National Space Day: India’s Space Achievements Timeline (1962 – 2024)


National Space Day: India’s Space Achievements Timeline (1962 – 2024)

1962: INCOSPAR was set up under the Department of Atomic Energy.

1963: The first sounding rocket was launched from Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

1965: The Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC) was established at Veli Hills near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala to develop launch vehicles (commonly called rockets) for launching satellites.

1967: First Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station (ESCES) in Ahmedabad, India.

1968: The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launch Station (TERLS) was dedicated to the United Nations by India’s then-prime minister Indira Gandhi.

1969: INCOSPAR became the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) under the Department of Atomic Energy.

1972: Air-borne remote sensing experiments.

1972: the Government of India constituted the Space Commission and the Department of Space in June 1972 and ISRO, which was under the Department of Atomic Energy, was transferred to the Department of Space in September 1972.

1975: Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), a satellite communications project launched. It was a joint venture between NASA and ISRO.

1975: ISRO becomes a Government Organization

1975: Aryabhata spacecraft, India’s first satellite was launched. It was launched by a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket.

1977: Satellite Telecommunication Experiments Project (STEP), a joint project of ISRO and the Post and Telegraphs Department (P&T).

1979: Bhaskara-I, the first Experimental Remote Sensing Satellite built in India.

1979: First experimental flight of SLV-3.

1980: Rohini Satellite (RS-1) successfully launched onboard SLV-3.

1981: Rohini Satellite (RS-D1) launched onboard SLV-3.

1981: Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE) was ISRO’s first indigenous, experimental communication satellite. It was launched into GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit).

1981: Bhaskara-II launched

1982: INSAT-1A launched in April (later deactivated September 1982).

1983: Rohini Satellite (RS-D2) launched onboard SLV-3.

1983: INSAT-1B launched.

1984: India-Soviet manned space mission. On April 4, 1984, Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space aboard the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft with two Soviet cosmonauts.

1987: The satellite SROSS-1 was launched onboard the first developmental flight of the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV). It did not reach the orbit.

1988: IRS-1A, the first of the series of indigenous state-of-the-art remote sensing satellites, was successfully launched into a polar sun-synchronous orbit.

1988: The satellite SROSS-2 was launched onboard the first developmental flight of ASLV. It did not reach the orbit.

1988: INSAT-1C satellite was launched

1990: INSAT-1D launched.

1991: IRS-1B, the second of the series of indigenously developed remote sensing satellites of India, was successfully launched into a polar sun-synchronous orbit.

1992: SROSS-C, the first satellite successfully orbited by ASLV.

1992: INSAT-2A, the first Multipurpose satellite built by India.

1993: INSAT-2B launched.

1993: IRS-1E could not be placed into orbit due to launch vehicle issues. It was the first development flight of PSLV.

1994: SROSS-C2, the second satellite successfully orbited by ASLV. 

1994: IRS-P2, an Indian Remote Sensing spacecraft, was launched by a four-stage PSLV-D2 rocket.

1996: IRS-1C, Earth-imaging satellite launched using Russian Molniya-M rocket.

1996: IRS-P3 was launched by PSLV-D3.

1997: IRS-1D successfully launched by PSLV-C1.

1997: INSAT-2D became inoperable.

1998: India purchased the Arabsat-1C satellite and designated it as INSAT-2DT.

1999: INSAT-2E, the last of the INSAT -2 series of satellites built by ISRO, is a multi-purpose satellite for telecommunication, television broadcasting and meteorological services.

1999: PSLV-C2/ IRS-P4, the second operational launch of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) placed three satellites – Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS-P4) as the main payload and Korean KITSAT-3 and German DLR-TUBSAT as auxiliary payloads – into a 727 km polar sun-synchronous orbit. It was for the first time that ISRO launched three satellites in a single vehicle.

2000: INSAT-3B is the first of the five ISRO-built satellites under the INSAT-3 – 3 series to join the INSAT system. This satellite primarily serves business communication, mobile communication and developmental communication.

2001: GSLV-D1/ GSAT-1 launch. The Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is designed to place satellites in Geo-Synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The first development flight, GSLV-D1, carried an experimental communication satellite, GSAT-1.

2001: PSLV-C3/ TES; Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) was launched.

2002: INSAT-3C is the second satellite of the INSAT-3 series. INSAT-3C, carrying Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) transponders, Broadcast Satellite Services (BSS) transponders and Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) transponders is intended to continue the service of INSAT-2DT and INSAT-2C.

2002: PSLV-C4/ Kalpana-1; The vehicle carried and injected India’s first dedicated Meteorological satellite, Kalpana-1 (originally called MetSat) into the Geosynchronous transfer orbit.

