Indian Space Capabilities

[Hindustani78]

Ministry for Development of North-East Region
16-March, 2015 16:04 IST

India and Canada discuss possible joint-ventures of mutual interest

The Canadian High Commissioner in India, Mr. Nadir Patel called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh here today and discussed some of the possible joint-ventures of mutual interest between the two countries. The Ambassador was accompanied by two NRI Canadian entrepreneurs Mr. Mukund Purohit and Mr. Vikram Khurana. The Canadian Ambassador expressed his government’s keenness to collaborate with India at various levels and in different areas. He said, the people of Canada were looking forward with great excitement and enthusiasm to the forthcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi to Canada next month.

Mr. Patel was appreciative of the rapid strides made by India in space technology. He referred to the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) reported plans to develop capability for heavy and high throughput satellites. In this context, Canadian scientists are eager to share their technical know-how with the Indian counterparts, he added.

In response, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, most of the recent Space Missions by ISRO were more or less totally indigenous and lived up to Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s inspiring concept of “Make in India”. To cite an example, he referred to Mars Orbiter Mission which had been 100% indigenously developed with 100% Indian infrastructure and human resource. This Mission, he said, had not only established India’s supremacy in Space technology but also paved the way for more advanced Space Missions to the Mars in the years to come.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also took up the issue of Northeast with the Canadian delegation and spelt out a number of plans envisaged for future with a view to promote outside investment in the region which could generate revenue as well as employment opportunities.

In response, the Canadian representatives assured the DoNER Minister that they would come back to him with a concept paper about several new ideas , schemes and trade ventures that they have been contemplating in the context of Northeastern region of India.

 

[IND151]

Mangalyaan — the country’s first spacecraft to Mars — will complete its six-month mission next week on March 24, but will remain operational even after its assignment duration expires.

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairman Dr Kiran Kumar told HT the mission would technically end next week. “The spacecraft will remain operational even after that as there is no fuel constraint. This will help us delve deeper into the seasons and climate on Mars. We have been able to capture some beautiful images of Mars and have got ample data. Analysis of the data is being done and once this is final, it will be made public,” Kumar said.

On September 24 last year, India created history by becoming the first country to succeed on its first Mars mission when the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) slipped into the orbit of the Red Planet after a few nail-biting moments.

The country joined the United States, European Space Agency and the former Soviet Union in the elite club of Martian explorers with the MOM. The five payloads on the spacecraft were scheduled to carry out experiments for six months.

The Isro chief said a lot would depend on the blackout period for Mars in June. “The next challenge for the spacecraft will be in June next year when all three – Mars, Earth and Sun-will be in one line. There will be no communication (blackout period) with the spacecraft for nearly 14 days.”

The blackout would be experienced between June 8 and 22 as the Sun would come between Earth and Mars. During the blackout period, the spacecraft would be in fully autonomous mode and no data would be transmitted to or from it.

Isro is planning the launch of the fourth out of seven in the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) series of satellites after IRNSS-1A, IRNSS-1B and IRNSS-IC. The satellite would provide navigational services. The launch, earlier planned for March 9, had to be postponed after it was found that one of the telemetry transmitters was not working properly.

mission ends March 24, but spacecraft will remain operational | idrw.org

 

[Hindustani78]

Department of Space
18-March, 2015 16:56 IST


Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is the most economical interplanetary mission in the world and paved way for cost-effective access to deep space

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has various achievements to its credit after it was inserted into Mars orbit on September 24, 2014. The details of significant achievements of MOM include –

i. First interplanetary mission realized by India and first Indian spacecraft to incorporate full scale on-board autonomy to overcome the long distances and the communication gaps due to non-visibility periods.

ii. First Indian spacecraft to successfully survive Van Allen belt crossing 39 times.

iii. First mission to use Ship Borne Terminals to track the launch vehicle and satellite over Pacific Ocean by ISRO.

iv. First Indian spacecraft to escape the Sphere Of Influence of Earth and orbit Sun.

v. First Mars mission in the world to succeed Mars Orbit Insertion in first attempt.

vi. Most economical interplanetary mission in the world and paved way for cost-effective access to deep space. The launch vehicle, Spacecraft and Ground Segment have been realised with a budget of Rs 450 Cr.

