_Aryabhata.jpg)
The Genesis of a Dream
The story of Indian space program including Aryabhata is rooted in the vision of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space program. Sarabhai dreamed of harnessing space technology for national development, envisioning satellites for communication, remote sensing, and scientific exploration. Aryabhata was one of three ambitious projects Sarabhai championed, alongside rocket development – space launch vehicle (SLV) and Satellite Instruction Television Experiment (SITE) program.
In the late 1960s, as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) took shape, Dr Sarabhai had tasked a young scientist, Prof. Udupi Ramachandra Rao, with leading the satellite program. Rao, who had worked on NASA projects, brought expertise and ambition to the task, setting the stage for a remarkable endeavour. This was a time when the geopolitical relation between the two communist nations and the erstwhile comrades - China and USSR - had gone very sour due to their intractable ideological differences between Marxism & Leninism. The two leaders of China and Soviet Union, Mao Zedong and Nikita Khrushchev were strong advocates of two different forms of communism. Mao Zedong denounced the communism practiced by USSR and blamed Khrushchev as practitioner of the work of revisionist traitors. It was this animosity between the two warring comrades that, in a way, helped India launch its first satellite - Aryabhata.
Initially, ISRO had plans to design a 100-kg satellite for launch on an American Scout rocket, which was seen as a reliable and affordable option. However, the Cold War’s geopolitical currents reshaped the project’s trajectory. In 1971, India’s ambassador in Moscow, DP Dhar, relayed an offer from the Soviet Academy of Sciences to launch an Indian satellite for free. The Soviet Union, wary of India’s potential collaboration with the United States and eager to outshine its rival, China, saw an opportunity to strengthen ties with India while scoring a propaganda victory against China.
On 24th of April, 1970 the People’s Republic of China became the fifth nation to successfully place a satellite in to earth’s orbit. The Chinese satellite was flown purely for propaganda purpose, using a tune generator to play the 'East is Red' patriotic anthem. The Chinese satellite weighed 173 kilograms. The Chinese propaganda and their rejoicing of the success of their satellite launch and pretending to rub shoulders with the Soviet Union (USSR) prompted the USSR to nudge the Indian Ambassador Mr DP Dhar to inform Mrs Indira Gandhi of the intent of USSR to support India launch an Indian satellite.
India was still in its infancy stage in space technology, when the Russians offered to piggy back an Indian satellite on their rocket. By then Prof UR Rao (who later went on to become the satellite man of India) had already started preparing a consolidated plan for the launch of Indian satellite. Unfortunately, Dr Sarabhai died prematurely on 31st December 1971. However, at the behest of Prof MGK Menon, who was then the Director TIFR - who was also tasked to temporarily take additional charge of the Indian Space Research Origination – Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi invited Prof Satish Dhawan, who was on a sabbatical to Caltech from IISc, to return back to India and mantle the role of head of ISRO. Mrs Gandhi even agreed to the two conditions put forth by Prof Dhawan that he will continue to be the Director of IISc and will hold additional charge of ISRO and that the headquarters of ISRO is to be located in Bangalore. Mrs Gandhi agreed to the conditions of Prof Dhawan.
The Russian condition to India was clear: The Indian satellite had to outweigh China’s Dong Fang Hong I, launched in 1970 at 173 kg, to ensure the Soviets could claim superiority in supporting a developing nation’s space ambitions. This geopolitical manoeuvre, born of Cold War rivalries between the USSR and China, transformed Aryabhata into a 360-kg spacecraft, a testament to both scientific ingenuity and strategic diplomacy.
The Making of Aryabhata
The development of Aryabhata was a saga of resilience and resourcefulness. With a budget of Rs. 3 crore approved by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, ISRO set up operations in Peenya, an industrial area on the outskirts of Bangalore. Four asbestos-roofed sheds, each 5,000 square feet, were transformed into sophisticated laboratories, complete with a clean room, thermovac chamber, and electronics facilities. Under the leadership of Prof. U.R. Rao, a 150-member team of young engineers and scientists, many fresh graduates, worked tirelessly to build a satellite from scratch. The choice of Bangalore, supported by Karnataka’s Industries Secretary Satish Chandran, leveraged the city’s proximity to industries like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, fostering a conducive environment for innovation.
The satellite’s design was ambitious: a 26-sided polyhedron, 1.4 meters in diameter, covered with solar cells generating 46 watts of power, supported by a nickel-cadmium battery. Aryabhata carried three scientific payloads for X-ray astronomy, solar physics, and ionospheric studies, developed with contributions from institutions like the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Physical Research Laboratory. Despite procurement challenges, a team led by Rao sourced components from Europe and the US, bypassing bureaucratic hurdles to meet deadlines.
