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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
encyclopedia
Academy and a new entity called the Indian Space Research Or-
ganisation (ISRO) came into being under the chairmanship of
Yikram Sarabhai. In 1972 the Government of India set up the
Space Commission and Department of Space under which ISRO
was brought for administrative purposes. The Indian Space Re-
search Organisation (ISRO), under the Department of Space, with
its headquarters in Bangalore, has the overall responsibility of for-
mulating and implementing programmes concerning space applica-
tions and space technology. It has five centres: Vikram Sarabhai
Space Centre (Tiruvananthapuram), SHAR centre (Sriharikota),
ISRO Satellite Centre (Bangalore), and Space Applications Centre
(Ahmedabad) and Liquid Propulsion System Centre, (Tiruvanan-
thapuram).
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is the lead centre
for launch vehicle development and in rocket research and in plan-
ning and execution of launch vehicle development projects. The
ISRO Satellite Centre is responsible for the design fabrication,
testing and management of satellite systems for scientific, techno-
logical and application missions. The Space Applications Centre
(SAC) is ISRO’s research and development centre for conceiving,
organising and building systems for practical applications of space
technology. The major fields of activity cover satellite communica-
tion, remote sensing, meteorology and geodesy. The SHAR centre
created at Sriharikota on the east coast of Andhra Pradesh is the
main launch centre of ISRO. This centre also undertakes large-
scale production of solid rocket propellant and ground testing of
solid fuelled rocket stages of the Indian Launch Vehicles. The
Liquid .Propulsion Systems Centre is the key centre for develop-
ment of liquid propulsion systems. Its facilities are located at
Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore and Mahendragiri (Tamil Nadu).
The Development and Educational Communication Unit (DECU)
colocated with SAC is involved in the conceptualisation, planning
and socio-economic evolution of space application programmes. It
produces video programmes in the fields of education and develop-
ment. The ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (IS-
TRAC) with its headquarters and spacecraft control centre at
Bangalore has a network of stations in Bangalore, Lucknow,
SHAR, Car Nicobar and Thiruvananthapuram. It has also set up a
TTC station in Mauritius for supporting IRS programmes. The
INSAT Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka is respon-
sible for the post-launch operations on INSAT satellites like orbit
manoeuvres etc. The National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA)
at Hyderabad is an autonomous agency supported by the Depart-
ment of Space which is responsible for acquisition and archiving
data from remote sensing satellites.
The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) con-
ducted during 1975-76 using the USA's Application Technology
Satellite (ATS-6) is hailed as one of the largest experiments of its
kind. SITE demonstrated the potential of satellite technology as an
effective mass communication media for a developing country like
India particularly in rural areas.
The main objective of the Indian space programme is to provide
operational space services for the nation in the fields of communi-
cation and remote sensing. These services include telecommuni-
cations, TV/radio networking, natural resources survey and man-
agement, environment monitoring, meteorological data collection
and disaster warning. The space programme also emphasises
self-reliance in satellite and launch vehicle technologies.
The first satellite designed and fabricated in India was Ar-
yabhata (360 kg) launched by the Soviet Union on April 19, 1975.
Bhaskara I and II satellites (each weighing 440 kgs) which were
also launched by the Soviet Union in June 1979 and November 20,
1981,
respectively, helped ISRO to conduct experiments in earth
observation using TV cameras and radiometers.
These satellites were precursors to the Indian Remote Sensing
Satellites (IRS) for surveying and management of national re-
sources. IRS-1A launched from the Soviet Union on March 17,
1988, weighed 950 kg and carried cameras for gathering data on
agriculture, forestry, hydrology, snow melting etc. IRS-1A has
imaged the country many times giving information on India's nat-
ural resources. IRS-1B launched from the USSR in August 1991 is
similar to IRS-1A while IC and ID will have additional spectral
bands with improved resolutions.
IRS-1A has already completed its design life of three years but
continues to perform well even after four and half years.
IRS-IB is also performing satisfactorily. IRS-IE proposed to be
flown on the first developmental flight of PSLV is a refurbished
engineering model of IRS-1 A.
The INSAT-1 multi-purpose satellites have been serving the
needs of the country in telecommunications, nationwide TV cover-
age, radio networking, meteorology and disaster warning. They
have been built by the Ford Aerospace Communication Corporation
of the USA to ISRO specifications. INSAT-1A was followed by
INSAT-1B, 1C and ID. The INSAT II series will be indigenous.
The first in the series INSAT II-A (1906 kg) was launched by the
Ariane Launch Vehicle on July 10,1992.
INSAT-2B was launched into orbit on July 23, 1993. Parked in
the geostationary orbit INSAT -2B together with INSAT-2A and
INSAT-ID (launched in June 1990) will augment significantly the
INSAT space segment capacity for telecommunication, direct T.V,
broadcasting and nationwide TV distribution, radio networking,
meteorological observation etc. Fabrication of three more satel-
lites in the INSAT series - INSAT - 2C, 2D, and 2E which will also
incorporate a transponder in KU-band is under way.
India's capabilities in designing, fabricating and launching sat-
ellite launch vehicles have been demonstrated in the three suc-
cessful launches of SLV (Satellite Launch Vehicle) -3 in 1980,
1981 and 1983 to launch 40 kg Rohini satellites into low earth
orbits. The ASLV (Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle) is de-
signed for launching Stretched Rohini Satellite Series each 100 -
150 kg into circular low earth orbit. The first two launches in 1987
and 1988 were not successful. The third launch of ASLV was
successfully conducted on May 20, 1992.
PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) is designed to launch
1000 kg remote sensing satellites into polar sun synchronous orbit.
The GSLV (Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) will be
able to launch 2500 kg communications satellites into geostation-
ary transfer orbits.
PSLV launched in September 1993 failed to place an 850kg
Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS-IE) in orbit.
The ASLV that was successfully launched used a solid propel-
lant. The first stage of the PSLV carried a solid propellant, the
second stage carried a liquid propellant, the third stage used a solid
propellant and the fourth stage used a liquid propellant. The first
stage thrust was augmented by six solid propellant strap -on
motors. In the GSLV the two upper stages of the PSLV are
replaced by a single cryogenic engine and the six solid propellant
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