Indian Space Capabilities

[RPK]

domain-b.com : India's manned space mission scheduled for 2016

Bangalore: Six years from now the first Indians will travel to space for a week long mission on indigenously developed launch platforms and space capsules. India's first manned mission has now been scheduled for 2016, and will see two astronauts spending seven days in a low earth orbit, according to a top Indian space agency official.


Indian Navy frogmen recovering the SRE-1 Capsule after splashdown in the Bay of Bengal
''We are planning a human space flight in 2016, with two astronauts who will spend seven days in the earth's lower orbit,'' Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan told reporters here.

ISRO officials are currently preparing a pre-project report that will enable infrastructure and facilities for the mission to be created, at an estimated cost of Rs12, 655 crore ($2.76 billion).

The manned mission has already received in-principle approval from the Planning Commission.

''We will design and develop the space module for the manned mission in the next four years. Two astronauts will be selected to train for the space flight,'' Dr Radhakrishnan said, speaking on the margins of a space event.

ISRO said it will set up a full-fledged training facility in this city for training the astronauts and will also build a third launch pad at its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

''Spacecraft for the proposed manned mission will have extra facilities like entry into crew capsule and an escape chute,'' Dr Radhakrishnan said on the release of a book titled ''Moon Mission: Exploring the Moon with Chandrayaan-1''.

The book was authored by SK Das, former member (finance) of the space department.

ISRO has already demonstrated its command over re-entry technologies through the space capsule recovery experiment (SRE) launched in 2007. This was a 600 kg capsule that was launched by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket and was brought back to Earth for a safe landing and recovery 12 days later

 

[RPK]

ISRO to finalise payloads aboard Chandrayaan-2 in two months


The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will finalise its payloads aboard Chandrayaan 2 in another two months.


Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a book launch on Wednesday, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said that they had received payload proposals from several countries, but the decision to take payloads would be based on scientific requirements.

The Chandrayaan-2 mission to the moon is looking at a 2013 launch and is expected to carry a lander and a rover which will be carrying the payloads. He said a scientific committee, chaired by former ISRO Chairman U R Rao was looking at requirements and possibilities of learning from the Chandrayaan 1 experiment.

Radhakrishnan revealed that the mass of the payloads collectively would not be exceeding 50 kgs and that the committee would decide which of the experiments conducted onboard Chandrayaan 1 would be repeated in the later version.

Hinting at the possibility of a unmanned Mars mission in the coming years, he said that there were three slots available. “There are three opportune years, but we have to finally decide what instruments we are going to carry, what is the science that you are trying to understand and then build a spacecraft.” The ‘opportune’ years, according to him, were 2013, 2016 and 2018. “We also have a long journey to reach Mars. We have to finalise the kind of propulsion that we need. It will take a minimum of six months to reach there,” he added.

Responding to a question from a student on manned space flight, Radhakrishnan responded that the challenge lay in designing a spacecraft that could go into space, allow the astronauts to survive the harsh environment and bring them back. A crew module, an escape system for astronauts and a reliable launch vehicle were all needed to make this a reality, he said.

ISRO had earlier announced plans to send two astronauts into space by 2016 and Rs 95 crore has already been sanctioned towards this endeavour. Land has already been acquired near Devanahalli for setting up an astronaut training facility and a third launch pad is being built at Sriharikota for this purpose. “In four to seven years, we should be able to do this in steps”, he answered. The developmental flight for the GSLV Mark III is likely in two months time and ISRO’s chairman said that a date is likely to be set next week.

The book

Mission Moon: Exploring the Moon with Chandrayaan 1, authored by honorary advisor to ISRO, S K Das takes a look at ISRO’s planning, execution of Chandrayaan 1 and discovery of water on the lunar surface. A book primarily aimed at young readers, it is intended to serve a starting to point to build their own careers, according to former ISRO chairman U R Rao. Speaking at the launch, Rao said that the next 20 years would see significant exploration in space.

He touched upon the possibility of building colonies

 

[RPK]

domain-b.com : ISRO mulls Mars mission, lunar colonies

Bangalore: An ambitious and confident Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is not only planning deeper forays into space, starting with Mars, but also looking at the complications involved in setting up a lunar base.

"There are three possible time slots to send a Mars mission - in 2013, 2016 and 2018," ISRO chief Dr K Radhakrishnan said Wednesday in Bangalore. "We will be looking at 2016 or 2018."

According to Dr Radhakrishnan, ISRO would utilise either of its launch vehicles – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) or the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) - to send a satellite into Martian orbit. "It can be done in four or five years, but the challenge is to define what scientific experiments we would conduct there," he said.

Former ISRO chairman, Madhavan Nair, said Chandrayaan-1's discovery of the presence of water near the lunar poles had increased the chances of building the lunar base. "It is going to be the frontier for exploration of the universe," he said.

According to Nair, analysis of data obtained last year from scientific instruments onboard the Chandrayaan-1 indicated water molecules on the moon. The presence of Hydroxyls - a molecule comprising an oxygen atom and a hydrogen atom - in lunar soil was also promising in this regard.

