SSC Typing Practice Passage: India's space programme

The story of India's space programme began with very modest means. In the early 1960s, rocket parts were carried on bicycles and assembled in a church building near Thiruvananthapuram. The Indian Space Research Organisation was formed in 1969, and in 1975 the country's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched with the help of the Soviet Union. From those humble beginnings, India has grown into one of the leading space-faring nations in the world.

A central idea of the programme has always been to use space technology for the benefit of ordinary people. Communication satellites carry television signals and telephone links to remote areas. Remote sensing satellites help in mapping land use, estimating crop production, monitoring forests and planning cities. Weather satellites track cyclones and give early warnings that have saved thousands of lives along the coast. India has also developed its own regional navigation system to provide accurate position information.

India's launch vehicles have earned worldwide respect for their reliability and low cost. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle has placed a large number of Indian and foreign satellites into orbit, and in 2017 it launched 104 satellites in a single mission. Heavier launch vehicles have since been developed to carry larger communication satellites and, in the future, astronauts.

Missions to the Moon and Mars have captured the imagination of the public. Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, helped confirm the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface. The Mars Orbiter Mission reached Mars in its first attempt in 2014, at a cost much lower than similar missions elsewhere. On 23 August 2023, the lander of Chandrayaan-3 touched down near the south polar region of the Moon, making India the first country to land in that area.

The programme has also inspired a new generation of students and entrepreneurs. Private companies are now allowed to build rockets and satellites, and several startups are working on small launch vehicles and space-based services. Universities run satellite projects, and science clubs in schools follow every launch with excitement.

Space research may seem far removed from daily life, but its results reach every home, from the weather forecast on the evening news to the map on a mobile phone. India's journey shows how patient work, careful planning and a clear purpose can turn a small beginning into remarkable achievement.