Railway · State PCS
Which was India's first indigenous experimental communication satellite?
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Answer: Option A — APPLE
Detailed Solution
APPLE (Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment) was India's first indigenous, experimental geostationary communication satellite. It was launched on 19 June 1981 by the European Space Agency's Ariane-1 rocket (flight L-03) from Kourou, French Guiana. It was launched free of cost as a "passenger" on the test flight of the Ariane rocket, which is how it got its name.
APPLE was a three-axis stabilised satellite weighing about 670 kilograms. It was placed in geostationary orbit about 36,000 kilometres above the equator. It was used for experiments in communication, such as relaying television programmes and radio networking, and helped ISRO gain experience in building and operating communication satellites. It worked for about two years.
A famous photograph from 1981 shows the APPLE satellite being carried to a testing site on a bullock cart, because the engineers needed a non-metallic, non-magnetic vehicle to test its antenna. This image became a symbol of ISRO's humble beginnings and resourcefulness.
Other early Indian satellites:
Aryabhata (19 April 1975): India's first satellite, launched by a Soviet rocket from Kapustin Yar. It was named after the ancient Indian astronomer and mathematician.
Bhaskara-I (1979) and Bhaskara-II (1981): experimental Earth observation satellites, launched by Soviet rockets.
Rohini RS-1 (18 July 1980): the first satellite launched by an Indian rocket, SLV-3, from Sriharikota.
INSAT-1A (1982): the first operational satellite of the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT), a multipurpose system for telecommunications, television broadcasting and weather forecasting; it failed early. INSAT-1B (1983) was the first successful INSAT satellite.
IRS-1A (1988): India's first indigenous remote sensing satellite.
Today, India's communication satellites belong to the GSAT series. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), set up in 2019, is ISRO's commercial arm.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Aryabhata was India's first satellite (1975), a scientific satellite.
- ✗Bhaskara satellites were for Earth observation.
- ✗INSAT-1A was the first operational INSAT satellite (1982).
Quick tip
Remember: APPLE (1981, Ariane, Kourou) = first indigenous communication satellite (bullock cart photo); Aryabhata (1975) = first satellite; Rohini (1980) = first by an Indian rocket (SLV-3).
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Space Technology & ISRO Missions — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Space Technology & ISRO Missions, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's space programme: the history of ISRO, launch vehicles such as the PSLV and GSLV, satellites and their uses, India's missions to the Moon, Mars and the Sun, and major international space missions and agencies. Questions often ask when and from where a satellite or mission was launched, what it was meant to do, and which launch vehicle carried it. For example, Aryabhata was India's first satellite (1975), and Chandrayaan-3 landed near the Moon's south pole in 2023. New missions are launched every year, so pair these facts with recent current affairs. Practise the space technology and ISRO questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.