The planned life span of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) after its insertion into Mars orbit on September 24, 2014 is 6 months. The planned life span (6 months) of MOM is completing on March 24, 2015. One of the life limiting parameters of a spacecraft, under nominal orbital conditions, is the availability of propellant to maintain its orbit and orientation. In case of MOM, a reserve of 37 kg of propellant is available in the satellite. Since the health parameters of all critical systems of the satellite are very satisfactory, it is expected that MOM willoutlive its planned life span of 6 months. The increased duration of observation of Mars by five scientific payloads will enhance the planetary science data. It would also enable coverage of Mars in different seasons.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) - Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has been awarded “Space Pioneer Award” for science and engineering category for the year 2015 by the US based National Space Society. The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is awarded to ISRO in recognition of its path-breaking achievement, culminating in Mars Orbiter Mission, its significant contribution in strengthening international cooperation in peaceful use of outer space.

This information was provided by MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in reply to unstarred questions in Lok Sabha today.

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Department of Space
18-March, 2015 16:54 IST


Department of Space’s strategy on realisation of space systems indigenously, by partnering with Indian Industries, is in total synchronization with the mission ‘Make In India’

Since inception in 1972, the Indian Space Programme has been guided with the main objective of indigenous development of space systems for national development with strong involvement of Indian industries in realising space grade hardware, software and test systems. ISRO involves itself in mission definition, system engineering studies, design and development activities, quality assurance and project management with its own indigenous resources and develop, enhance and utilise the skills and resources available in the Indian Industries in realising the missions. The Department has drawn up a long term strategy to develop many more Indian Industries and encourage them to stake bigger claims in the Indian Space Programme with a vision of expanding India’s Space ecosystem. The development of Indian industries to support Indian Space Programme is a continuous effort on the part of the Department. The Department has also developed a novel method of developing industries through investments to support establishment of technical infrastruture, defining the quality and reliability standards and to encourage industries to enhance the skills of the human resources to match up to the requirements of the Space. The Departmental strategy on realisation of space systems indigenously, by partnering with Indian Industries, is in total synchronisation with the mission ‘Make In India’, a major national programme designed to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, protect IPR and build best manufacturing infrastructure in the Country.

This information was provided by MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha today.

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[Hindustani78]

ISRO plans to launch navigation satellite on March 28 : South, News - India Today
IANS Chennai, March 20, 2015 | UPDATED 09:42 IST

India is likely to put into orbit its fourth regional navigation satellite on March 28, with the country's space agency now in the process of loading the rocket with the satellite, an official said on Thursday.

"The process of integrating the IRNSS-1D (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) is underway and it is expected to be completed today (Thursday) or tomorrow (Friday)," an official of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told IANS, preferring anonymity.

India's rocket port is located at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, around 80 km from here.

"The rocket launch is tentatively fixed at 5:19 pm on March 28. However, a final decision will be taken after testing the rocket and the satellite and everything is found sound," he added.

Following that, ISRO's Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) will meet and give the final nod for the rocket's blast-off.

The 1,425 kg IRNSS-1D will zoom into the space atop the Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL).

Originally the satellite was to be launched on March 9.

However, on March 4, ISRO deferred the launch after it found that one of the telemetry transmitters in the IRNSS-1D was not working properly.

India has so far launched three regional navigational satellites as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.

Though the full system comprises nine satellites -- seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by -- the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials said.

Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.

The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed by 2015.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third on October 16, 2014.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.

 

[Hindustani78]

Mars Orbiter still going strong - The Hindu

As it outlives its mission life, module to be assigned new tasks by ISRO
The Mars Orbiter will complete half a year around the Red Planet on Tuesday and is going strong.

The orbiter has been designed for six months of work. A few more months of wait is needed to know what it has seen and sensed on Mars since September 24 last year. The feat of accomplishing its mission life deserves applause, as was noted in Parliament on Wednesday.

Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) teams will meet later in March to take stock of its status and plan the next steps that have come as a bonus.

“We need to consolidate and review the data so far, and also make the next plans,” V. Kesava Raju, Mars Mission Director for post-launch matters, told The Hindu. Detailed analyses of the data it has sent will not be available for some more months, though he said MOM had done a good amount of mapping and imaging. In the six months, the orbiter has been taking Martian surface pictures from distances of around 500 km to 70,000 km. It has mapped the terrain, studied the chemicals present, looked for methane, a sign of ancient or present life, and got a ringside view of a passing comet in October.

Dr. Raju said that as Mars and earth were both moving, the geometry had been changing. This allowed MOM to cover additional Martian surface. So far, MOM’s colour camera focussed on wide-angle long shots of Mars. “Perhaps, we can have imageries of higher resolution from shorter distances,” he said.

Mars has moved further from earth and is about 346 million km away. MOM left earth on December 1, 2013. Its signals take 19 minutes to reach Earth one-way, longer than the 11 minutes when it entered the Martian orbit six months ago, Dr. Raju said.

