Aryabhata in Space

Built by the ISRO, India takes its first baby steps to space as Aryabhata launches into the vast orbit of Earth. Even though the Satellite was lost, it was a monumental event for India and its many scientists.

India's First Satellite, Aryabhata; Source: Public Domain

Ancient India was considered to be a land of jewels thriving with wealth, knowledge, and science. One such gem of India was the 4th-century mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata known for his most famous work Aryabhatiya. Be it predicting eclipses or calculating the earth's circumference this man knew it all.

His legacy was further renewed when Indias first ever satellite was named after him. Almost 46 years ago, Aryabhata was launched with the help of the Soviet Union from Kasputin Yar in 1975.

Many scientists harboured the dream of launching an indigenous satellite after Sputnik was launched. However, India back then was just a newly independent country struggling with many social and economic causes. After the success of the Rohini rocket programme, ISRO shifted its attention towards satellite building.

Vikram Sarabhai the Father of the Indian Space programme formed a team of 25 scientists and engineers to develop a satellite under the leadership of Dr. U R Rao with the United States assisting in launching.

But this was the era of Cold War politics and the mission kept on delaying. Finally in 1971 Soviet Union came forward and Indian-Soviet diplomats brokered a deal.

Just when the deal was going to be finalized tragedy struck, Vikram Sarabhai passed away. This led to further delay and the deal was signed in February 1972. The estimated cost was about $5.2 million which was a lot for a country like India.

The Bangalore made satellite was successfully launched in 1975 to explore conditions in Earth’s ionosphere, measure gamma rays from the Sun and also investigate X-Ray Astronomy. The scientific instruments had to be shut off on the fifth day due to some technical difficulties.

The 360 kg satellite perhaps was not such a great hit but it surely proved to millions of Indians that the sky is not the limit and nothing is impossible.

From launching an unmanned vehicle with foreign assistance to planning a manned expedition on the moon India has come a long way.