Latest news with #Aryabhata
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First Post
4 days ago
- Science
- First Post
50 years of Aryabhata: India's journey through Space Age
India's space journey is no longer just about reaching the stars — it is about shaping the future read more On April 19, 1975, India achieved a significant milestone in space technology as it launched its first satellite, Aryabhata शं नो द्यावापृथिवी पूर्वहूतौ शमन्तरिक्षं दृशये नो अस्तु । शं न ओषधीर्वनिनो भवन्तु शं नो रजसस्पतिरस्तु जिष्णुः || — ऋग्वेदः सूक्तं ७.३५ 'May the heaven and earth invoked since eternity in the first yajna, and the middle regions so charming to see be good for our peace and joy. May the herbs instilled with the vitality of sun rays be for our peace and joy of good health, and may the victorious lord of life on earth and in distant regions be good and bring us peace, prosperity and happiness.' — Rig Veda STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Space has long captivated the human imagination, with mythological tales across cultures often alluding to celestial journeys and cosmic realms. India is no exception, with its rich heritage of stories that reflect a deep-rooted fascination with the universe. On the evening of November 21, 1963—about half an hour after sunset—India took its first nascent step into space technology. From the newly established Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) launched a 715 kg Nike-Apache sounding rocket. It soared to an altitude of 200 kms, releasing a brilliant sodium vapor cloud in the upper atmosphere that lit up the twilight sky—a modest yet momentous beginning for India's space programme. On August 15, 1969, India established Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the Department of Atomic Energy, which replaced the erstwhile INCOSPAR. However, it was only in June 1972 that India established Department of Space (DOS) and brought ISRO under its purview. Aryabhata: India joins the space club On April 19, 1975, India achieved a significant milestone in space technology as it launched its first satellite, Aryabhata. The satellite was carried aboard a Soviet Kosmos-3M launch vehicle from the Kapustin Yar spaceport in Astrakhan Oblast as spart of the Soviet Union's Interkosmos programme. Aryabhata remained in contact with ground stations until March 1981. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Aryabhata remained in contact with ground stations until March 1981 To commemorate this achievement, the Government of India featured the satellite's image on the reverse side of the Rs 2 banknote, which remained in circulation from 1976 to 1997. Rohini Satellites: India's Orbital Genesis From 1979 to 1983, India conducted a series of four experimental satellite launches under the Rohini programme, which employed the indigenously developed four-stage solid-propellant Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3). From 1979 to 1983, India conducted a series of four experimental satellite launches under the Rohini programme These missions were aimed at validating launch vehicle performance, orbit injection accuracy, and establishing indigenous capability in satellite deployment. ISRO used the indigenously developed 'Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV)'. For each of these launches from its launchpad at Sriharikota High Altitude Range. The satellites were named as: Rohini Technology Payload (RTP), Rohini RS-1, Rohini RS-D1 and Rohini RS-D2. RS-1 was India's first successful satellite launch and India joined an elite group of countries to reach Earth's orbit after the USSR, the US, France, the UK, China and Japan. On July 18, 1981 Department of Posts commemorated Rohini Satellites by issuing a 1 Rupee postage stamp and a First Day Cover. The First Day Cover shows SLV-3 being transported to the launcher while the stamp shows the launch of SLV 3 Rocket with diagram of Rohini satellite. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PSLV: The Workhorse of India's Space Missions As the Cold War neared its end in late 1980s, India felt the need to move away from foreign launch vehicles for launching its own satellites. An indigenous platform not only meant strategic autonomy but also saving of precious foreign exchange. Thus, the workhorse of India's space programme, PSLV, was born. The first launcher in this series was PSLV-G which powered the PSLV-D1 mission on 20 September 1993 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Till date, PSLV has had 63 launches, out of which 59 have been successful giving it an incredible success rate of 93.65 per cent! Some of the notable launches by PSLV include: PSLV-C2 which deployed Oceansat-1, DLR-Tubsat, and Kitsat-3, PSLV-C28 which successfully deployed 5 satellites, PSLV-C34 which deployed a record breaking 20 satellites from different countries in a single flight, PSLV-C35 which was the first mission to deploy satellites in 2 different orbits, PSLV-C57 which deployed India's first solar observatory Aditya-L1, PSLV-C56 which deployed a Singapore satellite along with 6 smaller satellites. