Aryabhata was launched on this day in 1975: 10 interesting facts about India’s first satellite

As Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scales new heights in the field of space exploration, date April 19, 1975 has special significance in India's history. On this day, its first indigenously-made satellite, named after Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata was launched into space. Although ISRO did not have launch capabilities of its own at the time, the step opened new doors for India. From using the Soviet Union's Kosmos-3M launch vehicle in 1975, India has now a record of launching over 100 satellites in one go. 

The launch was just a beginning for ISRO which has been adding one feather after another in its cap. It has successfully sent missions to moon and Mars.

While the world now considers ISRO an influential force in space exploration, the journey began with Aryabhata 43 years ago. 

The historic event of Aryabhata satellite’s launch was celebrated by the Reserve Bank of India commemorated the launch with its picture appearing on the Rs 2 currency note between 1976 and 1997. 

Here are some interesting facts about India's first satellite Aryabhata

1. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India's space program, had tasked one of his scientists UR Rao for making an indigenously-built satellite. Rao was the only Indian who had worked on two NASA satellite projects. 

2. The launch of Aryabhata came 18 years after world's first satellite, Sputnik I, was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957.

3. Aryabhata was launched from Kapustin Yar in the then Soviet Union by a Kosmos-3M launch weighed 360 kilograms. 

4. The mission was a part of an agreement between India and Soviet Union signed in 1972 under which New Delhi allowed USSR to use Indian ports for tracking ships and in return for launching Indian satellite.

5. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was given three options to choose from as the name of India's first satellite with others being Maitri (friendship) and Jawahar (Jawaharlal Nehru) and she chose to name it after mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata.

6. Aryabhata was developed to study earth's ionosphere, X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics.

7. The project cost was 3.5 crores and it took 30 months to complete it. 

8. Aryabhata operated only for 5 days before all communication was lost due to failure in its electrical power system.

9. Aryabhata re-entered atmosphere of Earth after 17 years on 10 February 1992.

10. Aryabhata may not have been a complete success the project opened new possibilities for ISRO which runs most cost-effective space program in the world.