2003: INSAT-3A, the third satellite in the INSAT-3 series is a multipurpose satellite for providing telecommunications, television broadcasting, meteorological and search and rescue services.

2003: GSLV-D2/GSAT-2; the third flight of ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle that placed GSAT-2 into GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit).

2003: INSAT-3E is the fourth satellite launched in the INSAT-3 series.

2003: PSLV-C5/ RESOURCESAT-1; PSLV-C5 is the eighth flight of ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. In the PSLV-C5 mission, the vehicle launches IRS-P6 (RESOURCESAT-1) into the Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2004: GSLV-F01/ EDUSAT (GSAT-3) is the third flight of ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle in which it launched EDUSAT.

2005: PSLV-C/6CARTOSAT-1/ HAMSAT; The vehicle carried and injected India’s two satellites; Cartosat-1 (a.k.a. IRS-P5) and HAMSAT into the Sun-synchronous orbit.

2005: INSAT-4A, the first in the INSAT-4 Satellites series provides services in Ku and C-band frequency bands.

2006: GSLV-F02/ INSAT-4C; Satellite could not be placed in orbit.

2007: PSLV-C7/ CARTOSAT-2E/ SRE-1; PSLV-C7 successfully launched four satellites – India’s CARTOSAT-2 and Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), Indonesia’s LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentina’s PEHUENSAT-1 into high polar orbit.

2007: INSAT-4B is the second in the INSAT 4 series of spacecraft.

2007: PSLV-C8 is the eleventh flight of ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and its first commercial launch as well. PSLV-C8 launched the Italian astronomical satellite, AGILE.

2007: GSLV-F04/ INSAT-4CR; The GSLV-F04 launched INSAT-4CR satellite, into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2008: PSLV-C10, the twelfth launch and second commercial launch of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carried a commercial payload, TECSAR, into an elliptical orbit.

2008: PSLV-C9/ CARTOSAT-2A; The vehicle launched ten payloads – India’s CARTOSAT-2A and Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) as well as eight nanosatellites from abroad into Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2008: Chandrayaan-1 launched aboard PSLV-C11.

2009: A radar imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and microsatellite named ANUSAT launched aboard PSLV-C12 to the intended orbit.

2009: Oceansat-2 and six nano-satellites launched aboard PSLV-C14 into Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO).

2010: GSLV-D3 launched GSAT-4, an experimental advanced technology communication satellite. GSLV-D3 was the maiden flight of GSLV in which the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) was used.

2010: PSLV-C15 placed CARTOSAT-2B in Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2010: HYLAS launched.

2010: GSLV-F06 placed the communication satellite, GSAT-5P, into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2011: PSLV-C16 placed Resourcesat-2 into the Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2011: GSAT-8, India’s advanced communication satellite, is a high-power communication satellite inducted into the INSAT system.

2011: PSLV-C17 launched India’s communication satellite GSAT-12.

2011: PSLV-C18 launched the Megha-Tropiques satellite.

2012: PSLV-C19 launched India’s first Radar Imaging Satellite – RISAT-1 into a Polar Circular Orbit.

2012: PSLV-C21 launched the French earth observation satellite SPOT 6.

2012: GSAT-10, India’s advanced communication satellite, is a high-power satellite inducted into the INSAT system. 

2013: PSLV-C20 launched the Indo-French satellite SARAL along with six commercial payloads from Canada, Austria, Denmark and the UK into a Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2013: PSLV-C22 launched IRNSS-1A, India’s first Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System.

2013: INSAT-3D, an advanced weather satellite of India.

2013: GSAT-7, also known as INSAT-4F, is a multi-band communication satellite developed by ISRO for the Indian Navy.

2013: PSLV-C25 launched Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft.

2014: GSLV-D5 placed the twenty-third geostationary communication satellite GSAT-14.

2014: PSLV-C24 launched IRNSS-1B, the second satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

2014: PSLV-C23 launched SPOT-7 a French earth observation satellite, into Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2014: PSLV-C26 launched IRNSS-1C, the third satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

2014: GSAT-16, an advanced communication satellite, being inducted into the INSAT-GSAT system.

2014: GSLV Mk-III X/CARE, also known as LVM3-X/CARE, was the first experimental flight of India’s GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle. The mission was successful as the Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) separated from the upper stage of GSLV Mk-III and re-entered the atmosphere and safely landed.

2015: PSLV-C27 launched IRNSS-1D, the fourth satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

2015: PSLV-C28 launched three identical DMC3 optical earth observation satellites into Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2015: GSLV-D6 placed GSAT-6 into a GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit).

