BENGALURU, July 24 - Renowned space scientist and former ISRO chairman UR Rao, who was the brain behind India�s first satellite Aryabhatta and guided the country�s key space programmes, died here today due to age-related ailments. The 85-year-old passed away at his residence here. Rao is survived by wife, a son and a daughter.
From India�s humble space programme Aryabhatta in 1975 to its missions to the Moon (Chandrayan-1) and Mars (Mangalyan) and the proposed Aditya solar mission, Rao was involved in all ISRO�s key programmes till date in one capacity or the other.
He is credited with playing a pivotal role in establishing satellite technology that saw the launch of a wide array of satellites, including Bhaskara, APPLE, Rohini, INSAT-1 and INSAT-2 series of multipurpose communication and meteorological satellites, IRS-1A, IRS-1B, IRS-1C and 1D remote sensing satellites. � PTI
