India’s Journey to Becoming a Space Power Since Independence

In 2023, India became the fourth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the South Pole of the Moon, marking a major milestone in its space exploration journey. This historic achievement not only highlights India’s growing prowess in space technology, but also marks a defining moment in the country’s space exploration history.

The foundations of India’s space program were laid in the early years of independence. Recognizing the potential of space technology for national development, visionary scientist Dr. Vikram Sarabhai established the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1969. He set the tone for India’s space endeavors by emphasizing on using space technology for practical applications such as communications, meteorology and agriculture.

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Addressing the lockdown lecture on ‘Space – India’s Opportunity’ at the Nehru Science Centre, Padma Shri AS Kiran Kumar, former Secretary General and Chairman of ISRO, explained how India could harness space technology under the leadership of Dr Vikram Sarabhai.

“It was Dr Vikram Sarabhai who convinced the government 10 years after independence that space technology could benefit India. India did not have any infrastructure at the beginning of its space journey and now has built an infrastructure for self-reliance,” said AS Kiran Kumar.

1980-1990: The PSLV Decade

In the 1980s, India made a major push to develop its indigenous launch capabilities. The pinnacle of the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) program was the successful launch of the SLV-3 in 1980, which placed the Rohini satellite into orbit. Reflecting on this success, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, a key figure in the program, said: “Dreams are not what you see when you go to sleep; they are what keep you awake.” These words capture the relentless drive that drives India’s space ambitions.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) program was also initiated during this period, with its first successful launch in 1994. The PSLV became the workhorse of the Indian space program, renowned for its reliability and versatility. It not only put Indian satellites into orbit, but also carried payloads for other countries, making ISRO a reliable and cost-effective launch service provider.

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1990-2000: Expanding horizons

The 1990s and 2000s were a period of rapid development for the Indian space program. One of the most notable achievements was the launch of the INSAT series of satellites, which revolutionized telecommunications, meteorology, and broadcasting in India. The launch of INSAT-1A in 1982 marked the beginning of a new era in satellite communications for India.

India’s communications satellite capabilities were further expanded with the launch of GSAT-1 in 2001. During this period, India also made significant progress in remote sensing by launching the IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) series of satellites. These satellites provide important data for resource management, urban planning and disaster management.

2000-2010: Moon and Mars

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The new millennium brought bolder ambitions. In 2008, India launched its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1. The mission was a major milestone as it discovered for the first time the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface. Reflecting on the mission’s success, Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, Chandrayaan-1 project director, said: “Our discovery of water on the moon is one of the most important discoveries in planetary exploration.”

Two other studies published in the journal Science corroborate the mission’s reports. Carl Peters of Brown University and colleagues reviewed the data and found that the water appears to be denser the closer you get to the poles. “When we say ‘water on the moon,’ we don’t mean lakes, oceans, or even puddles. Water on the moon refers to water molecules and hydroxyls (hydrogen and oxygen) interacting with rock and dust molecules within a few millimeters of the lunar surface,” Peters said in a statement.

After the success of Chandrayaan-1, ISRO set its sights on Mars. In 2013, India launched the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan, making India the first Asian country to reach Mars and the fourth country in the world to do so. MOM has been hailed globally not only for its success but also for its cost-effectiveness. With a budget of just $74 million, it is one of the most economical interplanetary missions ever undertaken. Former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden praised the mission, saying, “The success of Mangalyaan is a triumph of low-cost space exploration and demonstrates India’s growing capabilities in space technology.”

2010-2020: Strengthening Capacity

The 2010s saw significant technological advancements and achievements for ISRO. The successful launch of GSLV Mk III in 2014 was a major milestone as it enabled India to launch heavier payloads and opened the door to future manned missions. The launch of GSAT-10 in the same year further enhanced India’s communications capabilities.

One of the most significant achievements of this decade was the launch of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. Although the lander Vikram failed to land, the mission was still considered a success due to the valuable data collected by the orbiter. Chandrayaan-2 reaffirmed India’s commitment to lunar exploration and laid the foundation for future missions.

2020-2023: Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1 successful

Chandrayaan-3 lands on the Moon’s South Pole

In 2023, India achieved another major milestone with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon on August 23, 2023. This mission not only put India in the fold of space powers but also showcased its growing expertise in complex space missions. The success of Chandrayaan-3 was celebrated not only in India but also across the globe with scientists and space experts praising the Indian Space Research Organization for its achievement.

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Aditya-L1: India’s first solar-powered mission

Another important milestone during this period was the launch of India’s first dedicated solar observation mission, Aditya-L1. Named after the sun (Aditya in Sanskrit), Aditya-L1 was launched on September 2, 2023, to study the sun’s outermost corona and its impact on Earth’s climate.

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2024: Pioneering space exploration

XpoSat: ISRO’s first polarimetry mission

XpoSat, or X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, is set to launch in 2024. The mission is India’s first polarimetry mission dedicated to studying cosmic X-rays. The satellite is designed to measure the polarization of X-rays from sources such as neutron stars and black holes, providing insights into some of the most extreme and violent phenomena in the universe.

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Gaganiyaan: India’s first manned mission

In addition to XpoSat, India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, will be launched in 2024. This ambitious mission aims to send Indian astronauts, known as Gagannauts, into low-Earth orbit and return them safely. The Gaganyaan mission is a major milestone in India’s space program and marks India’s entry into the field of manned spaceflight.

Dr K Sivan, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, said that the main objective of the Gaganyaan mission is to send an Indian citizen into space on an Indian rocket from the Indian side; 2 to 3 astronauts will go to space and orbit at 400 km for 3 days to a week before landing safely on Earth. pic.twitter.com/qjEs4xy9Nr — ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2022

The road ahead

India’s journey to becoming a space power since independence is a story of extraordinary vision and perseverance. From its early days of launching sounding rockets in the 1960s to achieving milestones such as the Chandrayaan-3 landing and the upcoming Gaganyan mission, India has emerged as a global space leader. Through relentless innovation and strategic missions, India has not only expanded its scientific horizons but has also made significant contributions to global space exploration.

Speaking further about the various opportunities offered by space at the Lockdown Lecture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Science Centre, AS Kiran Kumar said, “The space economy is a $400 billion market that includes launch vehicles, satellites, applications and services.” He pointed out that space traffic management and space debris monitoring, space mining, space tourism and solar power for agriculture are some of the areas that hold huge opportunities.

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