This list covers most artificial satellites built and operated by the Republic of India. India has been successfully launching satellites of various types from 1975. Apart from Indian rockets, these satellites have been launched from various vehicles, including American, Russian, and European rockets sometimes as well. The organization responsible for India's national space programme is ISRO and it has historically shouldered the bulk of the responsibility of designing, building, launching, and operating these satellites. However since early 2020s, India's private space sector has rapidly expanded and played increasingly greater roles in development of spacecraft, launch vehicles, deep tech, supporting services and proplusion systems.
Legend This is a list of Indian (wholly or partially owned, wholly or partially designed and/or manufactured) satellites and orbital space crafts, both operated by the Indian government (ISRO, Indian defence forces, other government agencies) or private (educational and research) entities. All satellite launches marked successful have completed at least one full orbital flight (no sub-orbital flights have been included in this list).
1970s Indian space missions began in the 1970s, with Soviet assistance in launching the first two satellites.
Payload DetailsLaunch DateLaunch VehicleLaunch SiteDetailsRefs(Officialportal)#NameDisciplineCOSPAR IDLaunch MassPowerPeriapsisApoapsisPeriodInclinationLongitude‡Epoch StartDecay DateSatCat #Dry Mass1Aryabhata Earth Sciences Space Physics 46 W 19 April 1975,13:10:00 IST Cosmos-3M Kapustin Yar Active technological experience in building and operating a satellite system. This was India's first indigenously designed and built satellite. 07752 – 96.5 minutes 50.7° 19 April 1975, 01:30:00 IST 11 February 19922BhaskaraSega-I Astronomy Communications Engineering Earth Sciences 47 W7 June 1979,16:00:00 IST Modified SS-5(SKean IRBM)plus Upper Stage Kapustin Yar First experimental remote sensing satellite. Carried TV and microwave cameras. 11392 – 95.2 minutes 50.7° 7 June 1979, 01:30:00 IST 17 February 19893RohiniTechnologyPayload Experimental Not Applicable 3 W 10 August 1979 SLV-3-E1 Satish Dhawan Space Centre,Sriharikota Intended for measuring in-flight performance of first experimental flight of SLV-3, the first Indian launch vehicle. Did not achieve orbit. Not Applicable – Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable † In case of discrepancy in data between sources, N2YO and NASA NSSDCA is taken as the source of truth. ‡ Orbital Longitude is applicable only for Geostationary and Geosynchronous satellites.
1980s India had three continuous successful satellite launches from its first generation rocket SLV. ISRO had two running projects for next generation rockets based on SLV: ASLV to study and develop technologies to transfer satellites into geostationary orbit. PSLV to transfer higher payloads into polar and Sun synchronous orbits.
ISRO did not have enough funds to run both projects simultaneously. Initial setbacks complexity led ISRO to terminate ASLV in just initial flights and focus on PSLV. Technologies to launch geostationary satellites arrived only in 2000s.
Payload DetailsLaunch DateLaunch VehicleLaunch SiteDetailsRefs(Officialportal)#NameDisciplineCOSPAR IDLaunch MassPowerPeriapsisApoapsisPeriodInclinationLongitude‡Epoch StartDecay DateSatCat #Dry Mass4Rohini RS-1 (Rohini-1B) Earth Sciences 16 W 18 July 1980, 08:01:00 IST SLV-3-E2 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SriharikotaUsed for measuring in-flight performance of second experimental launch of SLV-3. This was India's first indigenous satellite launch, making it the seventh nation to possess the capability to launch its own satellites on its own rockets. 11899 – 96.9 minutes 44.7° 18 July 1980, 01:30:00 IST 20 May 19815Rohini RS-D1 (Rohini-2) Earth Sciences 16 W 31 May 1981, 10:30:00 IST SLV-3-D1 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SriharikotaUsed for conducting some remote sensing technology studies using a landmark sensor payload. Launched by the first developmental launch of SLV-3. 