ISRO and India's Space Program Milestones (1969–present)

1. ISRO established to lead national space program

   Aug 1, 1969Labels: ISRO, INCOSPAR

   • ISRO Genesis

2. Department of Space formed; ISRO brought under it

   Sep 1, 1972Labels: Department of, Space Commission, ISRO

   • ISRO Genesis

3. Aryabhata becomes India’s first satellite in orbit

   Apr 19, 1975Labels: Aryabhata, Soviet Kosmos-3M

   • ISRO Aryabhata
   • Aryabhata

4. SLV-3 places Rohini satellite into orbit

   Jul 18, 1980Labels: SLV-3, Rohini RS-1

   • ISRO SLV 3

5. INSAT system begins with commissioning of INSAT-1B

   Jan 1, 1983Labels: INSAT-1B, INSAT

   • ISRO INSAT
   • INSAT 1B

6. PSLV achieves first successful launch (IRS-P2)

   Oct 15, 1994Labels: PSLV, IRS-P2

   • NextSpaceflight
   • PSLV launches

7. First operational GSLV flight launches EDUSAT

   Sep 20, 2004Labels: GSLV, EDUSAT GSAT-3

   • ISRO GSLV F01

8. Chandrayaan-1 launches India’s first lunar mission

   Oct 22, 2008Labels: Chandrayaan-1, PSLV

   • ISRO Chandrayaan 1
   • NASA Chandrayaan 1

9. NavIC navigation program begins with IRNSS-1A launch

   Jul 1, 2013Labels: IRNSS-1A, NavIC

   • IRNSS 1A

10. Mars Orbiter Mission launches on interplanetary trajectory

    Nov 5, 2013Labels: Mars Orbiter, Mangalyaan

    • NASA MOM
    • Planetary Society

11. GSLV Mk III (LVM3-X) tests crew module re-entry

    Dec 18, 2014Labels: GSLV Mk, CARE crew

    • ISRO GSLV MkIII

12. Chandrayaan-2 launches; lander loses contact during descent

    Sep 6, 2019Labels: Chandrayaan-2, Vikram lander

    • Chandrayaan 2

13. Chandrayaan-3 achieves soft landing near lunar south pole

    Aug 23, 2023Labels: Chandrayaan-3, lunar south

    • ISRO Chandrayaan 3
    • Guardian

14. Aditya-L1 solar observatory reaches halo orbit at L1

    Jan 6, 2024Labels: Aditya-L1, L1 halo

    • ISRO HOI
    • ISRO PSLV C57

15. LVM3 launches CMS-03, heaviest Indian communications satellite to GTO

    Nov 2, 2025Labels: LVM3, CMS-03

    • ISRO CMS 03