India marks a monumental milestone in its space journey as Aryabhata, the country’s first indigenously developed satellite, completes 50 years since its historic launch on April 19, 1975. The satellite paved the way for India's rise as a major spacefaring nation.

Key Points

• Aryabhata was launched on April 19, 1975 from the Soviet Union’s Kapustin Yar launch site using a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle.
• It was named after the renowned 5th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata, reflecting India’s ancient legacy in science and mathematics.
• Though launched from abroad, Aryabhata was completely designed and fabricated by Indian scientists at ISRO’s Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, marking India’s debut in space technology.
• The primary goal of Aryabhata was to conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy, solar physics, and aeronomy (the study of the upper atmosphere).
• The satellite weighed 360 kg, had a 26-sided polyhedron shape, and was powered by solar cells and nickel-cadmium batteries.