Aryabhatta to Aditya, ISRO’s continuing Space Odyssey By M Somasekhar| Updated: 19th April 2021 8:46 pm IST M Somasekhar This day, 36 years ago, Aryabhatta, the rudimentary satellite, built indigenously by Indian space scientists and weighing 360 kg, successfully zoomed into space. It launched the country’s spectacular journey of conquests in space technology that are often described as based on ‘frugal innovations, low budget but huge societal benefit’. In 2017, the nation’s launched capabilities peaked with a world record of placing 104 satellites through its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has probes circling the Moon and Mars, sending pictures already. It was aiming to send humans through the Gaganyaan project.