This book attempts to showcase India’s capabilities in rocketry developed over the past 45 years (1963-2003). Starting from scratch, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) painstakingly mastered this technology in a remarkably short time. The book explains the complex technological developments in the field for the lay person. It also records historical events and provides biographical sketches of legendry personalities like Bhabha, Sarabhai, Dhawan and Brahm Prakash highlighting their contributions to building modern India.

Salient features:Transcripts of interviews with key personnel; Evocative photographs that chart the progress of the rocketry programme; Extracts from biographical articles; Comprehensive name and subject indexes

P V Manoranjan Rao, P Radhakrishnan

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Background
Chapter 2: The Small Bang
Chapter 3: Sounding Rockets
Chapter 4: The Debut: SLV-3
Chapter 5: The Technological Bridge: Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle
Chapter 6: The Workhorse: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
Chapter 7: The Missing Link: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Chapter 8: Profiles in Technology Development: Chemicals and Materials
Chapter 9: Profiles in Technology Development: Avionics and Aeronautics
Chapter 10: The Quartet
Epilogue: Glimpses of the Future
Annexure I: SDSC-SHAR: The Spaceport of India
Annexure II: Atomic Energy and Space Research: A Profile for the Decade 1970–80
Glossary
Index: Name
Index: Subject