Chennai: The year 2019 was a year of several new beginnings for India's space sector that is now on Mission 2.0 mode.

The year also saw the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scoring a couple of half centuries, like putting into orbit 50 foreign satellites and also sending up its 50th Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

However, the one jarring note in the success symphony was the crash landing of India's moon lander Vikram on the lunar surface.

The year also saw ISRO and Department of Space (DoS) taking firm steps towards setting up of second rocket launch pad in Tamil Nadu; flying Indian rockets with indigenously developed navigation processor chip; formation of NewSpace India Limited to involve private sector in making rockets and also taking over the commercial activities of Antrix Corporation.

The NewSpace India had issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) for first manufacturing five Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rockets from private sector.

The year 2019 witnessed the ISRO touching the mark of 319-foreign satellite launches; deciding to go for another moon landing mission called Chandrayaan-3; setting up Human Space Flight Centre; starting the young scientist program; signing agreement with Indian Air Force (IAF) to select and train Indian astronauts for the country's manned mission.

The space agency also laid the foundation stone for a centre to monitor and protect high value space assets from space debris.

The ISRO began the year with the launch of defence imaging satellite "Microsat R" for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Later in March, the DRDO shot down Microsat-R to demonstrate its anti-satellite missile prowess.

During 2019, ISRO also launched several earth observation satellites like the Emisat, an electronic intelligence satellite for DRDO, Cartosat-3, radar imaging satellites RISAT-2B, and RISAT-2BR1.

As India's eyes in the skies, these satellites will serve the needs of strategic sectors.

In the communication satellite space, the ISRO launched the country's 40th communication satellite GSAT-31 by an Ariane 5 rocket belonging to Arianespace.

On the rocket side, while ISRO flew its 50th PSLV and also launched two new variants of the rocket- PSLV-DL (with two strap-on motors) and PSLV-QL (with four strap-on motors).

The space agency flew a PSLV rocket in three orbits during the same mission and also used the fourth stage as an orbital platform carrying three experimental payloads.

The space agency also gave finishing touches to its new rocket-Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) with a capacity to carry 500 kg. The rocket is expected to be flown next year.

In June, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan surprised the nation by announcing that the country would build its own 20-ton space station in the next Five to Seven years' time after the first manned mission.

Between July-September the focus was on the country's second moon mission-Chandrayaan-2.

On July 22, the ₹375 crore, heavy lift Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-Mk III) rocket slung the ₹603 crore, 3.8-ton Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft in its intended earth parking orbit.