It has been about 50 glorious years since India first launched a rocket. Similar to other space faring nations like USA and Russia we too started small. The first rocket ever to leave Indian soil, specifically at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) was the american Nike-Apache, a two staged sounding rocket. An indigenous Rohini series sounding rocket weighing a mere 32kg was the first Indian rocket launched from TERLS in 1967.
Subsequently we launched the Aryabhatta and Bhaskara satellites, and in about a decade after them launched the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) rocket carrying the 40kg Rohini satellite. As with any space faring nation, we faced a lot of teething problems and the Indian Space Research Organization learned a lot from the SLV and ASLV rocket launches.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle was born out of ISRO's learning experiences and was first launched in 1994. This rocket then had a payload limit under 900kg then. We have come a long way since the first launch of PSLV and marking the Silver Jubilee of its launch and the end of the Diwali festival, the majestic PSLV, now a fully grown, mature workhorse of the Indian space program lifted off from the Launch Pad-1 at Satish Dhawan Space Centre-SHAR on 5th November 2013 carrying the 1350kg Mars Orbiter Mission. Not only was the launch a success, India also entered the elite league of nations with the capability to launch a spacecraft into interplanetary space.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle was born out of ISRO's learning experiences and was first launched in 1994. This rocket then had a payload limit under 900kg then. We have come a long way since the first launch of PSLV and marking the Silver Jubilee of its launch and the end of the Diwali festival, the majestic PSLV, now a fully grown, mature workhorse of the Indian space program lifted off from the Launch Pad-1 at Satish Dhawan Space Centre-SHAR on 5th November 2013 carrying the 1350kg Mars Orbiter Mission. Not only was the launch a success, India also entered the elite league of nations with the capability to launch a spacecraft into interplanetary space.
After orbiting Earth for about 25 days, MOM will fire its thrusters again and embark on a journey towards planet Mars. As I write this article the hair on the back of my neck stands as I wonder about the question "where next?". Ofcourse, ISRO has a few challenges lined up ahead and its best we do not start flying high with attitude as yet. The GSLV is undergoing teething problems and the GSLV MK-III is yet to have its first flight. ISRO is yet to send an Indian into orbit using an Indian launch Vehicle. I therefore wish ISRO the best and look forward to September 14th 2014 when MOM will be captured into orbit around Mars.