Page 51 - GK Class 05

45 ISRO

India decided to go to space when Indian
National Committee for Space Research
(INCOSPAR) was set up by the Government of

India in 1962. With the visionary Dr. Vikram
Sarabhai at its helm, INCOSPAR set up the

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
(TERLS) in Thiruvanathapuram for upper
atmospheric research.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), formed in 1969, superseded the
erstwhile INCOSPAR. 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. ISRO then embarked
on its mission to provide the Nation space based services and to develop the

technologies to achieve the same independently.

Apart from technological capability, ISRO has also contributed to science and
science education in the country, various dedicated research centres and
autonomous institutions for remote sensing, astronomy and astrophysics,

atmospheric sciences and space sciences in general function under the aegis of
Department of Space. ISRO’s own Lunar and interplanetary missions along with
other scientific projects encourage and promote science education, apart from

providing valuable data to the scientific community which in turn enriches
science.

Cryogenic Upper Stage of GSLV. Indian sub-continent as seen by Mars orbiter
Self reliance in critical technologies. mission spacecraft during its geocentric phase.

GK-5 51