August 15, 2007. Indian and US space scientists cheered as they watched the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) carrying the moon orbiter, Chandrayan 1, lift off into space from the Sriharikota launch pad in India. On board the orbiter was NASA's specially created moon mineralogy mapper that would, for the first time, provide the US scientists with detailed maps of the moon's surface geology and mineral composition. -The Washington Post

The above news item would seem like moonshine if it weren't for the fact that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is currently negotiating with NASA for just such a launch. The world's premier space power is not the only one knocking at ISRO's doors for launch facilities. While German, Korean and Belgian satellites have already piggybacked on PSLV, lining up are nations from the Far East and Europe, as well as big players in the satellite-launch business like Hughes, Matra Marconi and World Space. Last year, India earned Rs 300 crore from the export of capabilities for launching and building satellites and the market is growing at 30 per cent annually.

ISRO has come a long way. From launching India's first indigenously built satellite launch vehicle, slv3, on June 18, 1980, to undertaking its 20th launch mission in space last year, the organisation has grown at a frantic pace. Surprising, as the flawless launches-where the margin of error is less than .00001 per cent-go hand in hand with leaking faucets and loose wires in five-star hotels. The dichotomy may amaze the space giants, but India has irrefutably arrived as a space power.

20 satellite launch missions have been undertaken by isro since 1980. 7 countries, including India, are a part of the exclusive international space club. 300 industrial units carry out almost 70 per cent of ISRO's fabrication and manufacturing work.

"We are only a few steps away from becoming one of the most capable members of the space club," says G. Madhavan Nair, chairman, ISRO. In 1980, India joined the exclusive five-member space club with the launch of slv3, which was capable of putting a 40 kg satellite into a low earth orbit. On May 5 last year, ISRO launched the pslv-c6, which ejected cartosat-1, the 1,560 kg remote-sensing satellite, into a polar orbit. Being put together at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is GSLV, Mark III, which is capable of putting a four-tonne satellite in a geosynchronous transfer orbit. "With Mark III to be launched from Sriharikota in 2007 we will be self-reliant in launching communication satellites," says B.N. Suresh, director, VSSC. The communication and remote sensing satellites (INSAT and IRS) have revolutionised India's communication system, meteorological studies and natural resources management.

Yet, ISRO continues to aim higher. In the coming 25 years, it plans to develop a new generation of recoverable, reusable launch vehicles travelling at hypersonic speeds. "We should aim for the moon, which would be an industrial station, and Mars, a habitable destination," said President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the silver jubilee celebrations of the slv3 launch. As project director of the launch, he had led India into the space club. Today he is the first citizen-an apt metaphor for India's achievements in space.

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