Aryabhata Credit - ISRC

The Soviet Union assisted India in development of Aryabhata, its first satellite, named for the Indian astronomer. The satellite conducted scientific experiments on atmospheric research., but was primarily an experimental satellite for satellite technology.

Typical orbit: 398 km x 409 km at 51 degrees inclination. Mass: 360 kg (790 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M.

• 1975 April 19 - Aryabhata - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. Mass: 360 kg (790 lb). Perigee: 398 km (247 mi). Apogee: 409 km (254 mi). Inclination: 50.70 deg. Period: 92.60 min.

  Atmospheric research. Experimental satellite for satellite technology and some scientific experiments. Launched from a cosmodrome in the USSR.

• JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Accessed at: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.

• USAF Satellite Database, USAF Institute of Technology, 1995. Accessed at: ftp://archive.afit.af.mil/pub/space/.

• Krebs, Gunter, Gunter's Space Page, University of Frankfurt, 1996. Accessed at: http://www.skyrocket.de/space.

• Melnik, T G, Voenno-Kosmicheskiy Siliy, Nauka, Moscow, 1997.. Two-volume official history of the (now defunct) Russin space forces.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.