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India’s space and missile programs have always developed hand in hand, with the missile programs falling under the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the space programs managed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). While ISRO primarily focuses on serving the common man with its civilian space program, it has also launched military satellites, such as the CartoSat and GSAT series, for the Navy and Air Force.

The development of rockets, such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3), has contributed significantly to the advancement of India’s missile systems. The technologies and progress made in one area often feed into the other, particularly in terms of terminal velocity, onboard guidance, and control.

India’s space odyssey began with sounding rockets and progressed to the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) and Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), each with improved propellants, payload capacity, and technological parameters. The current operational launch vehicles are the PSLV, GSLV, and LVM3, which have launched a total of 431 satellites for 36 countries, making India’s space program a major success story.

India’s missile program, led by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP), has yielded five indigenous missile systems: Prithvi (short-range surface-to-surface), Agni (surface-to-surface ballistic), Akash (medium-range surface-to-air), Trishul (short-range surface-to-air), and Nag (anti-tank). The Agni system, due to its strategic capabilities, was separated from the IGMDP and has since gone through multiple variants.

The importance of space-based capabilities in modern warfare was highlighted during the Gulf War of 1991, where the US-led coalition utilized technologies such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), precision-guided weapons, satellite-based communications, surveillance, and intelligence data, effectively overwhelming the enemy. Similarly, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has showcased the dependency on satellite-based communications systems.

The future of India’s space program includes the development of various launch vehicles like the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HRLV), Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD), and the Scramjet Engine TD. The HRLV will play a crucial role in India’s Gaganyaan mission, a human spaceflight program that aims to send a crew of three members into orbit and safely return them to Earth.

India’s space and missile programs are intertwined, with advancements in one benefiting the other. The achievements in rocketry have facilitated the development of India’s missile systems, while space-based capabilities have become crucial in modern warfare scenarios.

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