Indian Space Capabilities

[deltacamelately]

One wonders if it was possible to use some kind of baloons/retro boosters to enable a soft landing by the MIP.

 

[Flintlock]

One wonders if it was possible to use some kind of baloons/retro boosters to enable a soft landing by the MIP.

Baloons won't work because the moon has no atmosphere.

Retro-boosters and landing gear is the next step - that will be implemented in the next stage - Chandrayaan II, which will place a rover on the moon surface.

We are taking one step at a time.

 

[nitesh]

Nitesh,

Do we have pictures of Indian flag already?

I was just checking the ISRO site. The MIP has crashed there and flag was printed on that. They are processing the data released from the MIP. But no idea when they will release the video or whether they will release or not. The images I have posted are the only ones released so far. And the TMC have a resolution of 5m so I don't think you will see that clearly.

 

[Neo]

Please do share your findings...I'm anxious to see the flag.

 

[Flintlock]

Please do share your findings...I'm anxious to see the flag.

Neo, the flag is printed on the side of the MIP. Unless its possible for the MIP to see itself, I don't think we will be seeing any images of the flag anytime soon.

The only way is if the moon orbiter actually takes a photograph of the Impact Probe at sufficient resolution in order to discern the flag.

 

[nitesh]

Please do share your findings...I'm anxious to see the flag.

Neo saar, I don't think we will see that visually as no instruments carrying can capture that clearly. The idea of MIP printed with flag is to mark the presence. If something do come up will be glad to share.

 

[Sam Dhanraj]

There is a nice feeling when looking at moon surface through Indian lens...can't describe it !!!

 

[nitesh]

There is a nice feeling when looking at moon surface through Indian lens...can't describe it !!!

The only way to say your feeling is the way we did yesterday (have beer in open area watching towards moon). That makes easy to bring the feelings out . Make sure that don't disturb any one. Ha ha ha

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

Chandrayaan-1 shows India means business in space: ISRO chief

Bangalore (PTI): The successful landing of the Moon Impact Probe on the lunar surface has not only boosted the confidence of ISRO to undertake inter-planetary travel in future, but also conveyed a firm message to the world that India means business in the field of space, ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair said here today.

"It (the landing of the Moon Impact Probe (MIP) and the Chandrayaan-1 mission) has validated many of our assumptions and many of the principles involved in interplanetary travel. It's really a big boon for ISRO. We can now take up travel to any other planet with confidence," a jubilant Nair told PTI in an interview, a day after the historic event.

Last night, the Indian space programme achieved a unique feat with the placing of the Indian tricolour on the Moon's surface. The Indian flag was painted on the sides of MIP, one of 11 payloads of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft that successfully hit the lunar surface at 20:31 hrs. This is the first Indian built object to reach the surface of the Moon.

"I am extremely happy that the nation has responded very positively to this event (MIP landing and Chandrayaan-1)", Nair, also the Secretary in the Department of Space, said.

ISRO officials rpt ISRO officials said Chandrayaan-1 was a coup of sorts in the branding stakes and ISRO's brand has skyrocketed with India's first unmanned Moon mission.

"ISRO's name has been high all the time. This is another significant event. I am sure in the global community, we will have much more respect than what was (there) in the past", he said.

The Chandrayaan-1 mission has sent a clear signal internationally that India is really a space power and it means business. "That message has been given to everybody," Nair said.

 

[Vinod2070]

^^ We too did that yesterday. Beer in the open watching the moon.

It was great.

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

France, EU congratulate India on success of Chandrayaan-I

New Delhi (PTI): France and the European Union on Saturday hailed the successful landing of India's Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on lunar surface and expressed keenness to strengthen the existing scientific cooperations with this country in the field of space.

"France, on behalf of the European Union, warmly congratulates India for the successful landing of the Moon Impact Probe and the launch of the lunar exploration programme," a statement issued by the French Embassy said.

France is the current chair of the 27-nation European Union.

"This remarkable success of the Indian space vehicle confirms anew India's eminent position among the world-class scientific and technological powers," the statement said.

It said France and the European Union "look forward to the strengthening of the existing scientific cooperations with India in the field of space, which are particularly promiseful for the development of science and knowledge worldwide."

