Evolution of Space Tech in India 
Narayan Prasad N 
8|Sep|2014, BMS College of Engineering
01 
Mysore Rockets 
✤ Combustion chamber: 8 inches (200 
mm) long iron tube! 
✤ Diameter: 1.5 to 3 inches (38 to 76 mm) o! 
✤ Length: about 4 ft ! 
✤ Propellant: well packed black powder ! 
✤ Construction: closed at one end and 
strapped to a shaft of bamboo! 
✤ Travel: almost 1,000 yards! 
✤ First use: Second Anglo-Mysore War 
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congreve_rocket
01 
Vikram 
Sarabhai 
Father of the Indian Space Program 
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Sarabhai
Physical Research Laboratory 
Modest beginning at Sarabhai’s residence followed by research in Cosmic Rays 
Nov 11, 1947, in M.G. Science College, Ahmedabad 
Source: http://www.isro.org/newsletters/scripts/newslettersin.aspx?Page3AJ44
01 
Sounding Rockets 
✤ Thumba,Thiruvananthapura! 
✤ Proximity to the mag equator! 
✤ Inaugural flight on November 
21, 1963 ! 
✤ Sodium vapour payload 
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 
Thumba_Equatorial_Rocket_Launching_Station
Local Church: Main office & Control Centre 
Launchpad among coconut groves 
Source: http://spaceywasey.blogspot.se/2013/09/a-rocket-from-church.html 
Bishop’s house: A Workshop
“There are some who question the relevance of space 
activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity 
of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with 
the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the 
Moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are 
convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, 
and in the community of nations, we must be second to none 
in the application of advanced technologies to the real 
problems of man and society.” 
–Vikram Sarabhai
Source: http://sreedhar-abdulkalams.blogspot.se/2010/06/slv-3-project.html
01 
Birth of Remote 
Sensing in India 
Detecting Coconut Root Wilt Disease using Color 
Infrared Film in 1970s ! 
! 
! 
! 
! 
Prof. P. R. Pisharoty ! 
[Father of Remote Sensing in India] 
Aerial view of Grove Area! 
(Coconut Root Wilt Disease Study) 
Source: http://www.caneus.org/sstdm/presentations/day1/ 
Inuagral_Session/04-Navalgund%20R.pdf
01 
Ariane Passenger 
PayLoad Experiment 
(APPLE) 
✤ India's first three-axis stabilised 
experimental Geostationary 
communication satellite! 
✤ Experimental C-Band 
transponder launched by 
Ariane on June 19, 1981 
Source: http://www.isro.org/Imagegallery/otherimages.aspx
Satellite Instructional Television Experiment 
Covering more than 2400 villages in 20 districts of six Indian states 
1 August 1975 to 31 July 1976 
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_Instructional_Television_Experiment
01 
Potential Fishing 
Zones (PFZs) 
✤ Ocean Colour Monitor 
provides the Chlorophyll 
Concentration ! 
✤ Advanced Very High 
Resolution Radiometer derived 
Sea Surface Temperatures! 
✤ Average 80% success rate! 
✤ Search time has reduced by 
60-70% 
Source: H.U. Solankia et al, Evaluation of remote-sensing-based 
potential fishing zones (PFZs) forecast methodology, Continental 
Shelf Research 25 (2005) 2163–2173
01 
Earthquake & 
Other Disasters 
Be village landslide in north Sikkim. (a) 
Post-earthquake Cartosat-1 image, (b) pre-earthquake 
Cartosat-1 image, and (c) 
Google Earth image of 2010 showing 
location of houses (yellow outlines). 
Source: Tapas R. Martha et al, Damage and geological assessment of 
the 18 September 2011 Mw 6.9 earthquake in Sikkim, India using very 
high resolution satellite data, Geoscience Frontiers xxx (2014) 1e14!
Source: http://www.isro.org/publications/pdf/Telemedicine.pdf 
Telemedicine 
70% of India lives in villages, 2% doctors practice in villages 
Since 2001 ISRO built capability to enable 1.5 Lakh Indian villagers to avail such facilities
EduSat 
Launched in September, 2004 
FYI… VTU has 100 nodes with EduSat
01 
Source: http://isrohq.vssc.gov.in/isr0dem0v2/images/launchers_history.jpg
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) 
As of 2014 the PSLV has launched 65 satellites / spacecrafts (30 Indian and 35 Foreign Satellites) 
Source: B.N. Suresh, Roadmap of Indian space transportation, Acta Astronautica 64 (2009) 395–402
Source: http://indiandefence.com/threads/i-s-r-o-news-and-discussions.5783/page-16gSgHzolBwwG-4Kt4SUldoaNA&ust=1410198596821711 01
01 
IRNSS: Developing 
Navigational Capability 
Source: http://forbesindia.com/article/real-issue/isros-very- 
own-gps-is-ready/35511/0
Indian space transportation road map 
RLV, SSTO… and more 
Source: B.N. Suresh, Roadmap of Indian space transportation, Acta Astronautica 64 (2009) 395–402
“Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”! 
