Aryabhata, Launch of First Indian Satellite

The launch of India’s first satellite, ‘Aryabhata’, named after the renowned fifth-century Indian astronomer and mathematician, marks a historic milestone in the nation’s space research program. This diamond-shaped satellite was designed and built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at its Indian Scientific Satellite Project in Bangalore. The 26-faced blue and violet spacecraft measures 147 cm in diameter and 116 cm in height.

‘Aryabhata’ was launched from a Soviet cosmodrome and orbits the Earth at an altitude of 500 km, completing one revolution every 90 minutes. The satellite carries instruments to conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy, solar neutron and gamma rays, and aeronomy. The data from these experiments will provide new insights into outer space, the sun, and the Earth’s atmosphere. The collected data are temporarily stored in onboard tape recorders and transmitted in code to ground receiving stations located at ISRO’s Sriharikota Range and a similar station near Moscow each time the satellite passes over them.

To commemorate this historic event, the Posts & Telegraphs Department is honored to issue a special postage stamp.