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Fifty years ago, on April 19, 1975, the successful launch of Aryabhata from the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome in the Soviet Union marked the beginning of India's journey into space. This event, where the thrusters of the Soviet rocket carrier Interkosmos propelled Aryabhata into orbit, was not just a technological achievement but a symbol of India's ambition and determination to establish itself as a spacefaring nation. Named after the ancient Indian astronomer and mathematician, Aryabhata, the satellite represented a blend of India's rich scientific heritage and its aspirations for a technologically advanced future. Fast forward to today, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has designed, built, and launched a remarkable 131 satellites, with 51 of them currently operational in orbit, a testament to the foundational work initiated by Aryabhata. The launch of Aryabhata was a culmination of years of planning, design, and experimentation. Even before 1975, India had been making strides in rocketry and space research, primarily through the Rohini Sounding Rocket Experiment and other ventures at the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram, established by the visionary scientist Vikram Sarabhai. While these early efforts demonstrated India's capabilities in rocket technology, the realization that India needed to develop and launch its own satellite was gaining momentum. However, the challenge of building a Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) from scratch was immense, requiring significant technological expertise and infrastructure. This realization led India to seek collaboration with established spacefaring nations, leading to a crucial partnership with the Soviet Union. This collaboration was particularly important as it provided India with access to Soviet launch facilities and expertise, critical for launching Aryabhata into space. The agreement between India and the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, signed on May 10, 1972, laid the foundation for this collaboration. The agreement stipulated that within two to three years, an Indian-made satellite would be launched from a Soviet cosmodrome. This timeline required rapid development and construction of Aryabhata, pushing the Indian scientific community to innovate and excel. The launch of Aryabhata was not without its geopolitical challenges. Following India's first nuclear test at Pokhran in May 1974, the United States imposed sanctions on India, hindering the transfer of knowledge and technology that could be used for building Aryabhata. This external pressure added to the complexity of the project and underscored the need for self-reliance and ingenuity. Recognizing these challenges, Pramod Kale, former director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, suggested changing the name of the program from the Indo-Soviet Satellite Programme to the Indian Scientific Satellite Programme to minimize international scrutiny on India's space ambitions, highlighting the politically sensitive environment in which the project was undertaken.
The decision to establish ISRO near Thiruvananthapuram was initially driven by the region's proximity to the equator, which is advantageous for certain space activities. However, the coastal environment posed its own challenges, particularly the presence of salt water, which is detrimental to sensitive electronic equipment and the establishment of clean room facilities required for assembling satellites. As a result, the decision was made to shift the primary center of operations to Bangalore, now Bengaluru. Bengaluru offered a more conducive environment with established industries, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and a supportive ecosystem for technology development. The Isro Satellite Systems Project was established in Peenya, an area known as Asia's largest chain of small and medium-scale industries producing engineering and electronics goods. This move proved to be strategic, allowing ISRO to leverage existing infrastructure and expertise. Under the leadership of U R Rao, who is credited with spearheading India's satellite technology efforts, a team of 200 engineers and scientists embarked on the challenging task of building Aryabhata in Peenya. The design of Aryabhata was unique, featuring a quasi-spherical shape with 26 sides and weighing 358 kg. It was designed to carry three scientific experiments: one for X-ray astronomy, another for observing solar neutrons and gamma rays, and a third for studying the upper atmosphere. The satellite's unusual structure piqued the curiosity of locals in Peenya. S Radhakrishnan, who worked at a factory in the area during the 1970s, recalled observing the ISRO engineers conducting tests and experiments without understanding their purpose. He also recounted a memory of seeing then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visiting the facility to inspect Aryabhata's progress, highlighting the importance of the project to the Indian government. In Peenya, within a modest shed, ISRO established state-of-the-art facilities, including electronics laboratories, a clean room for final satellite assembly, thermal laboratories, control and stabilization laboratories, antenna testing facilities, a workshop, and drafting sections. These facilities were essential for ensuring the quality and reliability of Aryabhata. Over a period of nearly 30 months, the ISRO team dedicated themselves to developing prototypes and conducting rigorous testing of the satellite. The tests included qualification in a thermo-vacuum chamber and vibration and shock tests to ensure that Aryabhata could withstand the harsh conditions of space. A notable experiment involved taking a satellite model in a helicopter over Sriharikota. The helicopter was kept stationary at various distances and altitudes from the ground station, and the two-way communication link between the satellite and the ground telemetry station at Sriharikota was tested under simulated power levels of the transmitters. These comprehensive tests were designed to ensure that Aryabhata would function as intended once launched into orbit.
Further tests were conducted using a balloon at an altitude of 25 km in May 1973. The instruments for the scientific experiments were also rigorously tested, and the communication link was tested at a distance of 400 km, as detailed in a 1978 research paper by U R Rao published by the Indian Academy of Sciences. The final fabrication phase of two flight models was completed during the first quarter of 1975, along with the complete integration and testing of the actual flight model. Simultaneously, in Bangalore, ground-based support and tracking infrastructure, including telemetry, telecommand, and communication units, were being readied. To ensure the readiness of the entire ground station, a helicopter-borne satellite model was used to simulate transmitter power levels at the maximum range the satellite would have in orbit. This ensured that the ground station could receive telemetered data from the satellite and send commands to it. A Mission Operations and Control Centre was established at Peenya to coordinate commanding and data-gathering programs from various ground stations. Despite the fact that all three scientific experiments onboard Aryabhata had to be called off due to a power failure, the satellite still served as a valuable platform for technological experiments. The onboard telecommand system was used effectively, employing the transmitter-receiver for data transmission between stations using the satellite as a node. This demonstrated the potential of satellite technology for communication purposes. Half a century later, satellite-based communication is an integral part of modern life, with roots that can be traced back to Aryabhata and ISRO. One of the significant achievements of the Aryabhata mission was the first voice transmission of a recorded speech from Sriharikota to Bangalore via the satellite. This transmission was of high quality, leading to another experiment involving the transmission of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, demonstrating the potential of satellite communication in healthcare. The India Meteorological Department in Pune played a crucial role in assisting ISRO in setting up a weather data gathering platform, collecting wind speed, temperature, and wind direction data from standard data collection points. With over 12,000 electronic components, 20,000 solar cells, and more than 25,000 interconnections, Aryabhata was a testament to India's ability to design, fabricate, test, and operate a space-worthy satellite. It also demonstrated the country's capacity to develop thermal and power control systems, as well as an entire ground station with data processing systems. The legacy of Aryabhata extends far beyond its immediate scientific and technological contributions. It instilled a sense of national pride and confidence in India's ability to compete on the global stage in the field of space exploration. It also laid the foundation for ISRO to become a leading space agency, known for its innovative and cost-effective missions. The Aryabhata mission continues to inspire generations of scientists and engineers in India, driving them to push the boundaries of space exploration and technology.
Source: Vances’ date with Akshardham Temple, emporium at Janpath