From rockets on bicycles to Chandrayaan missions, India has come a long manner: Isro chairman

Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Dr V Narayanan (Pic credit score: PTI)

KOZHIKODE: From carrying rocket components on bicycles and satellites on bullock carts within the Seventies, India has turn into one of many world leaders within the area sector by its profitable Mars orbiter and Chandrayaan missions, which have additionally made a number of world data, Isro chairman V Narayanan mentioned right here on Saturday. Speaking on the twenty seventh convocation of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) – Kozhikode, Narayanan mentioned the nation has come a long manner from when it launched its first satellite tv for pc – Aryabhata — on a Soviet rocket.
Now India has 131 satellites in orbit, has launched 433 satellites for 34 international locations and efficiently accomplished its a centesimal launch on January 29 this 12 months, he mentioned.
Besides that, India was the primary nation to uncover water molecules on the Moon by its Chandrayaan-1 mission and the primary to land on its south pole by the Chandrayaan-3 mission, inserting it among the many leaders within the area sector, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) mentioned.
“India is the primary and solely nation to efficiently full the Mars orbiter mission within the first try,” he added.
Giving a temporary perception into India’s journey within the area of area, Narayanan mentioned that the nation was 60 to 70 years behind when it started its area programme.
“Then in the 90s we were denied the cryogenic engine technology and were humiliated over it. Today India has made three cryogenic engines and has become one of the six countries in the world to do so,” he mentioned.
It additionally set three world data in reference to the cryogenic engine, he mentioned.
Narayanan mentioned that normally international locations develop 9-10 cryogenic engines, then take a minimal of 42 months from engine testing to flight and the rocket propulsion system testing additionally takes a minimal of 5 months.
India accomplished the engine testing to flight stage in 28 months, with three cryogenic engines and examined the rocket propulsion system in 34 days — all three of that are world data, he mentioned.
India can also be one amongst 4 counties on the planet to have a satellite tv for pc finding out the Sun and will probably be finishing up the Chandrayaan-5 mission in collaboration with Japan, he added.
“So, we have come a long way from the era of bicycles and bullock carts carrying rockets and satellites,” he mentioned.