Ketiz Singh

Hey buddies! Back in 1947, things were heating up between the US and the Soviet Union after World War II. Both countries were big shots after the war, but their political ideas were clashing. This disagreement kicked off what we call the Cold War. They were both working on nukes, trying to flex their muscle. To deliver these nukes across the globe, they needed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). These missiles had to go through outer space to cover the vast distances between continents. The race was on to get into space first for that extra firepower advantage. In 1955, the US planned to launch satellites into space. Shortly after, the Soviet Union declared they were doing the same. Fast-forward to October 1957, the Soviet Union beat the US by launching Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. A month later, they sent up Sputnik 2 with a dog named Laika onboard. But, the US caught up in 1958 by launching Explorer 1. The rivalry was fierce, pushing space tech to new heights. Meanwhile, our very own Dr Vikram Sarabhai, inspired by these developments, saw how space could help us flourish as a country. By 1962, he convinced India that we needed our own space program. And that’s how ISRO was born! From humble beginnings with limited resources, photos of rocket parts being carried in bullock carts, to setting up control rooms in church rooms and converting toilets into data centres – ISRO has come a long way. In 1963, just a year after India launched its first rocket, ISRO was rebranded. And we’ve been making strides in space tech ever since. Jump to 1984, Rakesh Sharma, a former Indian Air Force pilot, was the first Indian to spacewalk on a Soviet rocket. Now, a burning question – how does ISRO stack up against NASA? Well, NASA has been around longer and has more missions under its belt. Their goals focus on exploration and research, while ISRO aims to benefit our country socio-economically. NASA’s bigger budget allows for ambitious missions that ISRO can’t swing. But in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness, ISRO shines. For instance, our Mars mission cost a lot less than a Hollywood flick! Looking ahead, ISRO’s gearing up for the Gaganyaan mission, our first manned space flight. And Aditya L1 will study the Sun, while Chandrayaan-3 aims for another moon landing attempt. There’s a lot more on the horizon, including Venus and Mars missions and even our own space station by 2030. The era of competition is giving way to collaboration between nations. It’s time for ISRO, NASA, and others to hustle together for the good of all humanity. Let’s keep rooting for ISRO’s success and keep the space spirit alive! Peace out! 🚀🌌