Indian Space Research Organisation

India's organized space research began with the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), established by the Government of India in 1962. The Indian Space Research Organisation was formed on 15 August 1969, replacing INCOSPAR with an expanded role. The Government established the Department of Space and Space Commission in 1972, and ISRO was brought under the Department of Space that year. Headquartered in Bengaluru, ISRO works through specialized centres and units around the country.

ISRO's principal objective is to develop and apply space technology to national needs. Its work has supported communication, television broadcasting and meteorological services, monitoring and management of natural resources, and space-based navigation. The organisation also conducts scientific research, including lunar and interplanetary missions, and supplies data to scientific communities. These activities combine spacecraft, launch systems, ground infrastructure and applications developed for users.

ISRO develops satellites and launch vehicles as parts of an integrated space programme. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) are among the launch vehicles it developed to place satellites into required orbits. The early programme also included Aryabhata, India's first spacecraft, which was launched using a Soviet launch vehicle, and the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in 1975–76, which used the American ATS-6 satellite to broadcast development-oriented television programmes to villages.

ISRO's centres specialize in different parts of the programme. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram develops launch vehicles, while the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru develops satellites. The Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota conducts integration and launch activities. The Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad works on sensors and applications, and the National Remote Sensing Centre in Hyderabad receives, processes and disseminates remote-sensing data. This distributed organization links engineering and operations with practical uses of space technology.