📝 Test yourself with a quick quiz
10 questions · ~5 min · instant score
Graduate Level intermediate ISRO Space Chandrayaan Mangalyaan Satellites
ISRO, Space Missions & Space Agencies — Complete PSC Guide
ISRO missions (Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Gaganyaan), Indian satellites, launch vehicles, and major world space agencies for PSC exams.
📝
Take a quick quiz
10 Qs · ~5 min
📊
Try a full mock
100 Qs · 75 min · PSC scoring
📋 At a glance
— ISRO missions (Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Gaganyaan), Indian satellites, launch vehicles, and major world space agencies for PSC exams.
#ISRO
#Space
#Chandrayaan
#Mangalyaan
#Satellites
Sign in to continue reading
You've read 5 free study notes. Sign in to unlock all 270+ notes.
Free forever — no payment needed for study notes.
Or
Space and ISRO questions appear in almost every PSC exam — typically 2-5 questions. India’s space achievements are a matter of national pride and a favourite topic for examiners. This note covers everything testable.
ISRO — Indian Space Research Organisation
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (“Father of Indian Space Programme”) |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Parent body | Department of Space (DOS), Government of India |
| Current Chairman | V. Narayanan (as of 2025) |
| First Chairman | Dr. Vikram Sarabhai |
| Predecessor | Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR, 1962) |
Key ISRO Centres
| Centre | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| VSSC (Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre) | Thiruvananthapuram | Rocket/launch vehicle development |
| SDSC-SHAR (Satish Dhawan Space Centre) | Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh | Launch site for all Indian rockets |
| ISAC (now U R Rao Satellite Centre) | Bengaluru | Satellite design and development |
| LPSC (Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre) | Thiruvananthapuram & Bengaluru | Liquid propulsion engines |
| SAC (Space Applications Centre) | Ahmedabad | Communication & remote sensing applications |
| NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre) | Hyderabad | Remote sensing data |
| ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network) | Bengaluru | Tracking and mission control |
PSC favourites: ISRO HQ = Bengaluru. Launch site = Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR). VSSC = Thiruvananthapuram. Vikram Sarabhai = Father of Indian Space Programme. Satish Dhawan = 2nd ISRO chairman (space centre named after him).
India’s Satellite History
| Milestone | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Aryabhata | 1975 | India’s first satellite; launched by Soviet Union (Kapustin Yar); named after mathematician Aryabhata |
| Bhaskara I | 1979 | First experimental remote sensing satellite |
| APPLE | 1981 | First Indian communication satellite (experimental) |
| Rohini | 1980 | First satellite launched by Indian rocket (SLV-3) from Sriharikota |
| INSAT-1B | 1983 | First operational Indian communication satellite |
| IRS-1A | 1988 | First operational Indian remote sensing satellite |
Satellite Series
| Series | Purpose |
|---|---|
| INSAT | Indian National Satellite System — communication, weather, broadcasting |
| IRS | Indian Remote Sensing — earth observation, resource mapping |
| GSAT | Geostationary satellites — communication |
| IRNSS/NavIC | Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System — India’s own GPS (7 satellites); operational 2018 |
| CARTOSAT | High-resolution earth imaging |
| OCEANSAT | Ocean and coastal monitoring |
| RISAT | Radar Imaging Satellite — all-weather imaging |
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) = India’s GPS alternative. 7 satellites. Covers India + 1,500 km around. Renamed from IRNSS to NavIC by PM Modi (2016).
Launch Vehicles
| Vehicle | Full Form | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|
| SLV-3 | Satellite Launch Vehicle | India’s first launch vehicle; launched Rohini (1980); project led by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam |
| ASLV | Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle | Improved SLV; limited success |
| PSLV | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle | India’s workhorse rocket; most reliable; launched Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan, 104 satellites in one launch (2017) |
| GSLV | Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle | For heavy geostationary satellites; uses cryogenic engine |
| GSLV Mk III / LVM3 | Launch Vehicle Mark 3 | India’s heaviest rocket; launched Chandrayaan-3; can carry 4 tonnes to GTO; also used for commercial launches (OneWeb) |
| SSLV | Small Satellite Launch Vehicle | For small/micro satellites; cost-effective; first successful flight 2023 |
| RLV-TD | Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator | India’s space shuttle prototype; tested 2016 |
Major ISRO Missions
Chandrayaan Programme (Moon)
| Mission | Year | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Chandrayaan-1 | 2008 | India’s first lunar mission; orbiter; discovered water molecules on Moon’s surface (Moon Impact Probe); launched by PSLV-C11 |
| Chandrayaan-2 | 2019 | Orbiter + Vikram lander + Pragyan rover; lander crashed during soft landing; orbiter still functional and orbiting Moon |
| Chandrayaan-3 | 2023 | Lander (Vikram) + Rover (Pragyan); successfully soft-landed on Moon’s south pole (Aug 23, 2023); India = 4th country to soft-land on Moon (after USA, Russia, China); landing site named “Shiv Shakti Point” |
Chandrayaan-3 (Aug 23, 2023): India became the 4th country to soft-land on Moon and 1st to land near the south pole. Aug 23 declared National Space Day. Landing site = Shiv Shakti Point. Crash site of Chandrayaan-2 = Tiranga Point.
