Indian Space Research Organisation

Hello! We are the Indian Space Research Organisation. That’s a long name, so you can call us by our short name, ISRO. We are India’s national space agency, which means our job is to explore the amazing world of outer space. We were formed in 1969 with a very important goal: to use space technology to help people all across India. From helping farmers know when to plant their crops to helping sailors find their way on the ocean, our work in space makes life on Earth better.

Our journey began with a single, exciting step. We decided to build India’s very first satellite. A satellite is a special machine that is sent into space to circle, or orbit, our planet. We worked hard to design and build it, and we named it Aryabhata. In 1975, we watched as Aryabhata was launched successfully into space. It was a very proud moment for us and for all of India. This first satellite showed that we were ready to explore the universe and use what we learned to help everyone back home. It was the start of a great adventure.

After sending our first satellite into space, we knew we needed a way to launch our own satellites by ourselves. To do this, we had to learn how to build our own rockets. Rockets are like giant space elevators that are powerful enough to push through Earth’s gravity and carry heavy things into orbit. One of our most important rockets is called the PSLV. By building our own rockets, we could launch many different kinds of satellites. Some of these satellites watch the weather to help predict storms. Others help boats and ships navigate the wide sea, and some even allow people to watch their favorite shows on TV.

With our own rockets and satellites, we were ready for even bigger journeys. We set our sights on the Moon and Mars! Our missions to the Moon were called Chandrayaan. These missions made incredible discoveries, like finding water on the Moon’s surface. We even landed a special exploring vehicle, called a rover, on the Moon’s South Pole. This was a place where no country had ever landed before. After exploring the Moon, we sent a mission called Mangalyaan all the way to Mars. We were very proud to become the first country in the world to reach Mars on the very first try. These amazing missions help us learn more about our solar system and the planets that are our neighbors.

Our work is far from over. Today, we continue our journey of discovery by planning exciting new missions. We are getting ready to study our closest star, the Sun, to understand it better. We also have plans to visit other planets, like Venus. One of our biggest goals is to send Indian astronauts into space for the first time. We are always looking up at the stars, dreaming of new places to explore and new ways to use science and technology to help people on Earth. Our adventure into space is still just beginning.