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On April 10, 2015 Department of Posts released a set of 2 stamps of 25 Rupees and 5 Rupees in a Joint Issue with France to commemorate 50 years of space cooperation between the two countries. The 5 Rupees stamp shows the Satellite 'Megha-Tropiques' which was launched by PSLV in 2011 in orbit around Earth. The 25 Rupees stamp shows the 'Satellite with ARgos and ALtika' (SARAL), which was launched by PSLV in 2013, orbiting the Earth with the Map of India in the background. On April 10, 2015 Department of Posts released a set of 2 stamps of 25 Rupees and 5 Rupees in a Joint Issue with France to commemorate 50 years of space cooperation between the two countries Reaching for the Moon The Chandrayaan missions also known as the Indian Lunar Exploration Programme, is India's ambitious pursuit of moon exploration. On October 22, 2008, Chandrayaan-1 was launched aboard PSLV. The mission was extremely successful as the Moon Impact Probe (MIP) landed near the Lunar South Pole and made the historic discovery of existence of water on Moon. On September 6, 2019, Chandrayaan-2 crash landed on moon's surface during its descent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Not to be deterred, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-3 mission and on August 23, 2023, Vikram lander made history by becoming the first human endeavour to land on the Lunar South Pole. Taare Zameen Par From Aryabhata to Chandrayaan-3, India's space missions reflect a saga of resilience, innovation, and vision. India has launched successful missions which have not only enhanced communication, weather forecasting, navigation, resource management but also saved precious foreign exchange and made India a key player in global space economy. India's space journey is no longer just about reaching the stars — it is about shaping the future. It is also about carrying the aspirations of a billion Indians with one cosmic milestone at a time. Krishna Kant Sharma (X: @krishnakant_75) is a New Delhi-based technology professional with experience in IT, Telecom & Digital Transformation domains. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Meet the Indian designer embedding ‘India's fingerprint in space' with Axiom-4 mission badge for Shubhanshu Shukla
Source: ANI India's growing ambitions in space will soon be represented not just through technological feats, but also a powerful symbol of cultural pride. As Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla prepares for his journey aboard the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station, he will wear a specially designed mission badge crafted by Indian designer Manish Tripathi. This emblem serves as more than just mission insignia that fuses India's deep-rooted scientific legacy with its rich cultural heritage. From the symbolism of ancient observatories to nods at modern achievements like Gaganyaan, the badge tells the story of a nation rising in space exploration. It's a historic moment where tradition meets technology; India's identity stitched into the stars, and carried proudly on the global stage. Indian designer Manish Tripathi creates mission badge for Axiom-4 astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla What is exceptional about this badge is the personal relationship between the designer and the astronaut. According to ANI reports, classmates Manish Tripathi and Shubhanshu Shukla share a past, and out of this, they led a partnership founded on vision and trust. The two shared ideas back and forth for eight months that bridged time zones to ensure that the badge would be an honest and truthful portrayal of India's space journey. This was not a regular design assignment. It required technical sophistication, cultural sensitivity, and a purpose. Every aspect of the design had to be prototested for its usability in space-grade materials and conditions. This makes it a graphic narrative of India's story through symbolic design. The badge is more than just an eyesore sight loaded with symbolism of varied layers. Similar to the shape of a postage stamp, the symbol indicates India stamping a message to the world. What each element of the Axiom-4 emblem says about India's space legacy Here's what the most vital elements are and what they mean: Gaganyaan icon: A reference to India's maiden human spaceflight mission, a new gold standard for indigenous space exploration. Aryabhata satellite: 50 years since the launch of India's first satellite, a milestone in the national scientific history of India. The Sun: A heavenly body which is worshipped in Indian culture and one which is central to space science too, symbolizing energy, continuity, and light. Jantar Mantar observatory: A reference to the ancient Indian wisdom on astronomy and ancient curiosity about the universe. The infinity symbol and the zero sign: Both mathematical symbols were created for the first time in India and form the cornerstone of ancient science and space travel. The Moon: In terms of ISRO's successful moon missions like Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 that made India a global leader in space technology. India's map in the chin of an astronaut helmet: This design is a tribute to the valor of Lord Hanuman symbolising the country being propelled forward with courage and intention. All these were carefully picked to demonstrate that India's identity in space is not only new and intentional but also historical and philosophical. NASA's Axiom-4 mission features India's cultural emblem in space The badge includes flags or maps of countries working together on the Axiom-4 mission, representing world cooperation symbolically. This serves to highlight that space is a global effort, and India is no longer at the fringes; it is a dynamic, active participant. India's partnership with Axiom Space , NASA, and SpaceX on missions like Axiom-4 is an indicator of its transition from being an emerging space nation to a global player in