India has made significant strides in the realm of Space Science and Technology, carving a niche for itself in the global arena. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been at the forefront of this remarkable journey, achieving numerous milestones that have not only bolstered India’s reputation as a space-faring nation but have also played a pivotal role in its socio-economic development. One of the noteworthy accomplishments is India’s successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in 2013, making it the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit and the first in the world to do so in its maiden attempt. Additionally, the Chandrayaan missions have significantly contributed to lunar exploration, unveiling new facets of the Moon’s surface. These achievements underscore India’s technical prowess and determination to explore the uncharted territories of space.
Tag: Awareness in the field of IT, Computer, Space.
Decoding the Question:
- In Intro, try to write evolution of Space science and Technology in India.
- In Body,
- Discuss about achievements in the field of space science and technology
- Discuss application of space technology for India’s socio- economic development.
- Try to conclude your answer as per context.
Answer:
India embarked on developing space science and technology in an era when it was being criticized for spending money on such expensive technologies when its priority should be fighting rampant poverty that prevails. . In 1962, Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established as a precursor to ISRO. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, having identified the role and importance of space technology in a Nation’s development, provided ISRO the necessary direction to function as an agent of development. In 1972 the Government of India constituted a space commission and the Department of Space was established. Both the institutions regulate and give directions to India’s space programme.
India’s achievements in the field of Space S&T:
- Mars Orbiter Mission: India’s first inter planetary mission, the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was successfully launched onboard PSLV-C25. It made India to become one of the four nations in the world to send space mission to Planet Mars. Mars Orbiter Mission is mainly intended to establish the Indian technological capability to reach Martian orbit and to explore Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments.
- ASTROSAT: India’s first multi wavelength observatory capable of simultaneously viewing the Universe in the visible, Ultraviolet and X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
- PSLV – A Workhorse Launch Vehicle: India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with a proven track record of 24 successful flights, has provided the country crucial autonomy in ‘access to space’. During the last decade, PSLV had 15 successively successful flights and has placed 23 Indian satellites and 31 foreign satellites into orbit.
- India’s Mission to Moon: India’s maiden moon exploration mission ‘Chandrayaan-1’ was launched in October 2008 for mapping the lunar surface with high resolution remote sensing and studying the chemical and mineralogical composition. This mission has enabled the detection of the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface, which has set new directions for lunar explorations in the global community. Recently Chandrayaan 2 successfully put an orbiter in the moon’s orbit but failed to do a soft landing on the moon.
- SATCOM & SATNAV Applications: Doordarshan is presently operating 34 satellite channels and has a vast network of 67 Studios and 1,409 Transmitters installed throughout the country.
- Indian Cryogenic Engine & Stage: The successful flight testing of indigenous cryogenic stages onboard GSLV-D5 Flight. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is capable of placing 2 Tonne class communication satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and India is one among six countries in the world to demonstrate such launch capability to GTO with the use of complex cryogenic technology.
- Flood maps were provided for flood affected states during the monsoon season. Flood Early Warning System (FLEWS) is one of the operational programmes taken up by NESAC at the behest of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
- Remote Sensing and National Natural Resource Management System: The Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) System, with currently 11 satellites in orbit, is one of the largest constellations of remote sensing satellites in operation in the world today. It provides inputs for management of natural resources and various developmental projects across the country using space based imagery.
- Space Capsule Recovery: A leap-frog in Indian Launch Vehicle Technology was achieved in 2007 through the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment Mission SRE-1 which established India’s technological capability to recover an orbiting satellite with precise re-entry trajectories.
Socio-Economic development through the application of space technology:
- Telecommunication and Digital revolution: Increased penetration of tele networks and satellite services for broadband and entertainment.
- Resource management and conservation- These include Mines and minerals, water resources, Forest etc. with the help of remote sensing application.
- Tele education: Extended reach of education through the talk back channels of INSAT-3D satellite.
- Meteorological information: Various meteorological services including information about monsoons, climate flood, cyclonic activities, etc are provided through the technologies.
- Gramsat: The concept of “Gramsat” satellites have emerged to provide the basic requirements of villages.
- Commercial Space programs: Antix- as an arm of ISRO aims to establish itself as a competitive player in the low-cost satellite market. Its commercial orientation has helped India earn Forex reserves.
India has demonstratively achieved successful milestones in space science and technology since independence. Space technologies have immense potential and application in various sectors for social benefits. In these ways, the space program has given a push to every aspect of our national policies and programs contributing widely towards the socio-economic development of India, besides economic and scientific progress. It is time to make the application of space technologies to everyday life. There is a lot of scope and potential in this regard.
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