has made this possible.
Cartography: High-resolution panchromatic equipment was added to the Indian IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1) to enable cartographic uses. A more sophisticated model termed IRS-P6, which was similarly created for agricultural uses, was released after IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1).
Spin-offs: Research from ISRO has been redirected towards spin-offs to create a variety of technology for different industries. For example, silica aerogel keeps Indian soldiers warm while serving in bitterly cold climates, bionic limbs for persons without limbs, distress alarm transmitters for accidents, Doppler weather radar, and other sensors and machines for inspection work in engineering sectors.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
S. Somnath is the secretary of ISRO and Dr. Samir V Kamat is the secretary of DRDO
In 2021, the Indian spacecraft Mangalyaan, part of the Mars Orbiter Mission, will have spent seven years orbiting the planet. According to ISRO authorities, the spacecraft successfully travelled for three Martian years. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which was designed to last only six months, has reached the end of its useful life, according to a statement published on October 3, 2022, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, the former President of India is known as the missile man of India for his work as the leader of DRDO on the Prithvi and Agni missile projects. He was also a key contributor to the creation of the first indigenous satellite launch vehicle.
NASA is a civilian space programme for aeronautics and aerospace research in the United States of America, which is the primary distinction between ISRO and NASA. While ISRO is India's primary space agency. National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Indian Space Research Organization are the abbreviations for NASA and ISRO respectively.
With countries like Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States, among others, ISRO has entered into a number of formal cooperative agreements in the form of agreements, memorandums of understanding (MoU), or framework agreements. With worldwide multilateral organisations like the European Space Agency (ESA), European Commission, European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), formal collaboration agreements have been signed.