Materials for Indian Space Program: An Overview

Abstract

Materials are the backbone of any engineering structure and
aerospace materials technologies are therefore closely guarded, in
view of their dual use. Indian national space programmes such as the
development of Polar and Geosynchronous satellite launch vehicles,
communication and remote sensing satellites, recoverable space capsule, interplanetary missions such as Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan are
symbols of the country’s pride and owe their success largely to the dedicated efforts of material scientists towards development and indigenization of performance critical aerospace materials and products, over
the years. The well-planned initiatives taken by ISRO in the early 1970s
for the indigenous production of many of the structural and functional
materials for the satellite launch vehicle programme were the earliest
seeds sown which have yielded remarkable results in meeting the strategic material requirements of the present day, not only for space sector,
but also in atomic energy and defense programs of India. Technology
denials have in a way indirectly helped the country achieve self-reliance
and in establishing large scale facilities required for meeting the materials demands of these strategic sectors. It is an undeniable fact that
successfully meeting the critical requirements of all materials for Indian
space programmes indigenously has been made possible through the
dedicated efforts of teams which overcame several hurdles and challenges. This overview on the materials for Indian space program provides a glimpse of the efforts put to realize structural, thermo-structural
and functional materials that are being used for various types of space
missions. It presents the efforts in producing aerospace quality metallic materials like ultra-high strength maraging steels, aluminium, magnesium, titanium alloys, stainless steels, superalloys, powder metallurgical
products and functional materials like electronic materials and thermal
protection systems, in the past fve decades. The overview culminates
with discussion on the recent advances and future directions in aerospace materials and manufacturing.