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! -Paul Brandt 
01 
Thank You!

Evolution of Space Technology in India

  • 1.
    Evolution of SpaceTech in India Narayan Prasad N 8|Sep|2014, BMS College of Engineering
  • 2.
    01 Mysore Rockets ✤ Combustion chamber: 8 inches (200 mm) long iron tube! ✤ Diameter: 1.5 to 3 inches (38 to 76 mm) o! ✤ Length: about 4 ft ! ✤ Propellant: well packed black powder ! ✤ Construction: closed at one end and strapped to a shaft of bamboo! ✤ Travel: almost 1,000 yards! ✤ First use: Second Anglo-Mysore War Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congreve_rocket
  • 3.
    01 Vikram Sarabhai Father of the Indian Space Program Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Sarabhai
  • 4.
    Physical Research Laboratory Modest beginning at Sarabhai’s residence followed by research in Cosmic Rays Nov 11, 1947, in M.G. Science College, Ahmedabad Source: http://www.isro.org/newsletters/scripts/newslettersin.aspx?Page3AJ44
  • 5.
    01 Sounding Rockets ✤ Thumba,Thiruvananthapura! ✤ Proximity to the mag equator! ✤ Inaugural flight on November 21, 1963 ! ✤ Sodium vapour payload Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Thumba_Equatorial_Rocket_Launching_Station
  • 6.
    Local Church: Mainoffice & Control Centre Launchpad among coconut groves Source: http://spaceywasey.blogspot.se/2013/09/a-rocket-from-church.html Bishop’s house: A Workshop
  • 7.
    “There are somewho question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the Moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society.” –Vikram Sarabhai
  • 8.
  • 9.
    01 Birth ofRemote Sensing in India Detecting Coconut Root Wilt Disease using Color Infrared Film in 1970s ! ! ! ! ! Prof. P. R. Pisharoty ! [Father of Remote Sensing in India] Aerial view of Grove Area! (Coconut Root Wilt Disease Study) Source: http://www.caneus.org/sstdm/presentations/day1/ Inuagral_Session/04-Navalgund%20R.pdf
  • 10.
    01 Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment (APPLE) ✤ India's first three-axis stabilised experimental Geostationary communication satellite! ✤ Experimental C-Band transponder launched by Ariane on June 19, 1981 Source: http://www.isro.org/Imagegallery/otherimages.aspx
  • 11.
    Satellite Instructional TelevisionExperiment Covering more than 2400 villages in 20 districts of six Indian states 1 August 1975 to 31 July 1976 Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_Instructional_Television_Experiment
  • 12.
    01 Potential Fishing Zones (PFZs) ✤ Ocean Colour Monitor provides the Chlorophyll Concentration ! ✤ Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer derived Sea Surface Temperatures! ✤ Average 80% success rate! ✤ Search time has reduced by 60-70% Source: H.U. Solankia et al, Evaluation of remote-sensing-based potential fishing zones (PFZs) forecast methodology, Continental Shelf Research 25 (2005) 2163–2173
  • 13.
    01 Earthquake & Other Disasters Be village landslide in north Sikkim. (a) Post-earthquake Cartosat-1 image, (b) pre-earthquake Cartosat-1 image, and (c) Google Earth image of 2010 showing location of houses (yellow outlines). Source: Tapas R. Martha et al, Damage and geological assessment of the 18 September 2011 Mw 6.9 earthquake in Sikkim, India using very high resolution satellite data, Geoscience Frontiers xxx (2014) 1e14!
  • 14.
    Source: http://www.isro.org/publications/pdf/Telemedicine.pdf Telemedicine 70% of India lives in villages, 2% doctors practice in villages Since 2001 ISRO built capability to enable 1.5 Lakh Indian villagers to avail such facilities
  • 15.
    EduSat Launched inSeptember, 2004 FYI… VTU has 100 nodes with EduSat
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Polar Satellite LaunchVehicle (PSLV) As of 2014 the PSLV has launched 65 satellites / spacecrafts (30 Indian and 35 Foreign Satellites) Source: B.N. Suresh, Roadmap of Indian space transportation, Acta Astronautica 64 (2009) 395–402
  • 18.
  • 19.
    01 IRNSS: Developing Navigational Capability Source: http://forbesindia.com/article/real-issue/isros-very- own-gps-is-ready/35511/0
  • 20.
    Indian space transportationroad map RLV, SSTO… and more Source: B.N. Suresh, Roadmap of Indian space transportation, Acta Astronautica 64 (2009) 395–402
  • 21.
    “Don't tell methe sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! -Paul Brandt 01 Thank You!