12491 – 90.5 minutes 46.3° 31 May 1981, 01:30:00 IST 8 June 19816APPLE Communications 210 W 19 June 1981, 18:02:59 IST Ariane-1 (V-3) Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou First experimental communication satellite. Provided experience in building and operating a payload experiment three-axis stabilised communication satellite. 12545 – 1439.6 minutes 13.6° 97.57° E 19 June 1981, 01:30:00 IST 7Bhaskara -II Engineering Earth Sciences 47 W 20 November 1981, 14:08:00 IST Modified SS-5(SKean IRBM) plus Upper Stage Kapustin YarSecond experimental remote sensing satellite; similar to Bhaskara-1. Provided experience in building and operating a remote sensing satellite system on an end-to-end basis. 12968 – 95.2 minutes 50.6° 20 November 1981, 00:30:00 IST 30 November 19918 INSAT-1A Communications – 10 April 1982, 12:17:00 IST Delta 3910 PAM-D Air Force Eastern Test Range, FloridaFirst operational multipurpose communication and meteorology satellite. Procured from USA. Worked for only six months. 13129 – 1440 minutes 13.6° 40.85° E 10 April 1982, 07:17:00 IST 9Rohini RS-D2 (Rohini-3) Earth Sciences 16 W 17 April 1983, 11:14:00 IST SLV-3 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Identical to RS-D1. Launched by the second developmental launch of SLV-3.14002 – 97.1 minutes 46.6° 17 April 1983, 00:30:00 IST 19 April 1990 10INSAT-1B Communications Earth Sciences – 1 June 1983, 13:19:00 IST Shuttle [PAM-D] Air Force Eastern Test Range, Florida Identical to INSAT-1A. Served for more than design life of seven years. 14318 – 1437.6 minutes 14.8° 89.71° E 31 May 1983, 09:19:00 IST 11SROSS-1 Experimental Not Applicable 90 W 24 March 1987 ASLV-D1 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Carried payload for launch vehicle performance monitoring and for gamma ray astronomy. Did not achieve orbit. Not Applicable – Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable12IRS-1A Earth Sciences 600 W 17 March 1988, 12:42:00 IST Vostok Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Earth observation satellite. First operational remote sensing satellite.18960 – 103.1 minutes 99.3° 17 March 1988, 00:30:00 IST 13SROSS-2 Astronomy Space Physics Not Applicable 90 W 13 July 1988 ASLV-D2 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Carried remote sensing payload of German space agency in addition to Gamma Ray astronomy payload. Did not achieve orbit. Not Applicable – Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable14INSAT-1C Communications Earth Sciences – 22 July 1988, 04:42:00 IST Ariane-3 Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou Same as INSAT-1A. Served for only one-and-a-half years.19330 – 1436.2 minutes 14.9° 95.03° E 22 July 1988, 00:42:00 IST † In case of discrepancy in data between sources, N2YO and NASA NSSDCA is taken as the source of truth. ‡ Orbital Longitude is applicable only for Geostationary and Geosynchronous satellites.
1990s From this decade on, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) arrived that allowed India to become self-reliant in launching most of its remote sensing satellites. However, for heavy geostationary systems, India continued to remain dependent on Europe entirely. Capability to launch geostationary satellites will arrive in next decade.
Payload DetailsLaunch DateLaunch VehicleLaunch SiteDetailsRefs(Officialportal)#NameDisciplineCOSPAR IDLaunch MassPowerPeriapsisApoapsisSemi-Major AxisPeriodInclinationLongitude‡EccentricityEpoch StartDecay DateSatCat #Dry Mass15INSAT-1D Communications Earth Sciences 1000 W 12 June 1990, 11:22:00 IST Delta 4925 Air Force Eastern Test Range, FloridaIdentical to INSAT-1A. Still in service. A third stage motor from its launch landed in Australia in 2008. 