From Launch Pad to Mangalyaan: 10 Historic Photos of ISRO's Space Adventure

Published: Thursday, August 24, 2023, 13:01 [IST]

Six decades ago, within the coastal village of Thumba in Kerala, a small group of scientists and engineers transformed a church into a space laboratory, marking the inception of India's space narrative. From those humble beginnings, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has made remarkable progress. Delve into these 10 images that chronicle ISRO's remarkable journey.

From Launch Pad to Mangalyaan: 10 Historic Photos of ISRO's Space Adventure

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On the 21st of November in 1963, a Nike-Apache rocket was launched from Thumba. This rocket, categorized as a sounding rocket, was designed to carry measuring instruments for scientific research.

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The first indigenous rocket crafted by ISRO was RH-75, ingeniously constructed using readily accessible aluminium alloy tubes procured from the market. "RH" stands for Rohini, while "75" signifies the rocket's diameter in millimeters. In this snapshot, Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary behind India's space endeavors, is seen alongside YJ Rao (wearing glasses), assessing the RH-75 rocket.

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The RH-75 might have resembled a glorified Diwali rocket to some extent, yet it marked the commencement of domestic rocketry in India.

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Following the unforeseen passing of Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan assumed leadership of ISRO in 1972. He played a pivotal role in shaping ISRO into its present form. This image depicts him engaged in intense discussions with APJ Abdul Kalam and S Srinivasan in Sriharikota.

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The SLV-3 stood as ISRO's solitary launch vehicle that underwent horizontal integration before being lifted into a vertical position prior to launch.

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Under the guidance of UR Rao, India's inaugural satellite, Aryabhata, was conceptualized, constructed, tested, and successfully launched within a span of 31 months. In this photograph, he is captured sharing a moment with Indian cosmonauts Rakesh Sharma (center) and Ravish Malhotra (left).

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In 1981, ISRO achieved a significant milestone with its first geostationary satellite, named APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment). The photograph showcases the APPLE satellite positioned on a bullock cart.

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Advancing to the present decade, ISRO boasts an impressive array of satellites, crafted and evaluated using state-of-the-art technology. Among them is SARAL, an Indo-French collaborative venture aimed at ocean studies, launched in 2013. This image presents SARAL within a state-of-the-art Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing chamber.

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All eyes were on ISRO as it made history on September 24, 2014. The Mars Orbiter spacecraft, affectionately known as Mangalyaan, seamlessly entered the orbit of Mars. India secured the distinction of being the first country to accomplish this. This snapshot captures the moment when Mangalyaan was positioned atop the PSLV, just before the closure of the heat shield.