India's 1st satellite cost ₹3 cr, orbited Earth for 17 years

Named after fifth-century Indian astronomer and mathematician Aryabhata, India's first satellite was launched on April 19, 1975. Costing a little over ₹3 crore, the 360-kg satellite stopped transmitting data five days after launch due to power failure, but spent 17 years in Earth's orbit. 'Aryabhata' was built by ISRO to conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy and solar physics.