SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE SLV-3, 1980 - JOINING THE SPACE LEAGUE

When the SLV-3 lifted off successfully in 1980, it marked the beginning of the process of making India self-sufficient in launch vehicles and satellite technology for development

- BY AMARNATH K. ΜΕΝΟΝ

India's first venture into space was in 1975, with the launch of the satellite Aryabhatta by a Soviet launcher. But a nation has to develop its own rocket to launch its satellites to start its journey into space. Therefore, the success of the indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3) on July 18, 1980, truly scripted the start of an era. Designed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), SLV-3 lobbed India into the small comity of spacefaring nations and triggered the transformation in what is a continuing odyssey. It not only demonstrated India's capability to design and build its own launch vehicles but also laid the foundation for the development of more advanced launchers. The SLV-3 mission transformed ISRO into a key player in the global space community.