Data Point | Fly Me to the Moon: A Glimpse into India’s Space Achievements

India made history by becoming the fourth country to successfully land on the moon. ISRO achieved this feat with a cost-effective mission, utilising a longer flight path and less powerful propulsion systems. Five pivotal moments in India’s space history, along with their associated costs, include Aryabhata (launched at no cost), RS-1 ($1.5 crore), INSAT-1A ($7.5 crore), IRS-1A ($490 crore), and MOM ($73 million). These milestones, achieved within budget constraints, reflect ISRO’s commitment to advancing space exploration while optimising resource efficiency.

On August 23, India made history by becoming the fourth country to successfully land on the moon. The Chandrayaan-3 mission executed a soft landing near the moon’s south pole, marking a first in lunar exploration. This achievement came on the heels of Russia’s failed lunar landing on August 20, due to an engine malfunction.

What sets India’s lunar mission apart is its cost-effectiveness. Despite a relatively modest budget allocation of $1.66 billion for the Department of Space in the last fiscal year, ISRO managed to execute the Chandrayaan-3 mission at a frugal cost of just $75 million, capturing global attention.

A key strategy for budget efficiency was the mission’s flight path. Unlike Russia’s Luna-25 mission, which took a more direct route, Chandrayaan-3 followed a longer trajectory that took over 40 days to reach its destination. This approach conserved fuel and allowed for less powerful—and less expensive—propulsion systems.

As India gears up for the September launch of Aditya-L1, a space-based solar observatory, now is a fitting time to look back at five pivotal moments in India’s space history, along with their associated costs.

From The Hindu Archives: Indian Scientific Satellite Project Director Prof. U.R. Rao presenting  a photograph of the ‘Aryabhata’ to Indian President, Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on May 24, 1975.

Named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata, this was India’s first satellite, launched on April 19, 1975. Although ISRO designed and assembled the satellite, its launch was facilitated at no cost to India through a Russian-made Kosmos-3M rocket. Aryabhata’s mission involved studying Earth’s ionosphere, measuring solar neutrons and gamma rays, and conducting X-ray astronomy. Unfortunately, the mission was short-lived due to electrical power system failures.

On July 18, 1980, India reached a significant milestone with the successful launch of RS-1, an experimental spin-stabilised satellite. This mission marked the debut of India’s indigenous launch vehicle, SLV-3, and cost ₹1.5 crore. RS-1 had diverse applications, including communications, television, and resource mapping, laying the groundwork for future advanced launch vehicle projects.