P Radhakrishnan was responsible for the power systems for Aryabhata, India's first satellite, launched in 1975. In 1985, he was selected and trained as an astronaut to fly in the US Space Shuttle the next year. But the programme was called off following the tragic Challenger disaster in January 1986. He retired as Deputy Director (Systems Reliability & Quality Assurance) from LPSC in 2003.

PV Manoranjan Rao has published several articles on popular science and over 30 papers in national and international journals. He was the Editor-in-Chief for ISRO's prestigious publication–50 Years of Space: A Global Perspective. He retired from VSSC, ISRO as Group Director of the Programme Planning and Evaluation Group.

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Background
Chapter 2: The Small Bang
Chapter 3: Sounding Rockets
Chapter 4: The Debut: SLV-3
Chapter 5: The Technological Bridge: Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle
Chapter 6: The Workhorse: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
Chapter 7: The Missing Link: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Chapter 8: Profiles in Technology Development: Chemicals and Materials
Chapter 9: Profiles in Technology Development: Avionics and Aeronautics
Chapter 10: The Quartet
Epilogue: Glimpses of the Future
Annexure I: SDSC-SHAR: The Spaceport of India
Annexure II: Atomic Energy and Space Research: A Profile for the Decade 1970–80
Glossary
Index: Name
Index: Subject