ISRO is the most reliable current-affairs-plus-static topic in General Science. Missions repeat across papers for years after launch, and the questions are direct — which mission went where, which rocket carried it, who founded the organisation. This post covers the milestones exams actually ask: the founding facts, the launch vehicles, the Moon and Mars missions, and the recent programmes. Fifteen real questions from past papers are at the end.
Key Points (Quick Revision)
- ISRO founded 1969; father of the Indian space programme — Dr Vikram Sarabhai
- Aryabhata (1975) — India's first satellite · Rohini (1980) — first Indian-launched satellite
- Chandrayaan-1 (2008) found water molecules on the Moon
- Mangalyaan (2013) — India succeeded on its first Mars attempt
- Chandrayaan-3 (2023) — first soft landing near the Moon's south pole
1. Founding facts and organisation
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| ISRO established | 1969 |
| Father of the Indian space programme | Dr Vikram Sarabhai |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru |
| Main launch centre | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) |
| First rocket launch site | Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) |
| Launch vehicle development centre | Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Predecessor organisation | INCOSPAR, set up in 1962 |
Two of these are asked as a pair and get mixed up. Thumba was the first launch site, used for sounding rockets from the 1960s, while Sriharikota is the operational launch centre from which satellites go up today. If a question says "first", the answer is Thumba.
2. Launch vehicles
| Vehicle | Full form | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SLV-3 | Satellite Launch Vehicle | India's first launch vehicle; carried Rohini in 1980 |
| ASLV | Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle | Developmental vehicle of the 1980s-90s |
| PSLV | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle | ISRO's workhorse; carried Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan |
| GSLV | Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle | For heavier communication satellites |
| LVM3 (GSLV Mk III) | Launch Vehicle Mark 3 | Heaviest; carried Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 |
| SSLV | Small Satellite Launch Vehicle | For small satellites, on demand |
The PSLV is called ISRO's workhorse and that phrase itself appears in questions. Remember which rocket carried which mission: PSLV for Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan, LVM3 for Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3. The PSLV also set the record for launching 104 satellites in a single mission in 2017.
📌 Exam Focus
- Asked most often: Aryabhata 1975, Vikram Sarabhai, Chandrayaan-3 south pole landing, Mangalyaan first attempt
- Common trap: first satellite (Aryabhata, launched by USSR) vs first satellite launched by an Indian rocket (Rohini, by SLV-3)
- Remember rockets: PSLV — Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan · LVM3 — Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3
3. Moon and Mars missions
| Mission | Year | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Chandrayaan-1 | 2008 | India's first Moon mission; found evidence of water molecules on the lunar surface |
| Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) | 2013 | India's first Mars mission; entered Mars orbit in 2014 on the first attempt |
| Chandrayaan-2 | 2019 | Orbiter succeeded; the Vikram lander did not achieve a soft landing |
| Chandrayaan-3 | 2023 | Soft landing near the Moon's south pole with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover |
| Aditya-L1 | 2023 | India's first solar observatory mission, placed at the L1 Lagrange point |
Three facts from this table dominate the questions. Chandrayaan-1 found water molecules on the Moon — that discovery is the single most asked point about the mission. Mangalyaan made India the first country to reach Mars orbit on its first attempt, and it was also noted for its low cost. And Chandrayaan-3 made India the first country to soft-land near the Moon's south pole, with the lander named Vikram and the rover named Pragyan.
Keep the Chandrayaan-2 detail straight, because it is asked as a trap: the mission was partially successful — the orbiter worked and continues to send data, while the lander did not achieve the intended soft landing.
4. Satellites and satellite systems
| Satellite / system | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Aryabhata (1975) | India's first satellite, launched with Soviet help |
| Bhaskara (1979) | Early earth observation satellite |
| Rohini RS-1 (1980) | First satellite placed in orbit by an Indian launch vehicle, SLV-3 |
| INSAT series | Communication, broadcasting and meteorology |
| IRS series | Indian Remote Sensing satellites for resources and mapping |
| GSAT series | Communication satellites |
| Cartosat series | Earth imaging and cartography |
| RISAT series | Radar imaging, works through cloud and at night |
| NavIC (IRNSS) | India's own regional navigation satellite system |
NavIC is asked directly as India's regional navigation system, the Indian equivalent of GPS in coverage terms, and its earlier name IRNSS also appears in options. The RISAT satellites are asked for their all-weather radar imaging capability.
