India to set up satellite earth station at Antarctica base

[Contrarian]

India to set up satellite earth station at Antarctica base


New Delhi, April. 21 (PTI): India is setting up a satellite earth station at its research base in Antarctica to enhance communication links with the mainland.

The earth station will be set up at the research base Maitri on the icy continent by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in collaboration with the Department of Space.

"The station will provide better communication and data transfer facility between Antarctic and mainland India," P S Goel, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said.

Once operational, the earth station will also help researchers in enhancing capabilities of Indian polar orbiting satellites.

At a function to mark 'Earth Day', which falls tomorrow, Minister of Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said India's case for setting up its third research station in Antarctica will come up for discussion when representatives of 45 nations meet here for the 30th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meet (ATCM).

"It is an important step that will give Indian scientists a chance to work in the region of Antarctica which is located opposite to the Indian sub-continent," Sibal said.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200704211550.htm

 

[Neo]

Didn't you already have a permanent research station on Antarctica?

 

[joey]

India's case for setting up its third research station in Antarctica

there you go Neo

 

[Neo]

Missed that...

 

[joey]

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/54681.html
India is planning to build a Satellite Earth Station at Maitri (friendship), its second base in the Antarctica, to facilitate instant data transfer from the ice continent.

Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said Saturday: 'The Ministry of Earth Sciences in collaboration with the department of space is planning to set up a Satellite Earth Station at Maitri to provide better communication and real time data transfer facility between Antarctica and mainland India.'

'Once operational it will help us in enhancing the capabilities and efficacies of Indian polar orbiting satellites,' Sibal added.

Maitri was built on adjustable telescopic legs and has 25 single occupancy rooms as well as buildings for research, supply, power and general purpose. It is located on the East Antarctic mainland, south of Capetown and 90 nautical miles from the usual Antarctic coastline.

India is also planning to get its own first oceanographic research-cum-logistic vessel. So far, India's Antarctic expeditions have been conducted on hired vessels, which are normal ice class freighters.

The proposed research vessel will help Indian scientists mount full-fledged research expeditions to the polar regions and in the southern oceans of Antarctica.

'It would also facilitate logistics operations to our existing and new research base,' Secretary, Ministry of Earth Science P.S. Goel said.

Sibal said the development would help Indian scientists to do more research and development and obtain data about the ice continent.

'The Indian coastline and that of Antarctica seem to have some similarity. The new initiative would help us in bringing out the semblance if any,' he said.

Sibal said India would not exploit the continent for purposes other than scientific.

'India would never exploit it for commercial purposes. Commercial exploitation of the Antarctica is harmful for human civilisation and India opposes tourism in the ice continent,' Sibal added.


(c) Indo-Asian News Service

another good report....

 

[Neo]

Joey,

Whats the dedicated budget for Polar exploration, got any stats for me?
Thanks!

 

[Contrarian]

Department of Oceans under which i think polar exploration falls had a total budget of Rs 175 crore in 2002-03. I believe that is when the plans were given the nod.

Maybe Joey knows more...

 

[joey]

Somehow the link on budget in their website is returning me null error saying page not exist.

Here is a bit of expert,

The Ministry of Earth Sciences was created on 12th July 2006 after merger of India Meteorological Department (IMD); National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF); Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and Earth Risk Evaluation Centre (EREC) with the then Ministry of Ocean Development. The Ministry’s mandate is to look after Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean Science & Technology and Seismology in a integrated manner.

Hon'ble Shri Kapil Sibal is the Minister for Earth Sciences. Dr.P.S.Goel is the Secretary of the Ministry.

The expanded Ministry of Earth Sciences aims to create a framework for understanding the complex interactions among key elements of the Earth System, namely ocean, atmosphere and solid earth, by encompassing national programmes in Ocean science, meteorology, climate, environment and seismology.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences provides the nation with best possible services in forecasting the monsoons and other weather/climate parameters, ocean state, earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems through well integrated programmes. In addition, the Ministry also deals with science and technology for exploration and exploitation of ocean resources (living and non-living), and play nodal role for Antarctic/Arctic and Southern Ocean research.

The budget for this may be varied as it has DOS involved in as well, so the exact budget details derivation might be hard unless filed a RTI information in court.

Check this website http://dod.nic.in/

And check the linkof the other websites down of niot/ncaor etc etc...
http://www.incois.gov.in/



I had a nice webiste in this years arctic exploration, it was pvt website lost it

 

[joey]

Department of Oceans under which i think polar exploration falls had a total budget of Rs 175 crore in 2002-03. I believe that is when the plans were given the nod.

Maybe Joey knows more...

The budget is more, there was a programme on discovery on a wing of this group is currently involved in extracting minerals from sea bed pebbles, a huge area of sea has been givesn by UN to these guys in Indian ocean, the areas of which they obviously wont reveal in public.

http://www.ncaor.gov.in/

Neo the webiste of antartic and ocean research

 

[joey]

These are the departments under ocean ministry..

http://dst.gov.in/stsysindia/ocean.htm

national institute of ocean tech : http://www.niot.res.in/

weather space all are related to these so there will be bunch of websites and de-centralised budget i guess?

http://www.ncaor.gov.in/ : national centre for antartic and ocean research is the site we are looking for i guess

Also i wonder when will the new vessel will be constructed?

 

[Neo]

Thanks, I'll check the links!