Why ISRO is unique ?

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is little different than other leading space agencies. We all heard about NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) or ROSCOSMOS (Russian Space Agency). These space agencies have one thing in common. These are all famous and have big budgets. Where as ISRO has a small budget or government funding. But if you see its achievements, you will be speechless. 

ISRO always tried to focus on cost effective technologies. With budget of around 1.7 billion dollars per year (NASA's budget is 18 billion per year) it focused on the technologies that will cost low but as effective as high budget techs. For example, total mission cost of Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) was only 74 million dollars. The Hollywood movie Gravity had more budget than it. How ISRO did it on so little cost where as NASA's Maven (Mars orbiter) costs around 674 million dollar ? Well ISRO knew they couldn't spend much on rocket fuel to accelerate the speed directly to Mars. So, they applied another method. At first they placed the Mangayaan on earths orbit and let it orbited earth for 7 rounds with increased distance and acquiring speed per round by using earth's gravity. In last round it was thrown to the transit course towards Mars. It worked like a sling shot. It took more time than the direct approach. Like Maven went directly to Mars after spent 27 mins in earth's orbit while Mangalyaan orbited earth for nearly a month and then took its transit course to Mars. But Mangayaan or Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) did it only in 11% of the budget of Maven. That doesn't end here. With MOM India became fourth in the world and first in Asia to send probe on Mars. It became worlds's first country to succeed in first attempt.

When ISRO started its journey in 1962 (It was the Indian National Committee for Space Research or INCOSPAR which later called ISRO), its first chairman Dr. Vikram Sarabhai said "There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight. 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". ISRO always maintains that motto. It knows its limitations but it always achieves its goal.

Current achievement : ISRO holds the record of launching 104 satellites in one launch. 

Future goal : ISRO is working on sending man in the earth's orbit in 2022.

ISRO is small in budget compared to the big agencies but the passion made it unique.