The seeds of ISRO were sowed by two great Indian scientists Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. In 1962, Indian National Committee For Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established with Sarabhai as its first chairperson. Gradually the INCOSPAR hrew and on 15 August 1969, it became ISRO.
In its early years, ISRO neither had advanced facilities nor an experienced workforce. Sarabhai’s unexpected death left everyone in a shock. ISRO was then spearheaded by Kalam and Dhawan. From then on there has been a chain of achievements throughout. Some of them are:
2020
- GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-251 launch vehicle On 17 January 2020.
- India’s earth observation satellite EOS-01 was successfully launched on 7 November 2020 into a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota by PSLV-C49/EOS-01 launch vehicle. It is used for applications in forestry, agriculture and disaster management support.
- On 17 December 2020, India’s communication satellite CMS-01 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota by PSLV-C50/CMS-01 launch vehicle.
2019
- On 25 January, 2019, Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 was launched by PSLV-C44.
- GSAT-31 India’s Communication Satellite launched successfully from French Guiana on 6 February, 2019.
- EMISAT was successfully launched by PSLV-C45 and 28 customer satellites On 1 April, 2019.
- On 22 May, 2019 RISAT-2B was successfully launched by PSLV-C46.
2018
- 2018 PSLV successfully launches 31 Satellites in a single flight on 12 January.
- On 29 March, 2018 GSAT-6A Satellite was successfully launched by GSLV .
- On 12 April, 2018, IRNSS-11 Navigation Satellite was successfully launched by PSLV-C41 .
- 22 June, 2018, Sub-Saturn like Planet was discovered around a Sun-like star.
- On 16 September, 2018, 2 foreign satellites were launched by PSLV-C42.
2017
- ISRO successfully launched 104 satellites using a single rocket from Sriharikota Space Centre on 15 February, 2017.
- On 5 May, 2017, South Asia Satellite successfully launched by GSLV.
- On 5 June, 2017, GSLV Mk III, First developmental flight of India successfully launches GSAT-19 Satellites.
- On 23 June, 2017, 31 Satellites in a single flight was successfully launched by PSLV-C38.
- India’s GSAT-17 Communication Satellite launches successfully on 29 June, 2017.
2016
- On 20 January, 2016 PSLV-C31 in its 33rd flight launches IRNSS-1E, the fifth satellite of the IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System).
- IRNSS-1G was launched in its 35th flight by PSLV-C33, the seventh satellite of the (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) IRNSS to a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO) on 28 April, 2016.
- On 28 August, 2016, conducted the first experimental mission of ISRO’s Scramjet Engine towards the realisation of an Air Breathing Propulsion System successfully.
- On 26 September, 2016, in its 37th flight, SCATSAT-1 was launched by PSLV-C35 for the studies related to weather and 7 co-passenger satellites into polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).
2015
- Launching of India’s 4th navigation satellite.
- ISRO launched 5 British satellites.
- India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory Astrosat was successfully launched on 28 September, 2015 on board a PSLV-C30 rocket.
- Latest communication satellite of India GSAT-15 was successfully launched on 11 November, 2015 by Ariane-5 rocket from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana.
- PSLV-C29, in its 32 flight, launched six satellites of Singapore. Out of these six satellites, TeLEOS-1 is the primary satellite whereas the other five are co-passenger satellites on 16 December, 2015.
2014
- On 5 January, 2014, GSLV-D5 was successfully launched.
- Mars Orbiter mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan, India’s first interplanetary mission to the planet Mars was launched. MOM entered Mars orbit on 24 September, 2014. This made India the first country in the world to send a spacecraft into Martian orbit in its very first attempt.
- On 18 December, 2014, from Sriharikota GSLV Mk-III, the first experimental flight of ISRO’s heaviest and upgraded rocket vehicle was launched.
2013
- On 1st July, 2013PSLV-C22 was successfully launched with India’s first indigenous Regional Navigation Satellite IRNSS-1A.