becoming a part of the shaping of the future of orbital technology and science. Tripathi emphasised that the badge will be an inspiration for future generations. He calls it "India's fingerprint in space," not merely a badge of national pride, but an incentive to think big. It is an emblem of Indian excellence on a material level, reminding students, innovators, and citizens that they can make a difference on earth or even in outer space. Shubhanshu Shukla represents India's strength and spirit on Axiom-4 Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is more than a guest to Axiom-4; he's a symbol of Indian grit, intellect, and humility. Tripathi referred to him as "a real superhero"; a vote of confidence for his level head and seriousness of purpose he represents. Shukla dons his suit with this emblem bearing the aspirations of over a billion citizens. The Axiom-4 mission in itself is a component of the wider trend in the space sector towards private-public partnership. With NASA in alliance with Axiom Space, and SpaceX, such missions are establishing the next generation of space station, deep-space logistics, and low-Earth orbit research capability. For India, participation in such missions is about more than representation but it is actually about redefining what Indian innovation looks like on a global scale. With the inclusion of Tripathi's emblem, India asserts that science and culture, ambition and tradition, can move forward together. Also Read | NASA launching rockets to investigate mysterious ionospheric clouds disrupting global communication networks
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
From The Hindu, June 2, 1975: Space programme not hit by snags in Aryabhata
Madras, June 1: The Indian space satellite programme would not be affected because of the difficulties experienced in the functioning of Aryabhata, Prof. Satish Dhawan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said here to-day. Prof. Dhawan said that the malfunctioning of some of the equipment on board the Aryabhata was due to the failure of the 'power transistor' system. The fault was detected by the ISRO scientists after careful scrutiny of the material received by Mission Control at Bangalore. These scientists were now working round the clock studying the possibility of reviving the experiments. Even such 'drastic steps' like sending electronic pulses to activate the instruments abroad the satellite were being considered. But it was too early to say whether 'we will succeed in this task,' Prof. Dhawan said. Tracing the initial difficulties encountered by the satellite immediately after it was launched, he said even after a few orbits, it started 'tumbling' and did not 'spin' as expected. The satellite was made of non-magnetic material but even then there was some drag on it, thereby slowing it down. The latest information was that it was normal and orbiting according to the programme, he said.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
The Troika: Focused R&D, energy sovereignty and values
Imagine a world without zero. No binary code, no computing, and certainly no AI. The concept of zero, first formalised by Brahmagupta in 7th century India, was a philosophical breakthrough that enabled progress in fields from astronomy to finance and computer science. From Aryabhata's calculations of π to CV Raman's Nobel-winning work, India has a deep legacy of scientific inquiry and innovation, which continues today as Indian-origin talent fuels the global tech economy — leading AI breakthroughs, powering innovation at top firms, and shaping the digital world. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Pakistan's economy has much more to lose than India's due to the ongoing tensions, warns Moody's Ratings The day Pakistan got the power to poke India FM Sitharaman meets ADB chief and Italian FM, discusses economic issues; no mention of Pakistan Now, as the world enters the Era of Intelligence, India faces an urgent need to harness this legacy for its own advancement. The race for dominance is accelerating, with the US and China investing heavily to secure long-term advantage across chips, talent, and data. India's opportunity lies in seizing the boldest leapfrog bets—those with the power to redefine global paradigms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fort-de-france Modular Homes: See Prices Mobile Homes | Search ads Undo Focused R&D R&D is the primary battleground of the Intelligence Era. To build global competitiveness, supply chain resilience, and national security, India must focus its R&D on critical domains. Live Events Biotechnology will redefine healthcare, agriculture, and climate resilience. Building sovereign capabilities in synthetic biology, precision medicine, and bio-manufacturing will be critical to food and health security—and to reducing reliance on global supply chains. