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The work is concerned with the story of development of India’s first spacecraft, Aryabhatta and the remote sensing and communication satellites subsequently developed and launched. The work is authored by U. R. Rao, Chairman, Governing Council of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, under whose guidance over 18 satellites have been designed and launched for providing communication, remote sensing and meteorological services. Referring to various space projects and launches and other events of note, it traces the birth of Indian scientific satellite project, the birth of the ISAC and its launchings, the Indian astronaut in space, birth of national communication satellite, the development of the ASLV, remote sensing from space, the INSAT satellites and genesis of cryogenic engines and the GSLV project. It also explores the evolution of ISRO-industry partnership and their growing inter-dependence with the advent of R&D, design and development.