Indian Satellites and Space Programs

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Achievements

• India is among the five nations in the world that have established their own satellite navigation system, with the launch of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) IRNSS-1G on 28 April 2016.
• IRNSS-1G allows users to find their location with GPS.

Chandrayaan Series

• ISRO launched Chandrayaan-1, India's unmanned mission to the Moon, on 22 October 2008, which became the first lunar mission to discover water on the Moon.
• Chandrayaan-2, India's second unmanned Lunar Mission, was successfully launched on 22 July 2019 to further understand the origin and evolution of the Moon.

Mangalyaan

• ISRO launched India's first Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), called the Mangalyaan, on 5 November 2013.
• On 24 September 2014, India became the first country to put a Mars Orbiter into Mars' orbit in its first attempt.

E-Learning and EDUSAT

• Electronic Learning (E-Learning) is an education system where the medium of instruction is through a computer.
• EDUSAT is a satellite designed by ISRO, dedicated exclusively for educational services.

Aryabhata and INSAT/GSAT System

• Aryabhata was India's first satellite, launched on 19 April 1975 from Kapustin Yar, Soviet Union, which gave ISRO experience in building and operating a satellite in space.
• The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in the Asia-Pacific region, with nine operational communication satellites in the Earth's geo-stationary orbit.
• GSAT-24 was inducted into the INSAT system on 23 June 2022 from Kourou, French Guiana, by Ariane-5 VA-231 Launch Vehicle.

Communication Satellites

• Advantages of communication satellites include:
  • Establishing mobile communication easily
  • Being economical in remote areas where no landlines exist
  • Being more economical compared to terrestrial communication, particularly for long-distance calls

SCATSAT-1 and SARAL

• SCATSAT-1, India's latest weather forecasting satellite, was launched on 26 September 2016, providing weather forecasting and cyclone predictions.
• SARAL, India's remote sensing satellite, was launched on 25 February 2013, with benefits including drought monitoring, flood damage assessment, and locating underground resources.