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Advanced materials are the backbone of next-generation semiconductors, aerospace, defence, and clean energy. Controlling these innovations will be essential to decoupling from vulnerable supply chains and achieving strategic self-reliance in critical sectors, including electronics and defence. Quantum computing and communications will be foundational to the next era of encryption, cybersecurity, financial systems, and scientific modeling. Early leadership is essential to safeguarding national security infrastructure and setting new global standards—before others do. In the next 10 years, we must move from value-chain participation to value-chain creation—disrupting chokepoints and setting new rules for global competition. Energy Sovereignty AI may run on data, but it thrives on energy. As adoption accelerates, electricity demand from data centres and AI supercomputing is expected to double by 2026. Energy is now a strategic asset—central to digital power and economic leadership. India, with over 200 GW of renewable capacity and a 2030 target of 500 GW, is well-positioned to lead. The`19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission is a bold step toward making India a global hub for green hydrogen. If executed with ambition, India could become in this century what oil-rich nations were in the last: the bedrock of global energy ecosystems. Strategic investments in green hydrogen, battery storage, smart grids, and next-gen renewables will make India the destination of choice for energy-intensive industries—from semiconductor fabs and AI clusters to quantum labs and advanced manufacturing. Human-Centric AI India's most profound contribution to the Intelligence Era may not lie just in its technological prowess but in its values. As the world races toward hyper-automation, India must lead with a human-centric AI vision—one that augments, not replaces; empowers, not exploits; and keeps people, not machines, at the heart of progress. AI should be harnessed to solve India's most pressing challenges: boosting agricultural productivity, bridging learning gaps, democratizing access to quality healthcare, and building climate resilience. We are walking the talk with the India AI Mission, but India must go further—and shape global governance frameworks rooted in our values dignity, inclusion, and equity.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
K. Kasturirangan (1940–2025): Architect of India's Space Programme and Education Policy Vision
Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan was a rare personality who contributed to diverse fields such as Indian space missions, national policy, environment, education, and institution-building. In Kasturirangan, we see an amalgamation of radiating passion, boundless energy and enthusiasm, and an inquisitive mind combined with an uncompromising quest to bring out the best in every initiative. He remained eager to learn new ideas, explore new areas, and take up challenging tasks across diverse fields throughout his life, while always appreciating achievements by giving due credit to teams, moulding individuals and programmes—and, above all, remaining a warm human being. It is not often that we come across a personality like Kasturirangan. The nation has lost a luminary. Fondly called 'Dr. Rangan', he belonged to the generation that witnessed the country's journey since Independence and grew along with it. With a burning desire to make the nation self-sufficient and a frontrunner in cutting-edge technology and scientific discovery, his contribution to space science programmes was unparalleled, beginning with the first Indian mission, Aryabhata, launched exactly 50 years ago. Trained in basic sciences, his journey from the Physical Research Laboratory to the highest position in the Indian Space Research Organisation was exemplary. His areas of interest included high-energy astrophysics, X-ray astronomy, and astronomical instrumentation, and he was keen to attract the best talent in the world to India to set up futuristic experiments. While becoming Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation might seem the culmination of an exemplary career spanning three and a half decades, for Rangan, it was only the beginning of a new phase of pursuit. He transformed himself from the leader of critical space missions to a policymaker, leading the committee for the conservation of the Western Ghats and subsequently the committee that drafted the National Education Policy 2020. He also served the country as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Kasturirangan personified the belief that age is just a number when it comes to new learning, new fields, and new challenges. Also Read | M.S. Swaminathan (1925-2023): A truly human life dedicated to science and society He contributed to the growth of many academic and educational institutions in the country in various ways. His guidance to several top institutions, such as the Indian Institute of Science and Jawaharlal Nehru University, reflected his passion for scientific and academic pursuits. He provided his guidance and support to almost all the institutions in the areas of astronomy, astrophysics, and space sciences by heading their governing boards. He nurtured the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, for a long time, starting with its formation. Under his leadership, ARIES set up the largest telescopes in the country—the 3.4-metre telescope, the 4-metre liquid mirror telescope, and the ST radar facilities. Most of the major facilities in these fields benefited from his valuable guidance. Until recently, he chaired the governing board of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA). He also chaired the governing council of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics when the Institute was constructing the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) for the AstroSat mission. His leadership was crucial to the successful fabrication of UVIT, including the setting up of the space science laboratory where UVIT was integrated. This laboratory went on to integrate and deliver the VELC instrument on board the Aditya-L1 mission