COSPAR ID 1975-033A Mission duration 4 days achieved Launch date 19 April 1975 Period 1.6 hours | Operator ISRO SATCAT no. 7752 Launch mass 360 kg (794 lb) Orbit height 591 km Cost 50 million INR | |
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Similar Bhaskara, Rohini, Ariane Passeng, Chandrayaan‑1, Kalpana‑1 | ||
Aryabhata satellite
Aryabhata (Hindi: आर्यभट्ट) was India's first satellite, named after an Indian astronomer of the same name.
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Launch
It was launched by India on 19 April 1975 from Kapustin Yar, a Russian rocket launch and development site in Astrakhan Oblast using a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle. It was built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to gain experience in building and operating a satellite in space. The launch came from an agreement between India and the Soviet Union directed by UR Rao and signed in 1972. It allowed the USSR to use Indian ports for tracking ships and launching vessels in return for launching Indian satellites.
On April 19, 1975, the satellite maintained a 96.46-minute orbit with its highest point (apogee) at 611 kilometers (380 miles) and its lowest point (perigee) at 568 kilometers (353 miles), positioned at an inclination of 50.6 degrees. Its design was intended for conducting research in X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics. The spacecraft featured a 26-sided polyhedral structure with a diameter of 1.4 meters (4.6 feet), with solar cells covering all sides except the top and bottom. However, a power outage ceased all experiments after just four days and 60 orbits, resulting in the loss of all communications with the spacecraft five days into its mission. According to Soviet media reports, the satellite continued to function and transmit information for some time. The satellite returned to the Earth's atmosphere on 11 February 1992.
Legacy
