First rocket made by India -Rohini-75

Rohini-75

Along with the activity of launching of foreign sounding rockets ,   lot of research and developments were carried out to realize an indigenous rocket. Finally the first rocket made by India was launched from  Thumba in 20 - November 1967. It was named Rohini -75 .  It was the real beginning of Indian space journey. 

The First rocket made by India and launched from Thumba in 20-Nov-1967

Then  during 1968-75 time frame indigenous development of various sounding rockets of sizes varying from 75mm to 560mm dia. These rockets were capable of carrying  up to 100Kg  up to an altitude of 550Km.

Beginning of space science and technology in India - The History of ISRO

 In 1962, Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was formed by Department of Atomic Energy with Dr. Vikram Sarabhai as Chairman to organize national space programme. 

The village of Thumba near Trivandrum in Kerala which is on the magnetic equator was selected to establish the sounding rocket station called Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). 

The first rocket launch from Thumba was on November, 21, 1963 which carried a 20 Kg payload to a height of 200Km altitude utilizing American Nike-Apache rocket and this was followed by French Centaur rockets for lower and middle atmospheric research. 

 

 Nike-Apache - The First sounding rocket launched from Thumba

In 1965 Space Science & Technology Centre (SSTC) was established at Veli near Thumba. 

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was formally constituted during 1969 to pursue development of Space research in the country.

In 1970 launching of metrological sounding rockets (M100) were initiated from Thumba. This was done with the collaboration of  USSR and there  sounding rockets were fired regularly, and this the programme continued for many years.