AstroSat: India’s First Space Observatory Completes a Decade in Orbit

India’s first dedicated Space Astronomy Observatory, AstroSat, marked 10 years of successful operations on September 28, 2025.
Launched a decade ago on September 28, 2015, by the PSLV-C30 (XL) rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, AstroSat was originally designed for a mission life of five years but has far exceeded expectations.

Multi-Wavelength Capability

AstroSat is unique as it can observe the universe across multiple wavelengths simultaneously—Visible, Ultraviolet (UV), and low- to high-energy X-rays. This capability has enabled scientists to study celestial objects and phenomena in greater detail than ever before.

Breakthrough Observations

In its decade-long journey, AstroSat has provided insights into:

• Black holes and neutron stars
• The nearest star Proxima Centauri
• First-time detection of far ultraviolet (FUV) photons from galaxies as far as 9.3 billion light years away

Payloads on Board

AstroSat carries five scientific instruments that together allow multi-band observations:

1. Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT)
2. Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC)
3. Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Imager (CZTI)
4. Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)
5. Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM)

India’s Leap in Space Science

AstroSat’s success has placed India among the select group of nations with advanced space-based astronomy capabilities. By extending well beyond its intended mission life, it continues to strengthen India’s contribution to global astrophysics research.