- On 5 November, 2013 PSLV-C25/Mars Orbiter Mission was launched.
2012
- On April 26, 2012PSLV-C19 successfully launched RISAT-1 from Sriharikota.
2011
- On April 20, 2011,PSLV-C16 successfully launched Three Satellites – RESOURCESAT-2, YOUTHSAT, X-SAT from Sriharikota .
2010
- PSLV-C15 successfully launches Five Satellites – CARTOSAT-2B, ALSAT-2A, two nanosatellites-NLS-6.1 & 6.2 and a pico-satellite- STUDSAT from Sriharikota on July 12, 2010.
2009
- Radar Imaging Satellite (Risat-2) was launched.
2008
- On October 22, 2008PSLV-C11 successfully launched CHANDRAYAAN-1 from Sriharikota. It was the first moon mission which has marked history.
2007
- On January 10, 2007, ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C7 successfully launches four satellites – India’s CARTOSAT-2 and Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1) and Indonesia’s LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentina’s PEHUENSAT-1.
2006
- On July 10, 2006, Second operational flight of GSLV (GSLV-F02) from SDSC SHAR with INSAT-4C on board.
2005
- From Sriharikota (ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C6, successfully launched CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT satellites on May 5, 2005.
2004
- The first operational flight of GSLV (GSLV-F01) successfully launched EDUSAT from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota on September 20, 2004.
2003
- May 8, 2003, The Second developmental launch of GSLV-D2 with GSAT-2 on board from Sriharikota.
2002
- On September 12, 2002 from Sriharikota, ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C4, successfully launched KALPANA-1 satellite.
2001
- April 18, 2001 was the day when the first developmental launch of GSLV-D1 with GSAT-1 on board from Sriharikota.
1999
- May 26, 1999, PSLV started carrying foreign satellites. IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT), Indian Remote Sensing Satellite was launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C2) along with Korean KITSAT-3 and German DLR-TUBSAT from Sriharikota.
1997
- First operational launch of PSLV with IRS-1D on board on September 29, 1997. Satellite placed in orbit.
1996
- March 21, 1996 saw the third developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-P3, on board. Satellite was placed in a polar sunsynchronous orbit.
1994
- On October 15, 1994, second successful launch of PSLV with IRS-P2, on board. Satellite successfully placed in Polar Sunsynchronous Orbit.
1993
- September 20, 1993 witnessed the first developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-1E on board.
- INSAT-2B, the second satellite in the INSAT-2 series, launched on July 23, 1993.
1992
- May 20, 1992, third developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-C on board. Satellite was successfully placed in orbit.
1991
- On August 29, 1991, the Second operational Remote Sensing satellite, IRS-1B was launched.
1988
- On March 17, 1988, the first operational Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-1A was launched.
1987
- On March 24, 1987 the First developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-1 satellite on board.
1984
- Indo-Soviet manned space mission was launched in April 1984.
1983
- SLV-3, second developmental launch and RS-D2 placed in orbit on April 17, 1983.
1982
- On April 10, 1982, communication satellite INSAT-1A was launched.
1981
- On November 20, 1981,Bhaskara-II was launched .
- On June 19, 1981, an experimental geo-stationary communication satellite successfully APPLE was launched.
1980
- On July 18, 1980, the Second Experimental launch of SLV-3, Rohini satellite placed in orbit. This was a successful mission.
1979
- On June7, 1979, an experimental satellite for earth observations was built and launched named Bhaskara-I.
1977
- STEP otherwise Satellite Telecommunication Experiments Project was carried out.
1975
- On April 19, 1975 was marked as a proud moment for ISRO. They launched the First Indian Satellite named Aryabhata which became a milestone in India’s space programme.
1972
- On June 1, 1972 the Space Commission and Department of Space set up. ISRO brought under DOS.
1969
- On August 15, 1969, ISRO or Indian Space Research Organization was formed under the Department of Atomic Energy.