Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian citizen to fly into space. He was carried into orbit aboard a Russian spacecraft in 1984. In August of 2007, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) stated that they were "seriously considering" developing a human spaceflight program.
In the early 1980s, India began work on the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV). The ASLV design was based on the Satellite Launch Vehicle used in the 1970s to launch Indian space missions. It consisted of five solid fuel rocket stages and was able to carry a three hundred and thirty pound satellite into a two hundred and fifty mile orbit. The ASLV was only used four times. The first launch was in 1987 and was successful.
In 1975, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) built India's first satellite, Aryabhata which was launched by the Soviet Union. Aryabhata was a test project for India to gain experience in the construction and launching of satellites. It had an orbital period of about one hundred minutes and the orbit reached a maximum altitude of about three hundred and fifty miles. It's instrument package conducted experiments in X-ray astronomy, aeronomics and solar physics.
Atmospheric and space research in India began in the 1920s with ground based sounding of the ionosphere. Other researchers added to theoretical foundation of space science in the next two decades. In 1945, two scientists established research institutes, the Physical Research Laboratory and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, which established an organized space research capability in India.
I have always been a fan of science fiction. This means that I have always been interested in space flight. Early on, man's moves into space were referred to as the Space Race. This highlighted the fact that there was an intertwining of national prestige, available funding, public appreciation, military capability, utility and the universal urge to explore new realms.
In March of 2013, a presentation was made on China's future in space to the People's Congress and the Communist Central Committee. The presentation included an optimistic plan for a permanent space station and exploration beyond the Earth.
The successful landing of the Jade Rabbit lunar rover on the Moon by China was the last mission of Phase II of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program also known as the Chang'e program after a Chinese lunar goddess. There have been some technical problems with temperature changes and communications but the rover has been able to carry out some parts of its mission.
The first phase of the Chinese Lunar Explorations Program (A.K.A. the Chang'e program) consisted of two lunar orbiters, the Chang'e 1 and 2. These two orbiter were launched in 2007 and 2010. They generated highly detailed maps of the lunar surface in order to assist in the selection of a landing site for phase two.
The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (A.K.A. the Chang'e program) is a Chinese space program that has utilized and will utilize lunar orbiters, lunar landers, lunar rovers and lunar sample returners to explore the Moon. Chang'e is a Chinese lunar goddess. Ouyang Ziyuan is the chief scientist of the program. He is one of the first Chinese scientists to advocate exploitation of lunar helium-3 for future nuclear fusion reactors.
The United States military utilizes low earth orbit satellites for guiding "smart" bombs, military communication networks and surveillance. The Chinese 2007 demonstration of the capability to destroy satellites in orbit showed that U.S. satellites were now vulnerable to destruction by countries which might be enemies in the future. The U.S. lodged a protest with the Chinese government over the test which destroyed an old Chinese weather satellite. The U.S.