Although the project faced setbacks, including the sudden death of Vikram Sarabhai in December 1971, which briefly halted progress. Prof. Satish Dhawan, who succeeded Sarabhai, provided steady leadership, while Prof. M.G.K. Menon, as interim chairman, secured government funding. A notable anecdote involves the satellite’s naming. In early 1975, the team proposed three names to Indira Gandhi: Aryabhata, honouring the ancient astronomer; Maitri, symbolizing Indo-Soviet friendship; and Jawahar, for obvious reasons to honour the founding PM of India. Mrs. Gandhi chose Aryabhata, a nod to India’s scientific heritage.
The Launch and Its Impact
On April 19, 1975, at 7:30 GMT, a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket roared into the sky from Kapustin Yar, carrying Aryabhata into a low Earth orbit with a 50.7° inclination, an apogee of 619 km, and a perigee of 568 km. Thirty Indian scientists, including Rao and Dhawan, witnessed the historic moment. Just 30 minutes after launch, telemetry signals reached ground stations at Sriharikota, Bears Lake near Moscow, and a makeshift facility in Peenya, where a converted toilet served as a data receiving centre. The Indian team erupted in celebration, with Dhawan distributing sweets.
Aryabhata’s scientific mission was partially successful. Its instruments recorded data from the X-ray source CygX1, conducted telemedicine trials, and transferred meteorological data, laying the groundwork for India’s INSAT program. However, a power failure on the fifth day forced the shutdown of its scientific payloads, limiting data collection. Despite this, Aryabhata achieved its primary objectives: demonstrating India’s ability to design, build, and operate a satellite, establishing ground infrastructure, and training a generation of space engineers. The satellite remained in orbit until February 10, 1992, a silent witness to India’s growing prowess.
The launch was a national triumph, celebrated with a commemorative stamp issued within hours and an image of Aryabhata on the Rs. 2 currency note from 1976 to 1997. The Soviet Union also issued a stamp featuring Aryabhata, underscoring the Indo-Soviet collaboration. The New York Times quoted Indira Gandhi hailing the launch as “an important event in India’s efforts to harness the benefits of science,” while The Hindu’s headline on April 20, 1975, proclaimed, “India Enters Space Age.”
A Legacy That Soars
Aryabhata’s launch was a turning point, propelling India into the ranks of space-faring nations as the 11th country and the second developing nation after China to orbit a satellite. It laid the foundation for ISRO’s subsequent achievements, including the Bhaskara, Rohini, INSAT, and Chandrayaan missions. Today, ISRO has built 131 satellites, with 55 currently in orbit, and has launched 433 satellites for 34 countries. The Peenya sheds evolved into the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, a hub of innovation. Aryabhata’s legacy is not just technological but cultural, proving that a developing nation with limited resources could achieve greatness through ingenuity and determination.
The Cold War context, with the Soviet Union’s strategic offer, underscores how global rivalries can catalyse scientific progress. Aryabhata was more than a satellite; it was a symbol of Indo-Soviet friendship and India’s resolve to carve its own path in the cosmos. As ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan noted, “From that humble beginning, we have grown to the highest levels of maturity in satellite technology.”
Looking Forward
As we commemorate Aryabhata’s golden jubilee, we honour the pioneers—Sarabhai, UR Rao, Dhawan, Dr Abdul Kalam and countless unsung engineers and scientists —who dared to dream big. Their legacy inspires ISRO’s current endeavours, from lunar exploration to reusable launch vehicles. The 50th anniversary of Aryabhata is an occasion to reflect on how far India has come and to recommit to pushing the boundaries of space exploration for the benefit of humanity.
Aryabhata was India’s first imprint in space, a beacon of ambition that continues to light the way. Today, April 19, 2025, as we celebrate the 50th year of its launch let us celebrate not just the satellite, but the spirit of a nation which supported the daring dream of ISRO founders in those early days when India was passing through ship to mouth crisis to travel this far to be in the league of space faring nations of the world and to be rubbing shoulders with NASA.
Images : Courtesy Wikipedia and ISRO
1 comment:
Prof. Prem raj Pushpakaran writes -- 2025 marks the 50th year since the launch of Aryabhata 2025, and let us celebrate the occasion!!! https://worldarchitecture.org/profiles/gfhvm/prof-prem-raj-pushpakaran-profile-page.html
Post a Comment