Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman V Narayanan has said the space agency has been working on a rocket as high as a 40-storey building to place a 75,000 kg satellite in low Earth orbit.
Delivering the convocation address, Narayanan said, “The first launcher, built under the leadership of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, had a 17-tonne lift-off mass and could place 35 kg in low earth orbit. Today, we are working on a rocket that can carry 75,000 kg.”
He said this year, the space agency has lined up with projects such as NaVIC (Navigation with India Constellation system) satellite and the N1 rocket, besides placing a 6,500 kg communication satellite of the USA into orbit using Indian rockets.
This year, the agency also plans to launch the Technology Demonstration Satellite (TDS) and GSAT-7R, a military communication satellite for the Indian Navy.
At present, India has 55 satellites in orbit, a number ISRO aims to triple in the next three to four years.
Narayanan also referred to the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station, a 52-tonne space station expected to be operational by 2035, with initial modules to be launched from 2027.
He added that India aims to send an astronaut to the moon and bring them back safely through a fully indigenous mission by 2040.
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He said India remains the only country to have succeeded in its first attempt at sending a mission to Mars and holds the record for placing 104 satellites into orbit using a single rocket.