Indian spacecraft, with a few exceptions, have outlived their lifespan by a few years, but these were operating closer home, at up to 36,000 km from ground. “It looks like MOM can go on for at least another six months,” said an ISRO official who did not wish to be named.

Precise moves
Precision in calculating every distance and timing each manoeuvre clinched the mission’s success. The official said fuel was saved at every stage: when the orbit was increased five times in its early phase under earth’s gravitational field in November 2013; when the orbiter was sent off earth; when two mid-course corrections were avoided during the 10-month journey; and finally while locking MOM on to the Martian orbit.

MOM will go through a 15-day “blackout” or eclipsed period from June 8 to 22. Communication with earth will be snapped as sun will block the planet from Mars and MOM, Project Director S. Arunan said at the Indian Science Congress in January.

During this period, the orbiter must take its own decisions in an autonomous mode and will consume more fuel. How much longer it will last and with how much fuel will be left will depend on this phase. If MOM keeps up its longevity streak, it will next face a “whiteout” a year later when Earth will come between Sun and Mars and communication will go blank again.

 

[Hindustani78]

ISRO gearing up for navigation satellite's launch
Chennai, March 23, 2015 (IANS)

The Indian rocket that would put into orbit the country's fourth navigation satellite on March 28 was moved to the launch pad on Monday morning, said a senior official.

"The rocket - Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-PSLV-XL - has been moved to the launch pad or the umbilical tower. The rocket will be fixed to the umbilical tower," M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), told IANS over phone from Sriharikota.
India's only rocket port is located at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh around 80 km from here.


According to Prasad after the rocket is connected to the umbilical tower system, checks would be carried out including full rocket and satellite checks.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is hoping to launch the rocket on March 28 evening if everything goes smoothly.

Originally ISRO had planned to launch the 1,425 kg Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS-1D) satellite on March 9.


But on March 4, ISRO deferred the launch after it found that one of the telemetry transmitters in the IRNSS-1D was not working properly.

India has so far launched three regional navigational satellites as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.

Though the full system comprises nine satellites - seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by - the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said.


Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.
The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed this year itself.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third on October 16, 2014.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.

Meanwhile European space agency Arianespace is also getting ready to launch two Galileo satellites on March 27.

The two satellites would be launched jointly by a Soyuz rocket blasting off from French Guyana.

According to Arianespace, the Galileo programme is Europe's initiative for satellite navigation, providing a highly accurate global positioning system under civilian control - to consist of 30 satellites in total, along with European control centres and a worldwide network of sensor and uplink stations.

 

[Hindustani78]

Department of Space

24-March, 2015 13:25 IST
Launch of IRNSS-1D by PSLV-C27 on March 28, 2015

The launch of India’s fourth Navigation Satellite IRNSS-1D onboard PSLV-C27 in now scheduled at 1719 hrs IST in the evening on Saturday, March 28, 2015 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

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[SRP]

India's Frugal Mars Mission Extended by Six Months

Bengaluru: India's famously frugal Mars mission has been extended by around six months thanks to a surplus of fuel on board the spacecraft, the country's space agency said.

The Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft had been scheduled to wrap up its mission this month after India in September became the first Asian nation to reach the Red Planet, all on a shoe-string budget.

But scientists said the unmanned spacecraft would remain in orbit to study the planet's atmosphere and its surface after burning less fuel than expected over the last six months.

"As the... Mars Orbiter has sufficient fuel to last longer than it was intended earlier, its mission has been extended for another six months," said Devi Prasad Karnik, director of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation.

"The five scientific instruments on board the spacecraft will continue to collect data and relay them to our deep space network centre here for analysis," Mr Karnik added.

The mission cost just $74 million, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has quipped was less than the estimated $100 million budget for the sci-fi Hollywood blockbuster "Gravity".

India has been trying to keep up with neighbouring giant China, which has poured billions of dollars into its own space programme.

Of the five instruments on board, the spacecraft's camera has been the most active, capturing images of the planet's surface, including valleys, mountains, craters, clouds and dust storms.

The other four have been conducting various experiments to study the Martian surface, including its mineral composition and to scan its atmosphere for methane gas, which comes mainly from living organisms.

India's Frugal Mars Mission Extended by Six Months

 

[Aamna Ali]

NEW PICS

 

[Hindustani78]

India may launch two more navigation satellites this year

Chennai, March 27, 2015 (IANS)

India is expected to launch at least two more navigation satellites this year and one more in 2016 so as to offer satellite navigation services in the middle of next year, said Indian space agency officials.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) officials deny any diversion of focus delaying the operationalisation of navigation satellite system.

The three satellite launches will be in addition to the one that India is expected to put into orbit on March 28 evening.

