ISRO’s Space Programme: Timeline from 1960s to 2024

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has evolved into a leading space agency over the decades. Established in 1962 as Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) and later become Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1969, ISRO’s journey from its humble beginnings to becoming a global space power is marked by milestones, innovations, and successful missions. This article outlines the key events in ISRO’s space programme from the 1962 to 2024.

An Overview of ISRO

ISRO’S Space Programme: Timeline from 1960s to 2024

Since its inception in the 1960s, ISRO has achieved remarkable milestones in space exploration. This timeline highlights key missions and programs, including satellite launches, lunar and Mars missions, and advancements in launch vehicles, reflecting India’s growing capabilities and ambitions in space technology up to 2024.

• 1962: INCOSPAR formed by the DAE
• 21^st November 1963: First Sounding rocket launched
• 01^st January 1965: SSTC established
• 01^st January 1967: Satellite Telecommunication Earth Station
• 02^nd February 1968: TERLS dedicated to the United Nations
• 15^th August 1969: ISRO formed under DAE
• 01^st January 1972: Air-borne remote sensing
• 01^st June 1972: Space Commission and Department of Space set up
• 01^st January 1975: Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE)
• 01^st April 1975: Becomes Government Organization
• 19^th April 1975: Aryabhata launch
• 01^st January 1977: Satellite Telecommunication Experiments Project
• 07^th June 1979: Bhaskara
• 10^th August 1979: SLV3 launched
• 18^th July 1980: Rohini Satellite completes Mission launch
• 01^st January 1981: SLV-3
• 31^st May 1981: RS-D1
• 19^th June 1981: APPLE
• 20^th November 1981: Bhaskara-II
• 10^th April 1982: INSAT-1A
• 06^th September 1982: INSAT-1A deactivated
• 17^th April 1983: RS-D2
• 30^th August 1983: INSAT-1B
• 02^nd April 1984: India-Soviet manned space mission
• 24^th March 1987: SROSS-1
• 17^th March 1988: IRS-1A
• 13^th July 1988: SROSS-2
• 21^st July 1988: INSAT-1C
• 12^th June 1990: INSAT-1D
• 29^th August 1991: IRS-1B
• 20^th May 1992: SROSS-C
• 10^th July 1992: INSAT-2A
• 23^rd July 1993: INSAT-2B
• 20^th September 1993: IRS-1E
• 04^th May 1994: SROSS-C2
• 15^th October 1994: IRS-P2
• 28^th December 1996: IRS-1C Launch
• 21^st March 1996: IRS-P3
• 29^th September 1997: IRS-1D
• 04^th October 1997: INSAT-2D becomes inoperable
• 01^st January 1998: INSAT-2DT
• 03^rd April 1999: INSAT-2E
• 26^th May 1999: PSLV-C2/ IRS-P4
• 21^st March 2000: INSAT-3B
• 18^th April 2001: GSLV-D1/ GSAT-1
• 22^nd October 2001: PSLV-C3/ TES
• 24^th January 2002: INSAT-3C
• 12^th September 2002: PSLV-C4/ Kalpana-1
• 10^th April 2003: INSAT-3A
• 08^th May 2003: GSLV-D2/GSAT-2
• 28^th September 2003: INSAT-3E
• 17^th October 2003: PSLV-C5/ RESOURCESAT-1
• 20^th September 2004: GSLV-F01/ EDUSAT (GSAT-3)
• 05^th May 2005: PSLV-C/6CARTOSAT-1/ HAMSAT
• 22^nd December 2005: INSAT-4A
• 10^th July 2006: GSLV-F02/ INSAT-4C
• 10^th January 2007: PSLV-C7/ CARTOSAT-2E/ SRE-1
• 22^nd January 2007: SRE-1 Recovered
• 12^th March 2007: INSAT-4B
• 23^rd April 2007: PSLV-C8
• 02^nd September 2007: GSLV-F04/ INSAT-4CR
• 21^st January 2008: PSLV-C10
• 28^th April 2008: PSLV-C9/ CARTOSAT-2A
• 22^nd October 2008: PSLV-C11/ Chandrayaan-1
• 20^th April 2009: PSLV-C12/ RISAT-2
• 23^rd September 2009: PSLV-C14/ Oceansat-2
• 15^th April 2010: GSLV-D3/ GSAT-4