20643 1435.9 minutes 14.3° 71.66° E 0.00245 12 June 1990, 01:30:00 IST –16IRS-1B Earth Sciences 600 W 29 August 1991, 12:18:00 IST Vostok Baikonur Cosmodrome, KazakhstanEarth observation satellite. Improved version of IRS-1A. 21688 – 103.1 minutes 99.0° Not Applicable 0.00385 29 August 1991, 01:30:00 IST –17INSAT-2DT(Formerly ARABSAT-1C)(INSAT-2R) Communications 1400 W 27 February 1992, 05:28:10 IST Ariane-44L H10 Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou Launched as Arabsat 1C. Procured in orbit from Arabsat in January 1998. 21894 – 1459.2 minutes 11.6° 21.41° W 0.00385 29 August 1991, 01:30:00 IST –18SROSS-C (SROSS-3) Astronomy Earth Sciences Space Physics 45 W 20 May 1992, 08:30:00 IST ASLV-D3 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Carried gamma ray astronomy and aeronomy payload. 21968 – – 91 minutes 46.03° Not Applicable 0.01295 21 May 1992, 01:30:00 IST 14 July 199219INSAT-2A Communications Earth Sciences ~ 1000 W 10 July 1992, 04:12:19 IST Ariane-44L H10 Centre Spatial Guyanais, KourouFirst satellite in the second-generation Indian-built INSAT-2 series. Has enhanced capability over INSAT-1 series. Still in service. 22027 1437.2 minutes 14.5° 16.18° E 0.00381 10 July 1992, 01:30:00 IST –20INSAT-2B Communications Earth Sciences ~ 1000 W 23 July 1993, 04:29:00 IST Ariane-44L H10+ Second satellite in INSAT-2 series. Identical to INSAT-2A. Still in service. 22724 1440.4 minutes 13.0° 156.74° W – – –21IRS-1E Earth Sciences Not Applicable 41.5 W 20 September 1993 PSLV-D1 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SriharikotaEarth observation satellite. Did not achieve orbit. Not Applicable – Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable22SROSS-C2 Astronomy Space Physics 45 W 5 May 1994, 05:30:00 IST ASLV-D4 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SriharikotaIdentical to SROSS-C. 23099 – – 98.1 minutes 46.0° Not Applicable 0.03431 4 May 1994, 01:30:00 IST 12 July 200123IRS-P2 Earth Sciences 510 W 15 October 1994, 10:38:00 IST PSLV-D2Earth observation satellite. Launched by second developmental flight of PSLV. Mission accomplished after 3 years of service in 1997. 23323 – 101.1 minutes 98.8° Not Applicable 0.00533 15 October 1994, 06:38:00 IST –24INSAT-2C Communications 1320 W 7 December 1995, 04:53:00 IST Ariane-44L H10-3 Centre Spatial Guyanais, KourouHas additional capabilities such as mobile satellite service, business communication and television outreach beyond Indian boundaries. Still in service. 23731 1443.2 minutes 12.0° 60.57° E – – –25IRS-1C Earth Sciences 809 W 28 December 1995, 12:15:00 IST Molniya-M Baikonur Cosmodrome, KazakhstanEarth observation satellite. Launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome. 23751 – 101.2 minutes 98.69° Not Applicable 0.00014 28 December 1995, 7:15:00 IST –26IRS-P3 (IRS B3) Astronomy Earth Sciences 817 W 21 March 1996, 10:03:00 IST PSLV-D3 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra PradeshEarth observation satellite. Carries remote sensing payload and an X-ray astronomy payload. Launched by third developmental flight of PSLV 23827 – 101.2 mins 98.7° Not Applicable 0.00319 21 March 1996, 5:23:00 IST –27INSAT-2D Communications 1650 W 4 June 1997, 4:50:00 IST Ariane-44L H10-3 Centre Spatial Guyanais, KourouSame as INSAT-2C. Inoperable since 4 October 1997 due to power bus anomaly 24820 1374.1 mins 13.5° 125.76° E – – –28IRS-1D Earth Sciences 809 W 29 September 1997, 10:17:00 IST PSLV-C1 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra PradeshEarth observation satellite. Same as IRS-1C 24971 – 100.4 mins 98.4° Not Applicable 0.03719 29 September 1997, 6:17:00 IST –29INSAT-2E (APR-1) Communications Earth Sciences – 2 April 1999, 8:30:00 IST Ariane-42P H10-3 Centre Spatial Guyanais, KourouMultipurpose communication and meteorological satellite 25666 1445 mins 5.3° 107.82° E – – –30OceanSat-1 (IRS-P4) Earth Sciences 750 W 26 May 1999, 11:52:00 IST PSLV-C2 Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra PradeshEarth observation satellite. Carries an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Multifrequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) 25758 – 99.1 mins 98.2° Not Applicable 0.00077 26 May 1999, 8:12:00 IST –