"We will surely be launching two more navigation satellites this year apart from tomorrow's (March 28) launch. At the end of the year we will have six navigation satellites up in the sky out of the constellation of seven such satellites," senior officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told IANS preferring anonymity.

According to officials, the seventh and the last one of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) in all probability would go up early part of 2016.


The full navigation services are expected to be offered from mid 2016 onwards, according to the officials.

Medical experts play key role in space missions, says ISRO former chief
March 26, 2015, Bengaluru,DHNS

A successful space mission would most often lead one to associate the mission with successful scientists alone. However, medical experts are also a significant part of space missions.
For, ambitious space missions need experts in medicine to help astronauts cope with challenges in space, said former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan. The senior scientist had the audience by the edge of their seats, who listened intently to his talk on space medicine.

He was delivering the 17 annual convocation address of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) in the city on Wednesday. The convocation was held at the Nimhans convention centre.

In an interesting take on interlinking of the fields of medicine and space sciences, Radhakrishnan explained about the scope of space medicine and the significance of it in the coming years. Medicine has expanded to help humans survive in the space where astronauts are exposed to conditions detrimental to the body and mind.

“Exposure to microgravity conditions of space results in space motion sickness, loss of bone density, accumulation of body fluids in the upper part of the body and also problems of vertigo among other conditions. In helping cope with these challenges, space medicine has evolved as a field of research enhancing human confidence in encountering space over long durations, he observed.

At the convocation, as many as 87 gold medals were awarded to 56 candidates. Mangala Gowri K, from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, was awarded the highest number of gold medals (five), followed by two students who won four gold medals each: Vijeta Vithalray Rane, who completed MBBS from S Nijalingappa Medical College, Bagalkot, and Nikita Jain, who completed her degree from MS Ramaiah College.

 

[SRP]

Link for today's webcast of IRNSS-1D launch.

Webcast will start from 16.50 IST

Webcast from Sriharikota - ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation:Webcast

 

[TejasMk3]

Alt DD news link (if that plugin doesnt load).
Doordarshan News Live webcast (1)

 

[Hindustani78]

India's Fourth Navigational Satellite IRNSS-1D Launched From Sriharikota

Chennai: India today launched satellite IRNSS-1D from Sriharikota onboard workhorse PSLV-C27 which would pave the way for the country's own navigation system on par with the GPS of US.

The satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, about 90 km from Chennai.

The launch originally scheduled for March 9 was deferred after an anomaly was found in a telemetry transmitter.

IRNSS-1D is the fourth in the series of seven satellites, planned by ISRO to put in place the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), currently under development.

The IRNSS system, targeted to be completed by this year at a total cost of Rs. 1,420 crore, will be targeted at South Asia and is designed to provide accurate position information services to users in the country as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary.

IRNSS' applications include terrestrial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, navigation aide for hikers and travellers, visual and voice navigation for drivers.

While four satellites would be sufficient to start operations of the system, the remaining three would make it more accurate and efficient, ISRO said.

The first three satellites in the IRNSS series were launched from Sriharikota on July 1, 2013, April 4 and October 16 last year respectively.

Similar to the previous three launches, ISRO used the "XL" version of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), its most reliable rocket, for IRNSS-1D which will have a mission life of 10 years.

This is the eighth time XL version is being used after Chandrayaan-I, GSAT-12, RISAT-1, IRNSS-1A, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft, IRNSS-1B and IRNSS-1C.

The 44.4 metre tall PSLV-C27 which has a lift off mass of 1,425 kg PSLV-C27 will put the satellite in Geosynchronous orbit at 111.75 degree east longitude with 30.5 degree inclination.

The system would provide two types of services-Standard Positioning Service, which is provided to all the users, and Restricted Service that is an encrypted service provided only to authorised users.

 

[Hindustani78]

President's Secretariat
28-March, 2015 18:11 IST

President of India congratulates ISRO for the successful launch of PSLV-C27

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has congratulated the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the successful launch of PSLV-C27.

In a message to Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman of ISRO, the President has said, “My heartiest congratulations to you and your entire team at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of PSLV-C27, carrying the IRNSS-1D. I am very happy to know that this is the fourth in the series of seven satellites of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. I understand the IRNSS-1D will provide navigation, tracking and mapping services which will take us closer to setting up our own navigation system.

The nation is proud of this achievement which has demonstrated, yet again, India’s increasing space capabilities.

Kindly convey my greetings to all members of your team of scientists, engineers and technologists involved in this great mission. I wish your future endeavours great success”.

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[indiatester]

Congrats ISRO.
When will I start seeing desi GPS?