India's First Indigenous Launch — SLV-3

On July 18, 1980, India became the seventh nation to independently launch a satellite into orbit when the SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle) placed the 35-kilogram Rohini satellite into low Earth orbit from the Sriharikota launch centre in Andhra Pradesh. The project director was a young engineer named APJ Abdul Kalam, who would later become President of India and inspire millions with his vision of a technologically self-reliant nation. The SLV-3 was built entirely with indigenous technology — a remarkable achievement for a developing country facing technology denial from the established space powers. The first SLV-3 attempt in 1979 had failed, making the 1980 success even sweeter. The mission proved India could develop launch vehicle technology independently and laid the foundation for the more powerful ASLV, PSLV, and GSLV rockets that followed.