December 31, 2002
ISRO Achievements - 2002

The year 2002 was a fruitful year for ISRO not only in terms of launchingsatellites and launch vehicles but also in taking up new initiatives in spaceapplications. The following are the highlights:

ISRO's latest satellite in the INSAT-3 series, INSAT- 3C, was launched by anAriane launch vehicle of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guyana on January 24,2002. After orbit raising operations and in-orbit testing, INSAT-3C wasdedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on July 3, 2002.
METSAT, the first exclusive meteorological satellite built by ISRO, waslaunched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C4) from Satish Dhawan SpaceCentre, SHAR, Sriharikota. ISRO, on September 12, 2002. PSLV-C4 was the sixthconsecutive successful flight of PSLV and for the first time, it was used tolaunch a satellite into geo-stationary transfer orbit.
Development of ISRO's Cryogenic Upper Stage for GSLV crossed a significantmilestone on September 14, 2002 with the successful ground test of the enginefor a duration of 1000 seconds, the longest so far.
The Tele-medicine Project for Andaman & Nicobar Islands was inauguratedby Prime Minister on July 3, 2002. It links the G B Pant Hospital, Port Blairwith Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute (SRMC&RI) atChennai. This was one of the several tele-medicine projects initiated by ISRO.
In a function held at Sriharikota on September 5, 2002, the Prime Minister,Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, named the ISRO's launch Centre as Satish Dhawan SpaceCentre, SHAR. Prof Satish Dhawan, who passed away on January 3, 2002, was theChairman of ISRO from 1972-1984, which were its formative years.
The Government approved in April, the development of an advanced version ofISRO's Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV Mk-III, which will have acapability to launch four tonne satellites into Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit(GTO).
EDUSAT, an exclusive satellite for developmental and educationalcommunication was also initiated. The satellite will be launched by GSLV.