Mars Mission
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mission name | Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) / Mangalyaan |
| Launch | November 5, 2013 (PSLV-C25) |
| Mars orbit entry | September 24, 2014 |
| Significance | India = first country to succeed in Mars mission on first attempt; also first Asian country to reach Mars orbit |
| Cost | |
| Status | Lost contact in 2022; mission over |
Solar Mission
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mission name | Aditya-L1 |
| Launch | September 2, 2023 (PSLV-C57) |
| Destination | Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1); ~1.5 million km from Earth |
| Purpose | Study solar corona, solar wind, CMEs |
| Significance | India’s first space-based solar observatory |
Gaganyaan (Human Spaceflight)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Goal | Send Indian astronauts (Vyomanauts) to Low Earth Orbit for 3 days |
| Target | 2025-26 (timeline has shifted) |
| Crew | 3 astronauts |
| Launch vehicle | GSLV Mk III / LVM3 (human-rated) |
| Test flights | TV-D1 (2023) — abort mission test successful |
| If successful | India = 4th country for independent human spaceflight (after Russia, USA, China) |
Record-Breaking Missions
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Most satellites in single launch | 104 satellites by PSLV-C37 (Feb 15, 2017); included 96 from USA |
| Cheapest Mars mission | Mangalyaan at ~₹450 crore |
| First interplanetary mission success on first try | Mangalyaan |
Indian Space Firsts
| First | Person/Event | Year |
|---|---|---|
| First Indian in space | Rakesh Sharma (aboard Soviet Soyuz T-11) | 1984 |
| First Indian satellite | Aryabhata | 1975 |
| First Indian rocket launch | Rohini sounding rocket from Thumba, Kerala | 1963 |
| First Indian in space — famous quote | Rakesh Sharma told PM Indira Gandhi “Saare Jahan Se Achha” when asked how India looks from space | 1984 |
| First rocket launch site | Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near Thiruvananthapuram | 1963 |
Kerala connection: India’s space journey began from Thumba (Thiruvananthapuram) in 1963. VSSC is still in Thiruvananthapuram. LPSC also has a centre there.
World Space Agencies
| Agency | Country | Founded | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA | USA | 1958 | Largest; Apollo Moon landings; Mars rovers; ISS partner; Artemis programme |
| Roscosmos | Russia | 1992 (successor to Soviet space programme) | First human in space (Yuri Gagarin, 1961); first satellite (Sputnik, 1957) |
| ESA | Europe (22 member states) | 1975 | Ariane rockets; Rosetta comet mission |
| CNSA | China | 1993 | Chang’e Moon programme; Tiangong space station; Mars rover Zhurong |
| JAXA | Japan | 2003 | Hayabusa asteroid sample return; Moon lander SLIM (2024) |
| ISRO | India | 1969 | Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, NavIC |
| SpaceX | USA (private) | 2002 (Elon Musk) | Reusable rockets (Falcon 9); Starship; Crew Dragon; Starlink satellites |
Space Milestones — Global
| First | Achievement | Year |
|---|---|---|
| First satellite | Sputnik 1 (USSR) | 1957 |
| First human in space | Yuri Gagarin (USSR, Vostok 1) | April 12, 1961 |
| First woman in space | Valentina Tereshkova (USSR) | 1963 |
| First Moon landing | Apollo 11 (USA); Neil Armstrong first person on Moon | July 20, 1969 |
| First space station | Salyut 1 (USSR) | 1971 |
| First reusable spacecraft | Space Shuttle Columbia (USA) | 1981 |
| ISS launched | Joint (USA, Russia, ESA, Japan, Canada) | 1998 |
| First Indian in space | Rakesh Sharma | 1984 |
Quick Recall
- ISRO founded? → 1969
- Father of Indian Space Programme? → Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
- India’s first satellite? → Aryabhata (1975)
- First Indian in space? → Rakesh Sharma (1984)
- Chandrayaan-1 discovery? → Water on Moon
- Mangalyaan cost? → ~₹450 crore
- India’s first rocket launch site? → Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram
- 104 satellites in one launch? → PSLV-C37 (2017)
- National Space Day? → August 23
- NavIC = India’s own? → GPS/Navigation system (7 satellites)
Found an error or have a suggestion?
Thank you! Your feedback has been submitted.