History · Science

ISRO & India in Space

India’s space journey from 1962 to today.

Key facts

• Founder / father of space programmeDr Vikram Sarabhai
• HeadquartersBengaluru
• Main launch centreSatish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh)
• Rocket development centreVikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
• Current ChairmanDr V. Narayanan
• India's navigation systemNavIC (earlier IRNSS)
• Human spaceflight programmeGaganyaan (uncrewed G1 flight pending as of Nov 2026)

Timeline

1. 1962INCOSPAR set up

   Indian National Committee for Space Research, under Dr Vikram Sarabhai, father of India's space programme.

2. 21 Nov 1963First rocket launch

   Nike-Apache sounding rocket from Thumba, Keralam.

3. 15 Aug 1969ISRO founded

   Headquarters: Bengaluru.

4. 19 Apr 1975Aryabhata

   India's first satellite, launched by a Soviet rocket.

5. 18 Jul 1980Rohini RS-1 on SLV-3

   First satellite on an Indian rocket; project led by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

6. 3 Apr 1984Rakesh Sharma in space

   First Indian in space, aboard Soyuz T-11.

7. 22 Oct 2008Chandrayaan-1

   First Moon mission; found evidence of water molecules on the Moon.

8. 5 Nov 2013Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission)

   Reached Mars orbit on 24 Sep 2014; India first to succeed on the first attempt, first in Asia.

9. 15 Feb 2017PSLV-C37: 104 satellites

   Record number of satellites on one launch at the time.

10. 22 Jul 2019Chandrayaan-2

    Orbiter succeeded; lander Vikram crash-landed.

11. 23 Aug 2023Chandrayaan-3 lands

    First landing near the Moon's south pole; landing site named Shiv Shakti point; 23 Aug is National Space Day.

12. 2 Sep 2023Aditya-L1

    First solar observatory; reached the L1 point on 6 Jan 2024.

13. 16 Jan 2025SpaDeX docking

    India became the fourth country to dock two satellites in space.

14. 29 Jan 2025NVS-02 (GSLV-F15)

    ISRO's 100th launch from Sriharikota.

15. Jun 2025Shubhanshu Shukla on the ISS

    Axiom-4 mission; first Indian aboard the International Space Station.

16. 30 Jul 2025NISAR

    NASA–ISRO radar satellite, launched on GSLV-F16.

17. 30 Oct 2026NVS-03 (GSLV-F18)

    Third second-generation NavIC satellite.