The MIP, carrying India's national tricolour landed on the Moon last night, making India the fourth country to mark its physical presence on the Moon.

 

[Sam Dhanraj]

I am not a beer man so for me.... its tequila shots

+.....



much appropriate !!!!

 

[nitesh]

Hmmm good response to the nay sayers

The Hindu News Update Service

Chandrayaan project an investment for future: Kasturirangan

Chennai (PTI): Rejecting criticism over high costs for the Chandrayaan-1 project, former ISRO Chairman K Kasturirangan said it was a good investment for the future.

"With the population explosion, the demand for land, a scarce material, will go up in future. We have to look for other sources for this. Chandrayaan 1 is to look for water availability on the Moon so that human settlements can be created," he told an international seminar on space applications here.

He said the Moon's environment was almost similar to that of the Earth and human habitations would become a "real possibility in the future."

 

[nitesh]

^^

I am in sam for this

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu Business Line : ISRO targets to develop semi-cryo vehicle in 6 years

ISRO targets to develop semi-cryo vehicle in 6 years

Design phase over, project proposal soon: Madhavan Nair.

“We can now go to Mars, or any other object in the solar system; they are now within reach of India.” — Mr G. Madhavan Nair

Bangalore, Nov. 15 A 4-lakh-km lunar leap and a day after an impacter firmly established Indian presence on the moon, ISRO is set for deeper, bigger missions. It has started work to build a new, powerful semi-cryogenic launch vehicle that can travel far and bring materials or men back home from space travel, according to the head of the national space agency.


The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram is finalising the design of a launch vehicle powered by a semi-cryogenic engine system and “this is an entirely new development”, ISRO’s Chairman, Mr G. Madhavan Nair, said.

“The return (technology) needs powerful launchers. For that we are in the process of developing semi-cryogenic rocket systems that will feed the future missions. The target is to develop the semi-cryo vehicle within six years, with a budget of Rs 1,600 crore.

“The design phase is almost completed. We expect a project proposal soon. Thereafter, it has to go through a series of ground tests,” Mr Nair, who is also Secretary, the Department of Space, told Business Line in an interview.

Powerful boosters

He said, “If you want to just get to the moon you require a particular capacity. For the return mission, the capacity has to be doubled. GSLV MkIII (due for test by 2010) for example, has a 10-tonne lift capacity in a low-earth orbit. We have to achieve a capability of 20 tonnes plus for bringing back our spacecraft. The semi-cryogenic launcher will give much higher, more powerful and eco-friendly boosters which could be used for larger missions.”

The semi-cryo system runs on superior kerosene or refined paraffin (RP1), considered a green propellant; it also lowers costs by 30 per cent as it replaces the expensive liquid hydrogen. India will be only the second after a few former Soviet States to have this technology, said Mr P.S. Sastry, Director, Launch Vehicle Programme Office.

Now that the 23-day-old Chandrayaan-1 has already achieved most of its objectives, “We can now go to Mars, or any other object in the solar system; they are now within reach of India. Chandrayaan-1 gives us tremendous confidence in undertaking inter-planetary projects,” Mr Nair said after the Moon Impact Probe crash-landed on the moon on Friday night. He has spoken of an Aditya mission to the Sun and another to Venus as well.

“We have a projection for the Mars mission in the next Five-Year Plan. We are in the process of selecting the scientific experiments. If everything goes well, we should have that mission in 4-5 years. The Space Commission has approved the human mission and we have to submit it to the Government.”


The low-earth manned trip is estimated to cost Rs 12,000 crore and needs technologies to sustain people through the trip with food, special spacecraft and soft landing. ISRO is also building an Astronaut Training Centre near Bangalore with an initial spend of Rs 100 crore.

Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-2, slated for 2011-12, jointly with Russia, he said, is a firm plan, with each agency putting in around Rs 425 crore. “We are going to have a lander and rover which will collect samples from the lunar surface. Beyond that, there is no commitment. If we find minerals on the moon, the next logical step would be to collect them and get them back to earth. That may be a future mission, beyond 2015,” he said.

That would be when a the launcher with a return capability is in place. The first project to bring back spacecraft — the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment or SRE-1 — was tested in January 2007 and the second is slated for 2010-11.