Reaching Outer Space on a Bullock Cart

The fascinating story of India’s first-ever rocket launch begins in the small village of Thumba and ends in outer space.

First rocket launched from TERLS just after launch | Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

With bullock carts, bicycles, churches, and a coastal fishing village, the setting bears an eery resemblance to a seascape painting or a slow-paced movie plot. However, the real plot that unfolded here, in the quaint little village of Thumba, is completely different. It is the story of India’s first-ever rocket launch. A story where a church served as the office, rockets were assembled in front of the altar and a beach was the launchpad.

On November 21, 1963, India’s space odyssey began with the successful launch of the US-made Nike Apache sounding rocket from the spaceport of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching System (TERLS). As fascinating as the end result is, so is the entire tale that made it happen.

In the early 1960s, two scientists that will remain immortal in India’s space age were scouting for a location. They were none other than Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai, who were looking for a space to start their space research station. This quest led them to an obscure village on the coastline of Thiruvananthapuram called Thumba. The population of the village of Thumba was majorly made up of fisherfolk. It had a red stone church dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. What interested these two visionary scientists was that the hamlet was near the Earth’s magnetic equator, a key factor when it comes to space research. This is because it’s the spot where the Earth’s magnetic field is at its weakest, making it appropriate for a rocket launch.

The scientists requested the then bishop, Reverend Peter Bernard Pereira, for the church land in order to pursue their scientific mission. Instead of a direct answer, the bishop invited them for the Sunday mass where he put the request in front of the parishioners, explaining to them the subtleties of science and spirituality. This incident is mentioned by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was one of the first recruits of the project in his book ‘Ignited Minds’. After this, permits were requested for, paperwork was completed, villagers were rehabilitated to a new place with a new church and India was on the brink of entering its space age.

The prayer room of the church became the scientists’ laboratory. The bishop’s residence turned into a design and drawing room while the sandalwood statue of Mary Magdalene kept an eye on these young minds like a guardian angel. Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching System (TERLS) was finally established, which later gave birth to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the renowned Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The establishment of the research station got the engines running for India’s first-ever space endeavor. The latter half of this project pertaining to rockets came next. Departing from the ordinary or expected, the mode of transportation of the rocket parts was bullock carts and bicycles! Visitors, especially those from foreign nations, were often surprised at the sight of these makeshift offices and unusual modes of transportation. Nonetheless, these efforts were always applauded due to the innovative spirit they displayed.

As months of hard work and labour rolled by, the eventful dusk had finally reached the humid shores of Thumba. At 06:25 pm, India’s first ever rocket glided into space leaving a light trail in the sky as well as a historic moment behind. Hands were shaken, smiles were exchanged, telegrams were sent back home as India had officially entered the space age.

Decades later, we are now a pioneer in space technology, thanks to the multiple great minds that have laid the foundation of space research in India. From space operations with budgets that are less than movies based on science-fiction to homegrown startups making reusable launch vehicles, we have indeed come a long way. From hereon, the future of India’s space odyssey looks nothing but ever-expanding and promising.

Scientists carrying rocket parts on bicycles within the large expanse of Thumba | Image Source: The Hindu