Space Technology

In 2024–25, India advanced rapidly in space technology. ISRO launched missions like Gaganyaan (human spaceflight) and Aditya-L1 (solar observatory). The success of Chandrayaan-3 boosted lunar research. India collaborated with NASA and JAXA, expanding global partnerships. Private players like Skyroot and Pixxel emerged in satellite launches. Emphasis grew on space tourism, AI in satellites, and space debris management. Space tech played a key role in communication, weather forecasting, and national security.

Space Technology

Early Global Space Achievements

On 4 October 1957, Russia successfully launched Sputnik-1, the first artificial satellite, into Earth’s orbit.
On 3 November 1957, Russia sent its second satellite, Sputnik-2, into space.
For the first time, a dog named Laika was sent into space with Sputnik-2.
Major Yuri Gagarin was the first astronaut who orbited Earth and returned safely
On 12 April 1961, Russian spacecraft Vostok carried Yuri Gagarin into space.
Apollo Mission: Started with Apollo 7 (1968) and continued till Apollo 17 (1972).
On 16 July 1969, Neil Armstrong of Apollo 11 became the first person to set foot on the Moon.

India’s Launch Vehicles

ASLV – Augmented Satellite Launching Vehicle
SLV – Satellite Launching Vehicle
PSLV – Polar Satellite Launching Vehicle
- The first two launch vehicles have now been discontinued.
- PSLV uses solid propellant in the first and third stages and liquid propellant in the second and fourth stages.
- PSLV places satellites in Polar Sun-Synchronous Orbit (36,000 km).
GSLV – Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle
- GSLV Mark 1 – Payload capacity: 1.8 tons
- GSLV Mark 2 – Payload capacity: 2500 kg
- GSLV Mark 3 – Payload capacity: 4000 kg
- Scientists have nicknamed PSLV as Workhorse, GSLV MK-2 as Naughty Boy, and GSLV MK-3 as Fat Boy.

Space Propulsion & Technology

Cryogenic Technology

Cryogenics is a branch of physics in which extremely low temperatures are produced and their applications studied.
Works at temperatures lower than 238°F in vacuum.
Temperature less than -150°C.
Main use: in rockets.
In rockets, gaseous fuel is converted to liquid fuel using cryogenic technology.
Produces high thrust because of fuel and oxidizer: liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

Ramjet

Ramjet is a type of jet engine that compresses incoming air without moving parts.
Uses oxygen in air; burns fuel with it, generating heat and thrust.
No moving parts for compression.
Can operate up to Mach 5 (supersonic speed).

Scramjet Engine

Works with liquid oxygen; does not need to carry oxygen because it absorbs from the atmosphere and converts it into liquid oxygen.
Known as Supersonic Combustion Ramjet.

India’s Space Missions & Achievements

On 19 April 1975, India launched its first satellite Aryabhata into space.
On 28 September 2015, ISRO launched Astrosat, India’s first space observatory mission.
Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS): First satellite IRNSS-1A launched by PSLV-C22 on 1 July 2013 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh).
ISRO’s PSLV-C37 Mission – Record: Deployed 104 satellites in single launch.

Indian Satellite Series

INSAT Series

INSAT is an Indian satellite series used for communication.
APPLE Satellite was launched on 19 June 1981 from Kourou Launch Centre, French Guiana.
APPLE was India’s first experimental geostationary communication satellite.
INSAT-2A was launched on 10 July 1992 from Kourou Launch Centre, French Guiana.

International Missions & NASA/ESA Contributions

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn placed communication satellites in the exosphere.
Spirit and Opportunity rovers were sent to Mars by NASA in 2003.
Both were part of Mars Exploration Rover Mission.
On 24 September 2014, India’s Mangalyaan (MOM – Mars Orbiter Mission) successfully entered Mars orbit.
With this, India became the first Asian country to achieve this, after America, Russia, and European Union.
Multiple global missions (NISAR, Euclid Telescope, Gaia, Lunar Trailblazer, SPHEREx, PUNCH, etc.) listed under specific headings below.

Space Centres & Locations

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Sriharikota Island (Andhra Pradesh) – near Pulicat Lake.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre – India’s only satellite launch centre.
Cherenkov Telescope, Hanle (Ladakh) – Asia’s largest telescope, inaugurated Oct 2024.

Recent & Upcoming Missions (2024–2025)

🚀 ISRO Launches & Achievements

NVS-02 – ISRO’s 100th launch, Jan 2025
PSLV-C61/EOS 09 – Failed launch, May 2025
SpaDeX Mission (ISRO) – Jan 2025, India became 4th country with docking tech
Student Rocket Launch Trials – ISRO, Kushinagar UP (Oct 2025)
ISRO Third Launch Pad – Sriharikota, for new-gen vehicles
CROPS-1 (ISRO) – Grew cowpea in space

🌙 Lunar Missions

Chandrayaan-3 – ChaSTE Instrument – Temperature data from lunar south pole
Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX – India–Japan lunar mission (upcoming)
Mission ShakthiSAT – All-girls lunar mission announced for 2026
Chandrayaan-4 – Approved, budget ₹2104.6 crore
Lunar Trailblazer Satellite – NASA, water distribution on Moon

🪐 Planetary & Deep Space Missions

NISAR (ISRO–NASA) – July 2025, joint Earth observation satellite
Biomass Mission – ESA, global forest mapping
Vega C Rocket – ESA launch, April 2025
Proba-3 (ESA) – Launched by ISRO
Europa Clipper (NASA) – Jupiter’s moon exploration
Gaia (ESA) – Retired in March 2025

🌍 Private & National Initiatives

Mission Firefly (Pixxel) – India’s 1st private hyperspectral constellation
Mission Rhumi-1 – India’s first reusable hybrid rocket (Space Zone India)
ASSAMSAT – Assam’s own satellite
LignoSat – Japan’s wooden satellite

👩‍🚀 Human Spaceflight & Astronaut Missions

Axiom Mission 4 – June 2025, first Indian (Shubhanshu Shukla) to ISS
Sunita Williams Returns – March 2025, 286 days in space
Polaris Dawn (SpaceX) – First commercial spacewalk
India’s First Analog Mission – Leh, Ladakh

🛰️ Space Debris & Safety

Japan–India Space Debris Project – Lasers to slow junk

🌌 Future Visions & Programs

WISLP – Women in Space Leadership Programme
Upcoming Space Vision 2047 – Bhartiya Antriksh Station, – Shukrayaan-1, – Mangalyaan-2, – Gaganyaan, – LUPEX, etc.

Global Space Discoveries & Concepts

Brown Dwarf – Failed stars.
White Dwarf Star – Dense stellar remnants.
Plunging Region – Near black holes.
Trojan Asteroid – Lagrange point orbits.
Einstein Ring – Gravitational lensing.
Accretion Disk – Matter around black hole.
Quipu Superstructure – Largest known structure in universe.
K2-18b – Exoplanet with strongest signs of life.

Other Important Facts

The black box of airplanes is orange in color.
World’s first private flight program to the Moon was named Moon Express.
Jet engines work on the principle of Newton’s Third Law of Motion.