Space Programme of India | General Awareness & Knowledge - Bank Exams PDF Download

Introduction

The Indian Space Programme began in 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research. This was followed by the creation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969, and the formation of the Space Commission and the Department of Space in 1972. ISRO is tasked with the planning, execution, and management of space research activities and space application programs. The headquarters of ISRO is located in Bengaluru.
India’s first satellite communication Earth station was established at Arvi near Pune. The country’s first satellite, Aryabhatta, was launched on April 19, 1975, from Baikonur in the former USSR. The first Indian Remote Sensing Satellite was launched on March 17, 1988. The first Indian communication satellite, APPLE, was launched on June 19, 1981, from Kourou in French Guiana, South America. It was the first Indian satellite to be placed in geostationary orbit.

ISRO Establishments

SHAR Centre, Sriharikota

• Located on the east coast of Andhra Pradesh, the SHAR Centre serves as ISRO's primary launch site. This centre also handles the large-scale production of solid rocket propellant and the ground testing of solid-fuelled rocket stages for Indian launch vehicles. 
• In September 2002, the Sriharikota Space Centre was renamed the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC)

• Headquartered in Bengaluru, ISTRAC includes a Spacecraft Control Centre and a network of ground stations situated in Sriharikota, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Car Nicobar, and Mauritius. 
• ISTRAC provides telemetry, tracking, and command (TTC) support for ISRO's launch vehicles and satellite missions, as well as missions from other space agencies.

Master Control Facility

• Situated in Hassan, Karnataka, and Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, this facility is responsible for all post-launch operations of INSAT satellites, including orbital manoeuvres, station keeping, and in-orbit spacecraft operations.

ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU)

• Based in Thiruvananthapuram, the IISU focuses on the development of inertial systems for both satellites and launch vehicles.

Space Applications Centre (SAC)

• Located in Ahmedabad, SAC is ISRO's research and development hub for creating systems that apply space technology practically. 
• Its main areas of activity include satellite communication, remote sensing, meteorology, and geodesy.

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL)

• Situated in Ahmedabad, PRL operates under the Department of Space and is India's leading national centre for research in space and allied sciences.

National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA)

• Located in Hyderabad and part of the Department of Space, the NRSA specializes in surveying, identifying, classifying, and monitoring Earth's resources using aerial and satellite data.

Development and Educational Communication Unit (DECU)

• Headquartered in Ahmedabad, DECU is involved in the conception, planning, and socio-economic evaluation of space application programmes.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)

• Based in Thiruvananthapuram, VSSC is the main centre for launch vehicle development and leads rocket research, planning, and execution of launch vehicle projects.

ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC)

• Located in Bengaluru, ISAC is responsible for the design, fabrication, testing, and management of satellite systems for scientific, technological, and application missions.

National Atmospheric Research Laboratory

• Located at Gadanki, near Tirupati, this laboratory is used by scientists for atmospheric research.

Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS)

• Based in Bengaluru, LEOS is engaged in the design, development, and production of electro-optic sensors and camera optics for satellites and launch vehicles. The sensors include star trackers, Earth sensors, Sun sensors, and related electronics.

Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC)

• Located in Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru, LPSC is involved in the research, development, and testing of liquid propulsion systems for ISRO's launch vehicle and satellite programmes.

Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS)

• Based in Dehradun, IIRS is a premier institute for training and education in remote sensing, geoinformation science, GPS technology, and their applications.

North Eastern-Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC)

• Located in Umiam, near Shillong in Meghalaya, NE-SAC aims to develop advanced technology infrastructure to help North-Eastern states utilize space technology for development.

Regional Remote Sensing Service Centres (RRSSCs)

• The Department of Space has established five RRSSCs in Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Kolkata, and Nagpur. 
• These centres support various remote sensing activities specific to their regions and at the national level.

Indian Space Programme At a Glance

Gaganyaan Mission

• It is the first indigenous human space mission designed by ISRO.
• Under this mission, three Indian astronauts (Gaganyatris) will be taken to space onboard the Gaganyaan spacecraft.
• The launch has been delayed and is now expected to take its first flight by 2023.