Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the central space agency of the Government of India. It is the primary body responsible for executing the country’s space exploration and satellite programmes.
Key Facts About ISRO
- Year of Establishment: ISRO was officially formed on August 15, 1969. It replaced the earlier Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which had been set up in 1962.
- Headquarters: The headquarters of ISRO is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Founding Father: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai is widely recognized as the founding father of the Indian space programme.
- Administrative Control: ISRO operates under the Department of Space (DOS). The DOS is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India, highlighting the strategic importance of space research.
Primary Role and Objectives
The main objective of ISRO is to develop space technology and apply it to everyday national needs. From its very beginning, ISRO has focused on using space science to solve real-life problems rather than competing in a global space race.
Its core responsibilities include:
- Building Satellites: ISRO designs and manufactures advanced satellites. These are used for television broadcasting, telecommunications, weather forecasting, and mapping natural resources.
- Developing Launch Vehicles: To place satellites into space, ISRO builds powerful rockets known as launch vehicles. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) are prominent examples.
- Societal Applications: The agency uses data collected from space to help citizens on the ground. This includes monitoring agricultural crop health, locating safe drinking water, managing natural disasters like cyclones, and providing distance education to remote villages.
- Scientific Exploration: ISRO conducts complex deep-space missions to explore the solar system. Missions to the Moon (Chandrayaan) and Mars (Mangalyaan) help expand fundamental scientific knowledge.