and currently supports several space start-ups in their payload testing. The first Indian space observatory, AstroSat, took shape under his guidance, and he personally monitored the scientific, technical, and managerial aspects of the project. He co-authored an article summarising the five-year scientific achievements of the AstroSat mission. An academician at heart, he maintained an unwavering and uncompromising approach to scientific pursuits. His energy and enthusiasm for discussing scientific topics with a passion for pushing the boundaries of understanding were unparalleled. I have had several experiences where a 10-minute discussion with him would leave me with so many thought-provoking ideas—enough to ponder over for months. He had a characteristic style of narrating situations and naturally highlighting the most critical aspects. His push to maximise scientific returns from various instruments led to the success of missions such as AstroSat, the Chandrayaan series, and Aditya-L1. With the passing of Rangan, the scientific community has lost a passionate and enthusiastic mentor. His vision for India He believed in 'Make in India' and pushed for the nation to become self-reliant in critical technologies. A visionary, he planned many futuristic missions that helped develop capacity building in the country. His hallmark was ensuring that each mission contributed to building capacity in critical technologies, alongside achieving impactful scientific output. He was a keen supporter of the Thirty Metre Telescope project and was determined that India should develop the technical know-how required. He was particularly keen for India to contribute major hardware to the project and thereby master segmented mirror technology. He was very happy to witness the setting up of a large mirror fabrication facility in India, at the Hosakote campus of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. Rangan's contribution to the nation also included his leadership of science academies and scientific societies. He was a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru, and served as its President from 2003 to 2005. He was a Fellow and former President of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), and a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). He also headed the Astronomical Society of India as its President from 1995 to 1997. He was a member of several national and international scientific societies. Rangan was a rare combination of scientist and technologist, who could lead both ISRO and India's premier scientific academies with distinction. He provided significant leadership support to two innovative institutions. He nurtured and promoted multidisciplinary research and enhanced the visibility of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). He also served as Chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission (KKC), which aimed to promote a knowledge society and enhance excellence in the education system. As part of the process of framing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, he carried out extensive discussions and brainstorming sessions with a wide range of stakeholders, educationists, and academicians. His exemplary, lifelong career—larger than life in many ways—is presented in the book Space and Beyond: Professional Voyage of Dr. K. Kasturirangan, edited by B.N. Suresh, which offers a glimpse into the vast contributions he made to the country. That all of this was achieved in a single human lifetime is almost unimaginable and speaks volumes about his akshayapatra of energy, enthusiasm, and drive for excellence. Rangan published more than 200 research papers in national and international journals and edited six books. Among the many honours he received were the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for Engineering Sciences and the national honours of Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan for his scientific and technological contributions. Also Read | Remembering Ratan, the noble businessman When Rangan was Chair of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), I was editing the Annual Report as a junior faculty member and had the opportunity to present it to him. He called me aside and explained the purpose and intended audience of the report, convincing me to make it more appealing to a wider readership. Later, I had several discussions with him about the scientific discoveries from the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT), for which I served as the calibration scientist. He was always keen to understand not only the technical details of the work but also the broader impact of the results—not even a single minute with him went unutilised. Recently, I was thrilled to receive a letter from him personally congratulating me on being selected for the Vigyan Shri award for 2024 in space sciences and technology. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan has left behind a monumental legacy and has set very high standards. He will be missed by numerous organisations, academicians, educationists, policymakers, and the list goes on. Many of us will surely miss the intense conversations with him, which acted as boosters to our own scientific pursuits. There are countless lessons he provided for us to learn and imbibe in our journeys. The nation has lost an illustrious and visionary space scientist—one who truly conquered space and beyond. Annapurni Subramaniam is a Indian astrophysicist and the current Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