5. Other programmes worth knowing
These appear in current affairs sections and stay relevant for years.
| Programme | What it is |
|---|---|
| Gaganyaan | India's human spaceflight programme |
| NISAR | Earth observation satellite developed jointly by ISRO and NASA |
| IN-SPACe | Body to promote and authorise private sector participation in space |
| NSIL | New Space India Limited, ISRO's commercial arm |
| Antrix Corporation | Earlier commercial arm of ISRO |
| PSLV C-37 mission | Launched 104 satellites in a single flight in 2017 |
Note the pair at the end of that list. Antrix was the older commercial arm and NSIL is the newer one, and questions sometimes place both in the options. IN-SPACe is the regulator-cum-promoter for private space activity, which is a different role from NSIL's commercial one.
6. How it is asked in exams — 15 PYQs
- Who is called the father of the Indian space programme? — Dr Vikram Sarabhai (SSC CGL 2023)
- India's first satellite was? — Aryabhata (1975) (SSC CHSL 2023)
- ISRO was established in which year? — 1969 (SSC MTS 2023)
- Chandrayaan-1 is known for discovering what on the Moon? — Water molecules (RRB NTPC 2024)
- India's Mars mission is also called? — Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) (SSC CGL 2022)
- Where is the Satish Dhawan Space Centre located? — Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (SSC GD 2024)
- What is the name of the Chandrayaan-3 rover? — Pragyan (SSC CHSL 2024)
- Which launch vehicle is called ISRO's workhorse? — PSLV (SSC CPO 2023)
- India's regional navigation satellite system is called? — NavIC (RRB Group D 2024)
- Aditya-L1 is a mission to study? — The Sun (SSC MTS 2024)
- ISRO's headquarters is in which city? — Bengaluru (SSC CGL 2024)
- Chandrayaan-3 landed near which region of the Moon? — South pole (RRB NTPC 2025)
- India's first launch site for sounding rockets was? — Thumba, Kerala (SSC GD 2023)
- Gaganyaan is associated with? — Human spaceflight (SSC CHSL 2022)
- Which satellite was the first launched by an Indian launch vehicle? — Rohini (by SLV-3, 1980) (RRB Group D 2023)
7. Quick Revision
⚡ Missions and facts to fix in memory
- 1969 ISRO founded · Vikram Sarabhai father of the programme · HQ Bengaluru
- Aryabhata 1975 first satellite · Rohini 1980 first by an Indian rocket (SLV-3)
- Chandrayaan-1 (2008) water molecules · Chandrayaan-2 (2019) orbiter worked, lander did not
- Chandrayaan-3 (2023) south pole soft landing · lander Vikram, rover Pragyan
- Mangalyaan (2013) Mars on the first attempt · Aditya-L1 (2023) Sun, at L1
- Rockets: PSLV workhorse · LVM3 heaviest · SSLV small satellites
- Sites: Thumba first launch site · Sriharikota operational centre
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Aryabhata and Rohini?
Aryabhata, launched in 1975, was India's first satellite, but it was put into orbit by a Soviet launch vehicle. Rohini RS-1, launched in 1980, was the first satellite placed in orbit by an Indian launch vehicle, the SLV-3. When a question says "first satellite" the answer is Aryabhata; when it says "first launched by India" or names the rocket, the answer is Rohini.
Why is Chandrayaan-3 considered a milestone?
It achieved the first soft landing near the Moon's south pole by any country, in 2023. The lander was named Vikram and the rover Pragyan, and the mission was launched by the LVM3. It followed Chandrayaan-2, whose orbiter succeeded but whose lander did not achieve a soft landing.
What made Mangalyaan significant?
India reached Mars orbit on its very first attempt, which no other country had managed. The Mars Orbiter Mission was launched by a PSLV in 2013 and entered Mars orbit in 2014. Its low cost relative to comparable missions is also frequently mentioned in questions.
What is NavIC?
NavIC, earlier called IRNSS, is India's own regional navigation satellite system, developed so that the country does not depend entirely on foreign systems for positioning services. It covers India and a surrounding region rather than the whole globe, which is why it is described as regional.
How many questions come from ISRO in exams?
Usually one per paper in SSC and Railway exams, and often more in the year following a major mission. Because missions stay in the syllabus long after launch, learning the ten or twelve headline missions with their years and launch vehicles covers most of what is asked.
For more General Science topics in simple language, see our Important Missiles of India post and the General Science section. Preparing for a specific exam? Start with the AFCAT guide or join the 100 Hour GS Course.