Indian Space Programe

The space activities in the country were initiated with the setting up of Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. In the same year, the work on Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), near Thiruvananthapuram, was also started. The Indian space programme was institutionalised in November 1969 with the formation of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Government of India constituted the Space Commission and established the Department of Space (DOS) in June 1972 and brought ISRO under DOS in September 1972.

Department of Space (DOS) has the primary responsibility of promoting development of space science, technology and applications towards achieving self reliance and assisting in all round development of the nation. Towards this, DOS has evolved the following programmes:

• Indian National Satellite (INSAT) programme for telecommunications, TV broadcasting, meteorology, developmental education, etc.
• Remote Sensing programme for the application of satellite imagery for various developmental purposes.
• Indigenous capability for design and development of spacecraft and associated technologies for communications, resources survey and space sciences.
• Design and development of launch vehicles with indigenous technology for access to space and orbiting INSAT, IRS spacecraft and space science missions.
• Research and development in space sciences and technologies as well as application programme for national development.

The Space Commission formulates the policies and oversees the implementation of the Indian space programme to promote the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country. DOS implements these programmes through, mainly, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), North Eastern-Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC) and Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL). The Antrix Corporation, established in 1992 as a government owned company, markets the space products and services.

Both the DOS and ISRO Headquarters are located at Bengaluru. The development activities are carried out at the Centres and Units spread over the country.

So far, 54 Indian Satellite Missions, and 29 Launches from Sriharikota have been conducted.