Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space programme,
once said that there are some who question the relevance of
space activities in a developing nation. Indeed, until recently,
India never dreamed of competing with more economically-advanced
nations at exploration of the moon or the planets or manned
space-flight. But the space fraternity was always confident
about India’s potential in playing a meaningful role nationally
and internationally, and now this confidence is bearing fruit,
with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) reaching out
to the global market. About 35 years ago, ISRO was a child among
space organisations. However, it’s an entirely different story
today. ISRO stands high with its dedicated space research and
development programmes that not only help India but also other
smaller nations that cannot afford to have a space organisation
of their own. In December 2005, the Indian national satellite
(INSAT)-4A was launched by Ariane-5G, the European launch
vehicle of Arianespace,