• 12^th July 2010: PSLV-C15/ CARTOSAT-2B
• 27^th November 2010: HYLAS
• 25^th December 2010: GSLV-F06/ GSAT-5P
• 20^th April 2011: PSLV-C16/ Resourcesat-2
• 21^st May 2011: GSAT-8
• 15^th July 2011: PSLV-C17/ GSAT-12
• 12^th October 2011: PSLV-C18/ Megha Tropiques
• 26^th April 2012: PSLV-C19/ RISAT-1
• 09^th September 2012: PSLV-C21/ SPOT-6
• 29^th September 2012: GSAT-10
• 25^th February 2013: PSLV-C20/ SARAL
• 02^nd July 2013: PSLV-C22/ IRNSS-1A
• 26^th July 2013: INSAT-3D
• 30^th August 2013: GSAT-7
• 0^th November 2013: PSLV-C25/ Mars Orbit Mission
• 05^th January 2014: GSLV-D5/ GSAT-14
• 04^th April 2014: PSLV-C24/ IRNSS-1B
• 30^th June 2014: PSLV-C23
• 16^th October 2014: PSLV-C26/ IRNSS-1C
• 07^th December 2014: GSAT-16
• 18^th December 2014: LVM3-X/ CARE
• 28^th March 2015: PSLV-C27/ IRNSS-1D
• 10^th July 2015: PSLV-C28/ DMC3
• 27^th August 2015: GSLV-D6/ GSAT-6
• 28^th September 2015: PSLV-C30/ ASTROSAT
• 11^th November 2015: GSAT-15
• 16^th December 2015: PSLV-C29/ TeLEOS-1
• 20^th January 2016: PSLV-C31/ IRNSS-1E
• 10^th March 2016: PSLV-C32/ IRNSS-1F
• 28^th April 2016: PSLV-C33/ IRNSS-1G
• 23^rd May 2016: RLV-TD
• 22^nd June 2016: PSLV-C34/ Cartosat-2
• 28^th August 2016: ISRO Scramjet Engine Technology Demonstrator
• 08^th September 2016: GSLV-F05/ INSAT-3DR
• 26^th September 2016: PSLV-C35/ SCATSAT-1
• 05^th October 2016: GSAT-18
• 07^th December 2016: PSLV-C36/ RESOURCESAT-2A
• 15^th February 2017: PSLV-C37/ Cartosat-2 series satellite
• 05^th May 2017: GSLV-F09/ GSAT-9
• 05^th June 2017: GSLV-MK-III-D1/ GSAT-19
• 23^rd June 2017: PSLV-C28/ Cartosat-2
• 29^th June 2017: GSAT-17
• 31^st August 2017: PSLV-C39/ IRNSS-1H
• 12^th Jan 2018: PSLV-C40/ Cartosat-2 Series Satellite Mission
• 29^th Mar 2018: GSLV-F08/ GSAT-6A
• 12^th April 2018: PSLV-C41/ IRNSS-11
• 16^th September 2018: PSLV-C42 Mission
• 14^th November 2018: GSLV MKIII-D2 successfully launches GSAT-29
• 29^th November 2018: PSLV-C43/ HysIS
• 05^th December 2018: GSAT-11- India’s heaviest communication
• 19^th December 2018: GSLV-F11/ GSAT-7A
• 24^th January 2019: PSLV-C44/ Microsat-R
• 06^th February 2019: GSAT-31
• 01^st April 2019: PSLV-C45/ EMISAT
• 22^nd May 2019: PSLV-C46/ RISAT-2B
• 22^nd July 2019: GSLV-MkIII-M1/ Chandrayaan-2
• 27^th November 2019: PSLV-C47/ Cartosat-3
• 11^th December 2019: PSLV-C48/ RISAT-2BR1
• 17^th January 2020: GSAT-30
• 07^th November 2020: PSLV-C49/ EOS-01
• 17^th December 2020: PSLV-C50/ CMC-01
• 28^th November 2021: PSLV-C51/ Amazonia-1
• 12^th August 2021: GSLV-F10/ EOS-03
• 14^th February 2022: PSLV-C52/ EOS-04
• 23^rd June 2022: GSAT-24
• 30^th June 2022: PSLV-C53/ DS-EO Mission
• 07^th August 2022: SSLV-D1/ EOS-02 Mission
• 23^rd October 2022: LVM3M2/ OneWeb India-1 Mission
• 26^th November 2022: PSLV-C54/ EOS-06 Mission
• 10^th February 2023: SSLV-D2/ EOS-07 Mission
• 26^th March 2023: LVM3 M3/ OneWeb India-2 Mission
• 02^nd April 2023: Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLVLEX)
• 22^nd April 2023: PSLV-C55/ TeLEOS-2 Mission
• 29^th May 2023: GSLV-F12/ NVS-01 Mission
• 14^th July 2023: LVM3 M4/ Chandrayaan-3 Mission
• 30^th July 2023: PSLV-C56/ DS-SAR Mission
• 02^nd September 2023: PSLV-C57/ Aditya-L1 Mission
• 21^st October 2023: Gaganyaan TV-D1 Mission
• 01^st January 2024: PSLV-C58/ XPoSat Mission
• 17^th February 2024: GSLV-F14/ INSAT-3DS Mission
• 22^nd March 2024: Reusable Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLVLEX-02)
• 23^rd June 2024: Reusable Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLVLEX-03)