ISRO achievements are many, enumerate them in some detail
ISRO stands for Indian Space and research organization. It was founded in 1969 and is a premier space research agency of Government of India and comes under the Department of Space. It is headquartered in Bangalore. It is headed by Sh. A.S Kiran Kumar with over 18000 employees working for it. It is one of the largest space agencies in the world to be owned by the government.
ISRO has achieved a number of milestones since its establishment, including the constitution of its first satellite - 'Aryabhatta' which was launched into space by Russia in 1975.
On February 15 2017, it created history and world record by successfully launching 104 satellites on a single mission. India overtook the previous records of 37 satellites launched by Russia in 2014. These were launched using the launch vehicle of ISRO - PSLV C-37. Of the 104 satellites ISRO launched - 3 are Indian, and 101 are foreign - USA (96) etc. Launch took place from spaceport of SRIHARIKOTA, Andhra Pradesh about 125 km's from Chennai.
Another interesting achievement made by ISRO was on FEB 18,2017, when it successfully ground tested India's largest indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper stage engine for GSLV mark 3. It was tested for full 10 minutes at ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Complex (ILPC) at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. So far Cryogenic engine consisting very complex technology has only been developed by Russia, U.S, France, Japan and India.
Another feather in the cap was when ISRO created India's very own satellite navigating system in 2016 to provide services to marine navigation.It has also created its first indigenous launch service provider - PSLV (Polar satellite launch vehicle) which has launched over 40 satellites in 19 countries.
Other significant achievements include satellite mangalyaan launched in 2014 to collect data about MARS atmosphere and mineral composition.India's first unmanned lunar probe was launched in 2008 named 'Chandrayaan'which was a landmark in India's space mission . With this Isro joined an elite list of just six space organizations to send an orbiter to the moon.
Through SITE ( Satellite Instructional Television Experiment)The project which made available informational television programmes to rural India ISRO carved a niche for itself. The main objectives of the experiment were to educate the poor people of India on various issues via satellite broadcasting, and also to help India gain technical experience in the field of satellite communications. The Telemed-link has enabled doctors to interact with patients in villages and other remote places in order to improve their health.
ISRO has truly made a tremendous mark in the field of India's space research technology and transformed the lives of millions through it's services.
- Dipti Sinha
