How a modest initiative in the 1960s grew into one of the world’s most respected space agencies.

In 1962, India took its first step towards space exploration with the formation of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). At a time when the country was still finding its footing after independence, few could have imagined that this small committee would lay the foundation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), one of the world’s leading space agencies today.

The visionary behind this bold move was Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, often called the father of the Indian space program. Sarabhai believed that space science should not be a luxury reserved for advanced nations but a tool for solving everyday challenges in a developing country like India. He famously said, “We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets… But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society.”

With this philosophy, INCOSPAR set up the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Kerala in 1963. From this humble facility, India launched its first sounding rocket, marking the beginning of its tryst with space. These early missions were not about prestige but about learning and experimentation. Scientists often transported rocket parts on bicycles and bullock carts—an image that continues to symbolize ISRO’s spirit of innovation and frugality.

By 1969, INCOSPAR had evolved into ISRO, an organization dedicated to harnessing space technology for national development. The early years were marked by collaboration with international agencies, particularly NASA, which helped India train scientists and acquire technical know-how. Yet, ISRO was determined to chart its own path.

The 1970s saw India launch Aryabhata (1975), its first satellite, developed in India and launched by the Soviet Union. This was a turning point—it showed that India was capable of not just dreaming big but also executing those dreams. From there, ISRO steadily expanded its capabilities, laying the groundwork for its now-famous launch vehicles and satellite programs.

What makes ISRO’s origin story remarkable is not just its scientific achievements but the philosophy behind its creation. Instead of chasing prestige missions, Sarabhai and his successors focused on using satellites for weather forecasting, communication, education, and rural development. This people-first approach gave ISRO a unique identity in the global space community.

Today, as India celebrates its presence on the Moon with Chandrayaan-3 and eyes human spaceflight with Gaganyaan, it’s important to remember the modest beginnings that shaped ISRO’s ethos. From bicycle rides in Kerala to rocket launches at Sriharikota, the journey embodies resilience, vision, and the belief that science should serve society.

In a bold step forward for planetary science, the European Space Agency (ESA) has released a rich dataset from its long-serving Mars Express mission, offering new insights into the Martian atmosphere and reaffirming its commitment to exploring the Red Planet well into the next decade.

The data release includes 71 radio occultation profiles, which are highly valuable for understanding the temperature, pressure, and density of the Martian atmosphere at various altitudes. These profiles were gathered by tracking how radio signals from the spacecraft bend as they pass through the atmosphere — a method that reveals subtle but significant changes in its structure.

The newly released data spans observations taken between October 2022 and April 2023, focusing on the planet’s polar regions and providing seasonal insights. These observations will be especially useful to climate scientists and mission planners preparing for upcoming Mars missions, including those involving human exploration.

In tandem with the data release, ESA announced a major software upgrade for Mars Express. This enhancement dramatically increases the spacecraft’s data handling and communication capacity. The upgrade also introduces new autonomous capabilities, allowing the orbiter to carry out more complex tasks without real-time instructions from Earth.

Mars Express, launched in 2003, has long surpassed its initial mission timeline. Yet, it remains one of ESA’s most valuable assets in orbit around Mars. With this new extension, the mission will now continue through at least 2034, bringing its operational lifetime to over three decades — an extraordinary achievement for an interplanetary mission.

The continued operation of Mars Express is not just symbolic — it plays a critical role in ongoing and future Mars exploration. It provides relay communication support for landers and rovers on the surface, including potential future missions from ESA, NASA, and other space agencies. The orbiter also contributes to monitoring Martian weather and surface changes, crucial for understanding the planet’s long-term evolution.

One of the most exciting aspects of the mission’s extended timeline is the potential to observe rare atmospheric phenomena and surface events over a long temporal baseline. This includes dust storms, seasonal CO₂ ice buildup, and even signs of ancient water flows or volcanic activity.

Updating a 1990s-era satellite felt like digital archaeology—mission operators had to revive Microsoft Windows 3.1, sift through 33-year-old code, and manually calculate the changes before uploading them to the star tracker’s memory.

ESA’s move to publish detailed datasets openly aligns with a growing trend of international scientific collaboration. The 71 newly available radio occultation profiles are expected to be widely used by researchers across the globe, encouraging comparative studies with data from other Mars missions such as NASA’s MAVEN or China’s Tianwen-1.

With the upgraded systems, fresh data, and a green light to operate until 2034, Mars Express continues to live up to its name — delivering fast, accessible science and keeping Europe firmly on the frontline of Martian exploration.

 Private spaceflight gains momentum as Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO collaborate on Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station.

In a significant milestone for private space exploration and international collaboration, the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax‑4) launched successfully on June 25, 2025, at 12:01 PM IST. The mission, a joint effort by Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), carried a four-member crew aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). Among the astronauts was India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, marking a proud moment in the nation’s growing space legacy.

The launch took place from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the crew flying aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. This mission is Axiom’s fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS, and it’s part of the company’s broader vision to establish the world’s first commercial space station. The Ax‑4 team is expected to dock with the ISS on June 26, where they will spend approximately two weeks conducting scientific research and outreach activities.

Shubhanshu Shukla’s inclusion in the mission represents a significant step forward in India’s participation in human spaceflight beyond its national Gaganyaan program. His selection and training in collaboration with Axiom and ISRO highlight the increasing integration of Indian talent into international space initiatives. During his time aboard the ISS, Shukla will carry out multiple science experiments in microgravity environments and participate in educational interactions with students from India and around the world.

The Ax‑4 mission also features astronauts from Italy, Turkey, and Sweden, making it a truly global endeavor. The scientific objectives of the mission range from biomedical studies and space agriculture to advanced robotics testing, contributing vital data to future deep space missions and long-duration human spaceflight.

Axiom Space’s private missions are laying the groundwork for the transition from government-led space stations like the ISS to commercial habitats. These missions serve as vital rehearsal opportunities, testing operational procedures, human factors, and technical systems necessary for sustainable private orbital infrastructure.NASA sees these missions as crucial for keeping low Earth orbit accessible and productive even after the ISS is retired, while SpaceX continues to demonstrate the reliability and versatility of its Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 launch system.As the crew begins their stay aboard the ISS, all eyes are on the experiments and engagement activities they will undertake. For India, the mission is more than a spaceflight—it’s a symbol of rising capability and global collaboration in the new era of space exploration.

With Ax‑4, the dream of space no longer remains the sole domain of government astronauts—it is opening up to a new generation of pioneers, innovators, and nations ready to push the boundaries of human presence beyond Earth.