Our missions are planned for India's safety and security, says ISRO chairman

The Indian Space Research Organisation's programmes were planned to ensure the safety and security of the country, its Chairman V Narayanan said on Thursday and added that the space agency was gearing up for the 101st launch. ISRO's missions were driven by the country's requirements in diverse fields and it was technologically capable of delivering upon its ware, he said.

"All our programmes are for the safety and security of our people and country. We don't compete with any other nation. Our mission is planned based on our needs," Narayanan told reporters here when asked if ISRO planned any specific launch for the Indian armed forces.

"We have successfully launched the one-hundredth rocket from Sriharikota in January. India's 101st satellite - the Earth Observation Satellite RISAT-18 aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61) - will be launched on May 18," the Chairman of the space agency said.


The PSLV bolsters India's surveillance and disaster management capabilities.

The country's journey in space began in 1979 when it launched its first rocket. "Then, the SLV3 was 98 per cent success and our first successful launch was in 1980," he said.