Aryabhatta Satellite Laucnhed
On April 19, 1975, India entered the space age by launching their first-ever satellite, the Aryabhata
Name of the Satellite
The Aryabhata was named after the 5th century astronomer and mathematician of the same name.
Who built it?
Built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to gain experience in building and operating a satellite in space, it was actually launched by the Soviet Union.
Monumental Feat
The Aryabhata's image appeared on the reverse of Indian 2 rupee banknotes between 1976 and 1997.
India-Russia Agreement
Agreement between India and the Soviet Union directed by U.R. Rao was signed in 1972, which allowed the USSR to use India ports for tracking ships and launching vessels in return for launching India.
Launch Details
The Aryabhata satellite was launched from Kapustin Yar rocket launch and development site using a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle.
Use of Aryabhatta
The Aryabhata was built to conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics.
Cost of Project
The cost of the project was estimated at 3 crores, but it cost more because of the excess expenditure.