A Profile of Women Scientists at ISRO: The Pioneers of India's Cosmic Adventure

When a rocket takes off from Sriharikota, millions witness the countdown, ignition, and separation of the craft from its launcher. But those few moments of the launch are the result of many years of effort behind the scenes. There is a team behind each successful mission designing spacecraft, writing code, analysing data, planning trajectories, and preparing for conditions that might never be seen on television screens.

Illustration by The Geostrata

Among these groups working for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are women scientists and engineers who have been involved in some of the most challenging space missions of India. Women's involvement in the Indian space program has increased in step with its development. Initially, there were few job options available for women in engineering and space science, and women who were joining this field had to do so in an environment where the technical and leadership roles were mostly held by men.

Gradually, however, women working in ISRO have been entrusted with tasks ranging from mission planning, spacecraft design and development, science studies, to operations management and project management.

Their contributions have become more apparent with the success of India’s missions to the Moon, Mars, and the Sun.  Their hard work, leadership, and dedication have not only defined India's space program but have also been a source of inspiration for many young girls to pursue careers in science and technology.  Many women who wanted to pursue these careers had to overcome obstacles such as social norms and limited opportunities. However, those who dared to venture out into ISRO proved that talent and determination don't discriminate.  So far, their valuable contributions have been the key to ISRO's development.

THE RISE OF WOMEN IN INDIA'S SPACE PROGRAM

One of the most well-known individuals is Ritu Karidhal, who was a part of the team responsible for the success of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, popularly known as “Mangalyaan.” She was Deputy Operations Director of the mission, which demanded meticulous planning to manoeuvre a spacecraft through millions of kilometres and establish it in orbit around Mars. India was the first nation to achieve the feat of entering Mars' orbit on the very first trial in 2014. It showed that an interplanetary mission of such complexity can be completed through planning and engineering. Later, Karidhal was appointed as Mission Director of Chandrayaan-2.

The purpose of this mission was to investigate the Moon using an orbiter, lander, and rover, focusing especially on the southern polar region of the Moon.

While the lander failed to accomplish its soft landing objective, the orbiter of the mission was still operational and made some scientific discoveries. Chandrayaan-2 also provided valuable experience that helped India with its later lunar endeavours. Muthayya Vanitha, the Project Director for Chandrayaan-2, was also an important personality involved in this mission. Her position entailed working on a complicated project with various parts of the spacecraft. This mission was a clear demonstration of the fact that space exploration involves not only launching into space but also integrating many different decisions into one system. Leadership qualities of Vanitha were well recognised and formed a milestone for women leaders in the Indian space industry.

WOMEN SCIENTISTS BEHIND NOTABLE SPACE MISSIONS

The story of women in ISRO is not merely about the big names.  Nandini Harinath was one such scientist who worked in the field of operations and navigation for the Mars Orbiter Mission. Her passion for outer space through sci-fi in her childhood years led to her being part of one of the most difficult planetary missions in India. Her childhood fascination with science fiction gave way to a productive career in space science. This case clearly illustrates the development of a child’s interest in space into a specialised area of expertise that has been applied in space exploration.

The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission shed light on the contribution of women to the Indian space program. P. Veeramuthuvel served as Project Director, and  K. Kalpana served as the Associate Project Director of the mission.

The spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon in August 2023 and became the first country to achieve a soft landing on the south pole region of the Moon. Nonetheless, this achievement did not solely come from the work of a few well-known scientists. However, ISRO has observed that more than 100 women workers have been directly involved in the Chandrayaan-3 project and performed activities including spacecraft design, assembly, testing, operation, navigation, guidance, and control.

Their involvement proves how women have become an integral part of the technology industry that has helped India explore the moon. In the same way, there has been considerable involvement in Aditya-L1, which is India’s first dedicated space mission aimed at exploring the Sun. The deployment of the satellite occurred in September 2023, and the satellite was placed in an L1 position within a halo orbit so that it could observe the Sun without being obscured by any eclipses. The task requires specific knowledge concerning many areas of the spacecraft systems and other disciplines. Women scientists and engineers have participated in these varied fields and have introduced one more aspect into the growing field of space science in India. Details on the Aditya-L1 mission of ISRO.

BACKGROUND BEHIND THE HEADLINES

But maybe the most significant thing about this story is the women who never get a mention in any headline. A space mission requires far more personnel than just the Project Manager and the Mission Manager.  Women who work in the ISRO organisation include software engineers, electronic engineers, mechanical engineers, scientists, mission planners, and technicians. Women analyse scientific data and resolve problems that could pose difficulties to the proper functioning of the spacecraft.

It is even more essential given that India’s space missions are becoming ever more ambitious. The missions have become more complicated since the country is preparing to launch humans to space through the Gaganyaan program and the exploration of the Moon.  Each new goal involves information about varied fields like life support systems, robotics, navigation, materials, propulsion, and space science. And this implies that having women at ISRO is bringing about a change in the way Indian space successes are perceived. However, the successful landing has now become about appreciating the hard work of all those different people who have been working hard for years on end.

The presence of women in such roles helps to bring attention to such a large number of people and gives the young generation some examples of what there is besides space missions. 

INDIA'S FUTURE SPACE

The future of the Indian space program will not only involve firing rockets and launching satellites. It will also involve the scientists and engineers who are able to turn complex ideas into reality.  From Ritu Karidhal and Muthayya Vanitha to Nandini Harinath and K. Kalpana, along with the many other women working silently behind the scenes, their success stories form a major part of India's growing presence in space. With ISRO setting foot on the path to explore the moon, sun, space travel for humans, and the planets, these women are not merely a part of the history of India’s space program.

To conclude, women have an important role to play in shaping the future of India’s space ventures, whether to the moon or even further into space. Not only have they helped ISRO succeed, but their involvement has also inspired young minds to think big and reach high. They are writing the story of the future.

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BY ANJALI AND HEMAPRIYA

COVERING ISRO

TEAM GEOSTRATA

info@thegeostrata.com