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Facts About ISRO

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I have been reading From Fishing Hamlet to Red Planet, would be sharing some interesting excerpts and facts I come across.

  • First Satellite Telemetry Ground Station at SHAR was bought at 10% of original cost as European Launcher Development Organisation had decided to abandon its programme to develop an All-European Satellite Launch Vehicle. It was shipped from Adelaide, Australia.
  • The first launch from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) made India enter the space age on 21st November 1963. The Kerala Legislative Assembly was temporarily adjourned to have a good view of the bright vapour trail in the sky!
  • Aryabhata - The First Satellite of India was named by then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. It was built in the remodelled sheds at the outskirts of Banglore with an initial budget set to 3 crores. There is a two-rupees note with Aryabhata at the back.
  • The First Sounding Rocket to be made in India was Centaure II-B. It was manufactured at Rocket Fabrication Facility (RFF) and Rocket Propellant Plant (RPP) at Thumba under license from France. This programme though started in 1964, led way for ISRO's launch vehicles, as an alloy (15CDV6) used in ISRO's launch vehicles was understood through the Centaure manufacturing.
  • As TERLS became operational through American Nike Apache rocket, a rocket range at Svalbard in Norway was declared operational by launching the Rohini rocket, RH-300 MkII on 20 November 1997.
  • Our beloved ex-president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was involved in the SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle) project. He was the project lead for the fourth stage. The then President of CNES, France, Hubert Curien came to visit them and later asked if India could deliver the fourth stage for France's Diamont Launch Vehicle project. But the Diamont project got cancelled.
    Though later India's first communication satellite APPLE used SLV-3 fourth stage as the apogee boost motor.

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