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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
strap-on motors by four liquid propellant strap-ons derived from
the PSLV second stage.
Major landmarks in Space
April 1975
: Aryabhata, first Indian-designed and fabricated
satellite launched from Soviet Union with the help
of Soviet rocket.
June 1979 . : Bhaskara I, India's first experimental earth obser-
vation satellite launched.
July 1980
: Earth observation satellite Rohini launched by
SLV-3 launcher.
June 1981
: First experimental, three-axis stabilised geosta-
tionary
telecommunications
satellite.
APPLE
(Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment) launched
by European Space Agency's Ariane launcher.
Nov 1981
: Bhaskara II launched.
April 1982
: INSAT-IA, first operational three-axis-estab-
lished multipurpose applications satellite,
launched. Died a premature death 147 days later.
April 1983
: SLV-3-D-2 launched with its own satellite
Rohini.
Aug 1983
: INSAT-IB launched from Kennedy Space Centre,
Florida.
Mar 1988
: IRS- IA Remote sensing satellite launched from
USSR.
July 1988
: INSAT-IC launched aboard Ariane vehicle, posed
problems in 1989. Abandoned.
June 1990
: INSAT-1D launched from Kennedy Space Centre .
Aug 1991
: IRS-IB. Second remote sensing satellite launched
from USSR.
May 20, 1992 :
ASLV (Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle)
successfully launched.
July 10,1992 : First satellite of INSAT -II series launched by
Ariane launch vehicle.
July 23,1993 : INSAT 2B launched by Ariane rocket at Kourou in
French Guyana.
June 5,1994 : "Prithvi", short range surface-to-surface missile
successfully test fired.
Department of Environment
In 1972, the National Committee on Environment Planning and
Co-ordination (NCEPC) was set up to promote research on envi-
ronmental problems.
The committee, supported by the Department of Science and
Technology, has done valuable work in environmental appraisal of
development projects. It has sponsored research in the environ-
mental sciences and also in the methodology, besides contributing
to the formulation of legislation and creation of general environ-
mental awareness. The committee has carried out surveys and
studies in diverse fields such as pollution control, management of
wet lands, human settlement planning, environmental impact
analysis and environmental education. At its instance, high level
Environment Boards have already been constituted in all states
and Union Territories, except Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. In
short NCEPC has been acting as a high-level advisory body to the
Government of India.
Department of Ocean Development
The Department of Ocean Development was set up in 1981 to
promote and co-ordinate the efforts for the development of oceanic
resources, protection of the marine environment as well as to
develop the new emerging area of Antarctic research and deep
seabed minings.
As a result of pioneering work in the area of deep seabed
exploration with special emphasis on the location and processing of
polymetallic nodules India was recognised as a pioneer investor in
1982.
A mine site of 1,50,000 sq. kms in the central Indian Ocean
was allotted by the preparatory commission for the International
Seabed Authority in August 1987. An estimated reserve of
polymetallic nodules of the area is 380 million tonnes which contain
cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese. India is at present totally
dependent on import of cobalt, nickel and 60 per cent of copper.
Mining of three million tonnes of nodules a year will enable India to
become self-sufficient in nickel and surplus in cobalt.
Systematic exploration of the seafloor topography and oceano-
graphic parameters and biomass distribution in different parts of
the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the central Indian Ocean was
started during 1983-84 using the multipurpose research vessels
ORV Sagar Kanya
and
FORV Sagar Sampada.
These two vessels
have completed respectively 71 and 96 research cruises up to Feb-
ruary 1992 and have done much to stimulate the scientific explora-
tion of the oceanic resources and environment of the country’s
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) besides supporting exploration
of deep sea nodules and EEZs of some friendly countries.
Antarctic research activities have become a regular feature
since 1981-82. The Indian Antarctic programme has provided
research opportunities to 780 persons from different institutions
and agencies including 570 from the armed forces and 210 scien-
tists. It has encouraged development of indigenous technology in
specified fields.
Defence Research & Development Organisation
Set up in 1958 it has been, through its network of 45
laboratories, engaged in defence research. Refer Vol-II Sec
H
"INFRASTRUCTURE"
Department of Biotechnology
To promote R&D and manufacturing activities in the area of
biotechnology the Government set up the National Biotechnology
Board in 1982. In 1986, the Board was replaced by a separate De-
partment of Biotechnology (DBT) in the Ministry of Science and
Technology.
The DBT is trying to promote research in diagnosis of various
diseases relevant to India in various R&D laboratories in the
country. The collaborating agency is the National Institute of Im-
munology, New Delhi. Scientific investigations are being carried
out at six institutions viz, Central Drug Research Institute,
Lucknow, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Re-
search, Chandigarh, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New
Delhi, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New
Delhi, S.N. Medical College, Agra, and Institute of Post-Graduate
Eternal India