India launched its first satellite Aryabhata 50 years ago today

India launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, into space on April 19, 1975. It was completely designed and fabricated in India and launched by a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket from Kapustin Yar. The satellite was named after an ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer, and its successful launch made India the 11th country in the world to send a satellite into orbit.