Indian Contributions to Planetary Science

Vikram Sarabhai is widely regarded as the 'Father of Indian Planetary Science' for his pioneering work in establishing the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and promoting space research in India.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was established on August 15, 1962, with the vision of advancing space technology and research in India.

Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, was India's first lunar mission and successfully entered the lunar orbit, making India the fourth country to achieve this feat.

The primary objective of the Chandrayaan-1 mission was to study the lunar surface, including its composition, mineralogy, and geological features.

Mangalyaan, also known as the Mars Orbiter Mission, was India's first interplanetary mission and successfully entered the Martian orbit in 2014, making India the first Asian country to achieve this milestone.

The primary objective of the Mangalyaan mission was to study the Martian atmosphere, including its composition, temperature, and pressure variations.

U.R. Rao, former Chairman of ISRO, led the team that developed the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft and played a crucial role in India's lunar exploration program.

G. Madhavan Nair, former Chairman of ISRO, led the team that developed the Mangalyaan spacecraft and guided India's successful Mars mission.

Pragyan was the name of the Indian lunar rover that was part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. It was designed to explore the lunar surface and conduct scientific experiments.

Chandrayaan-2, launched in 2019, aimed to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface. While the lander Vikram crash-landed on the Moon, the orbiter successfully entered the lunar orbit and continues to provide valuable scientific data.

The primary objective of the Chandrayaan-2 mission was to explore the lunar poles, which are regions of the Moon that are permanently shadowed and have unique geological features.

K. Sivan, former Chairman of ISRO, led the team that developed the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft and oversaw India's second lunar mission.

AstroSat, also known as the Indian Space Observatory, is a multi-wavelength space telescope launched in 2021. It is designed to study various astronomical objects and phenomena across different wavelengths.

K. Sivan, former Chairman of ISRO, also led the team that developed the AstroSat space telescope, demonstrating India's growing capabilities in space-based astronomy.

The primary objective of the AstroSat mission is to observe astronomical objects in different wavelengths, including ultraviolet, visible, and X-ray, to gain insights into their properties and behavior.