2015: PSLV-C30 launched AstroSat.

2015: GSAT-15, India’s latest Communication Satellite is a high-power satellite inducted into the INSAT/GSAT system.

2015: PSLV-C29 launched TeLEOS-1.

2016: PSLV-C31 launched IRNSS-1E, the fifth satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). 

2016: PSLV-C32 launched IRNSS-1F, the sixth satellite of the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS).

2016: PSLV-C33 launches IRNSS-1G, the seventh satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO).

2016: Reusable Launch Vehicle – Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) was successfully flight tested.

2016: PSLV-C34 launched the Cartosat-2 Series Satellite for earth observation.

2016: Successful testing of ISRO’s Scramjet engine technology demonstrator.

2016: GSLV-F05 launched INSAT-3DR, an advanced weather satellite.

2016: PSLV-C35 launched SCATSAT-1 for weather-related studies.

2016: GSAT-18 was launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2016: PSLV-C36 placed RESOURCESAT-2A into Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2017: PSLV-C37 successfully launched the Cartosat-2 Series satellite for earth observation.

2017: GSLV-F09 launches GSAT-9 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2017: GSLV-MK-III-D1 launched the GSAT-19 satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). 

2017: PSLV-C28 launched a Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation.

2017: GSAT-17 was inducted into the INSAT/GSAT system.

2017: PSLV-C39 launched IRNSS-1H, the eighth satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO).

2018: PSLV-C40 successfully launched the Cartosat-2 Series Satellite for earth observation.

2018: GSLV-F08 launched GSAT-6A.

2018: PSLV-C41 launched IRNSS-1I Satellite.

2018: PSLV-C42 Mission successfully launched two earth observation satellites, NovaSAR and S1-4 into Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

2018: GSLV MKIII-D2 launched GSAT-29, a high throughput communication satellite.

2018: PSLV-C43 successfully launched India’s Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite (HysIS).

2018: GSAT-11- India’s heaviest communication launched.

2018: GSLV-F11 launched GSAT-7A, ISRO’s 39th communication satellite.

2019: PSLV-C44 successfully injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits.

2019: GSAT-31 was successfully launched.

2019: PSLV-C45 successfully injected EMISAT and 28 international customer satellites into their designated orbits.

2019: PSLV-C46 successfully launched RISAT-2B satellite.

2019: GSLV MkIII-M1, successfully launched Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft.

2019: PSLV-C47 successfully launched Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites.

2019: PSLV-C48 successfully launches RISAT-2BR1 and nine commercial satellites.

2020: India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2020: PSLV-C49 successfully launched EOS-01.

2020: PSLV-C50 successfully launched CMS-01.

2021: PSLV-C51 successfully launched Amazonia-1.

2021: EOS-03 is a state-of-the-art agile Earth observation satellite placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2022: PSLV-C52 injected Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04, into an intended sun synchronous polar orbit.

2022: NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Govt. of India company under the Department of Space (DoS) is undertaking the GSAT-24 satellite mission as its 1st Demand Driven mission post space reforms.

2022: PSLV-C53/ DS-EO Mission; The mission was a commercial satellite mission by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Space, Government of India.

2022: SSLV-D1/ EOS-02 Mission; ISRO developed a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) to cater to the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to Low Earth Orbits on a ‘launch-on-demand’ basis. SSLV-D1 was expected to launch EOS-02 and AzaadiSAT satellites. The vehicle, however, fell short of placing the satellites into their intended orbits.

2022: LVM3M2/ OneWeb India-1 Mission; LVM3 launch vehicle placed 36 satellites of OneWeb to their intended orbits.

2022: PSLV-C54 successfully launched the EOS-06 satellite, the third generation satellite in the Oceansat series, which provides continued services of Oceansat-2 with enhanced payload capability.

2023: SSLV-D2 successfully launched EOS-07 satellite.

2023: LVM3 M3/ OneWeb India-2 Mission accomplished successfully.

2023: ISRO successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX).

2023: TeLEOS-2 Mission launched successfully.

2023: GSLV-F12 deployed the NVS-01 navigation satellite, weighing about 2232 kg, into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.

2023: Chandrayaan-3 Mission successfully launched.

2023: PSLV-C56/ DS-SAR Mission accomplished.

2023: Launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 accomplished successfully.

2023: Gaganyaan TV-D1 test flight accomplished.

2024: PSLV-C58 successfully launched XPOSAT (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite).

2024: INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite successfully deployed into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

2024: Reusable Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLVLEX-02) experiment successful.

2024: Reusable Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLVLEX-03) experiment successful.

Also Read: National Space Day Science Quiz With Answers