The Story of India's First Space Programme: APJ Abdul Kalam
India's space programme is known worldwide for making several extraordinary achievements. It has achieved many milestones in the field of science and technology, which have helped the country in many ways. The space programme has also made many contributions to global communication. India wants to use space technology for the development of its villages and countryside and to bring about social change. Many Indian professionals are now working on the international space stage, further proving the country's prowess in this area.
India's first space programme was started by Apj Abdul Kalam. This scientist was a legendary figure in Indian history and is considered an icon of patriotism in India. He had a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from local colleges and later completed his doctorate from metallurgy department at the Indian Institute of Science (IISC). After this, he joined the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) as a principal scientist. For many years, Dr. Kalam guided DRDO projects and sustained their standards. When the Indian government started looking for a project manager for its first satellite, Dr. Kalam took up the challenge with enthusiasm and succeeded. He played an instrumental part in starting a programme that would help shape India's future based on scientific principles and technology.
The Indian space programme has made many contributions to global communication. Several communication satellites have been launched by Indian space agencies- ISRO, which stands for Indian Space Research Organisation, and NASA, which stands for National Aeronautics & Space Administration. These organisations have contributed significantly to world communication by providing free access to high-quality communication tools to people all over the world. Through this, they have created greater empathy among people and increased global connectivity- two major goals we strive toward every day.
India's first satellite was named after Dr Kalam after his death; it was also the first spacecraft to be piloted independently during its earth orbit. The name of this craft is Kalam-A and it was launched on October 19th, 1986 from the USSR. This craft weighed over 1200 kg and had 4 payloads on board; one of its payloads was an OK-Mod satellite that allowed scientists to observe clouds and other phenomena during its flight. The craft also carried a radio beacon that allowed people on earth to communicate with the satellite via radio waves. Two more satellites were also launched along with this one to test India's launch system; each one successfully launched a satellite during its launch cycle.
The Indian space programme is growing stronger every day thanks to dedicated professionals like Dr Apj Abdul Kalam. Thanks to his passion, guidance, persistence and leadership, India now has one of the world's finest space programmes. Dr Kalam had a strong love for his country, science, education and his people; he will forever be an icon among Indians due to his patriotism!