ISRO: The Indian Space Research Organisation: How India Is Making Strides In The Space Race

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) may not be as well-known in the United States as NASA, but it’s making big strides in the space race all the same. In fact, in just four years, it has launched more satellites than any other country in the world, including the United States and Russia, who have been at it much longer than India. And if that isn’t impressive enough, the ISRO plans to launch around 40 more satellites before India’s independence day on August 15th!

An Overview of ISRO

India's space program is overseen by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which was founded in 1969. ISRO is responsible for developing satellites and launch vehicles, conducting space science research, and providing space-based services. India has made significant strides in the space race in recent years, thanks in part to ISRO's efforts. Some of ISRO's notable achievements include launching the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) in 2014 and successfully landing the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft on the Moon in 2008. 

India also launched an unmanned mission to Venus that year. ISRO also developed India's first indigenous cryogenic engine that year, marking a big milestone in its space technology development. It created a range of other technologies including microsatellites, satellite receivers, propellant tanks and more over the course of its history.

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III

India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III (GSLV Mk III) is a three-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The vehicle is designed to launch satellites weighing up to 4,000 kg into geostationary orbit (GEO). 

Development of GSLV Mk III began in 2001. The first development flight of the GSLV Mk III took place on 18 December 2014 from Sriharikota, India. On 6 September 2016, ISRO used an all Indian crew aboard GSLV MKIII for a successful suborbital test flight carrying an unmanned crew module to 100 km altitude. After six days of testing, the module was parachuted down onto the Bay of Bengal near Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 2.2 kilometers separating it from its intended target. On 15 November 2017, GSLV Mk III became operational when it successfully launched GSAT-19 into GEO on board India’s heaviest commercial mission so far.

GSAT-19 satellite

The GSAT-19 satellite is a communications satellite that was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation on June 5, 2017. The satellite is part of the ISRO's plan to develop a space-based communication system for India. The GSAT-19 satellite has a mass of 3,136 kg and is equipped with Ka and Ku band transponders. 

The satellite is expected to provide high-speed data services to users in India. It also includes some enhanced security features such as electronic warfare protection and anti-jamming features.

Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission

Chandrayaan-2 is ISRO's second lunar mission after Chandrayaan-1, which was launched in 2008. The mission includes an orbiter, lander, and rover all designed and built in India. Chandrayaan-2 was launched on July 22, 2019 and is currently orbiting the moon. The lander is scheduled to land on the moon's south pole on September 6, 2019. It will release a lunar rover that will roam around for 14 days. If successful, this mission will provide new insights into our neighboring planet. 

One of the challenges of being on the moon is lack of atmosphere or magnetic field, which can protect against solar radiation. One of the objectives of this mission is to explore whether plants could grow in conditions like these by providing necessary levels of water and light through experiments with their plant growth apparatus on board.

Future Projects & Plans

Chandrayaan-3, the third lunar exploration mission planned by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is scheduled to launch in August 2022. The announcement was made by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh. Alongside Chandrayaan-3, there are several other projects that ISRO is working upon simultaneously including the Gaganyaan, NISAR, Aditya Ll, XpoSat, IRNSS among others.

As per reports, ISRO has 19 missions planned that include eight Launch Vehicle Missions, seven Spacecraft Missions, and four Technology Demonstrator Missions. As ISRO is gearing up for the several missions in the pipeline, let us take a look at the number of missions that have been planned for the year 2022.

OVERVIEW

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bengaluru. Its primary objective is to advance space technology and use its applications for national benefit. It has launched a total of 44 satellites out of which 40 are foreign satellites, five are Indian satellites and one was a collaborative satellite with Canada. 

It also has 20 satellites in operation. Some of their notable missions include launching the first South Asian Satellite, which is intended to give television broadcasting, telecommunications and Internet services to countries of South Asia; producing lithium-ion batteries that will be used on Chandrayaan-2; mapping climate change through remote sensing from space; helping provide weather forecasts with data from ocean surface winds by using Oceansat-2; and monitoring Earth's natural resources by using Resourcesat-2. 

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