Offering a contrarian sentiment was former ISRO chairman, Prof UR Rao, who wasn't too sure if establishing a colony on the moon was a good idea. However, he said, the moon was a rich source of Helium-3, a fuel for nuclear fusion, which one day could make the earth energy sufficient for thousands of years.

However, Rao held out a glimmer of hope for lunar colonies pointing out that the Japanese lunar mission, Kaguya's, recent discovery of underground tunnels on the lunar surface offered increased hope for human colonies.

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency announced the discovery of skylight-like deep holes on moon which could lead to huge sub-surface tunnels. These tunnels could have been carved out by lava flow. "They could shield human beings from space radiation and other hazards," Rao said.

ISRO is gearing up to finalise mission configuration of its second lunar foray with Chandrayaan-2, due for launch in 2013. The mission involves immense technical sophistication as it will have a lunar orbiter, which will disgorge a lunar lander, which in turn will release a lunar rover to crawl on the surface of the moon.

Dr Radhakrishnan revealed that, globally, scientists were discussing manned missions to Mars and establishing space colonies by 2030. He was confident that India would not lag too far behind. "India's first human space programme, which will have two astronauts in spacecraft orbiting the Earth, should be achieved in about six years," he said.

 

[sathruvinasakh]

^^^^

Indias ambition is gud.Atleast their IRSO has said that while Obama slashed their future budgets on space programs.

Now the real contestants in race to moon will be India and China.

probably with more money in pockets China might win the race letting Japan and India behind.

Boy,I was always a fan of these races and wars you know.
These kind of things only show ones real strengths and capabilities.

Afterall, I appreciate Indian progress. Keep going

 

[Ultimate Warrior]

New launch pad for human space flights soon: ISRO

HYDERABAD (PTI): ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota will soon initiate the process of creating Third Launch Pad for human transportation into space, SHRC Director Chandra Datttan said on Tuesday during Republic Day celebrations.

After unfurling the Tricolour at the SDSC, he said the work may start in six months with an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore.

The Third Launch Pad is required for the 2015 Human Space Flight Mission and beyond, a senior Official of ISRO said adding the launch pad would be designed to accommodate the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), ISRO's dream space shuttle.

The present launch pads would not support human programmes and the third pad would cater to all our future space programmes, the official said. The SDSC has already completed the configuration studies for the Third Pad and the process would be initiated by calling competitive bidding.

He did not rule out the possibility of using the pad for commercial purpose.

“We are launching private and foreign satellites through our sister concern Antrix Corporation. So there should not be any problems using the pad for sending astronauts belong to other countries,” the official said.

The first Launch Pad, which became operational in 1971, is being used for PSLV launches. The Second Pad, which is operational since 2005 would facilitate launching of advanced satellites till the next decade.

New launch pad for human space flights soon: ISRO :: Brahmand.com

 

[RPK]

The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Science : ISRO should take steps to reduce cost of payload: Kalam


Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Friday said ISRO should take steps to bring down the cost of the payload of a space craft from $2,000 per kg now.

“One of the main challenges before the space agency was to bring down considerably the cost of the payload from its existing price,” Mr. Kalam said in his inaugural address at a reception accorded to ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan at his native place in Irinjalakuda.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Radhakrishnan said discovery of water molecule in the moon was a major achievement of the organisation. ISRO’s achievements have given the organisation a prominent place in the space map of the world, he said.

Research will have to go a long way in finding answers to several intricacies of space. India would be one of the fully developed countries in the world by 2020, he added.

 

[Naradmuni]

Successful static testing of Solid Propellant Booster Rocket Stage S200 for GSLV Mk III Launch Vehicle on Jan 20: ISRO Press Release​

Indian Space Research Organisation successfully conducted the static test of its largest solid booster S200 at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota today (January 24, 2010). The successful test of S200 makes it the third largest solid booster in the world, next to the RSRM solid booster of Space Shuttle and P230 solid booster of ARIANE-5. The S200 solid booster will form the strap-on stage for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-Mk III) which is currently under advanced stage of development for launching 4 ton class of communication satellites.

S200 solid booster contains 200 tonnes of solid propellant in three segments. The motor measures 22 meter long and 3.2 meter in diameter. The design, development and successful realisation of S200 solid booster were a pure indigenous effort involving Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and Satish Shawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota with the participation of Indian Industries. The S200 solid booster derived its heritage from the solid boosters developed earlier for the ISRO launch vehicle programme. The preparation and casting of S200 solid booster segments were carried out at the newly established Solid Propellant Plant (SPP) at SDSC, Sriharikota.

During the test, the S200 booster was fired for 130 seconds and generated a peak thrust of about 500 tonnes. The performance of the booster was exactly as predicted. Nearly 600 health parameters were monitored during the test and the initial data indicates normal performance.

Todays successful test of S200 is a major milestone in the solid rocket motor programme of ISRO and a vital step in the development of GSLV Mk III.

 

[RPK]

India?s own moon walk, Lifestyle - SciTech - Pune Mirror,Pune Mirror

India is set to take a huge leap in space science and Bangalore is once again in the forefront.

In six months, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will set up a Simulator Lunar Terrain (SLT) in an as yet undisclosed location in the city. India will become the third country in the world to have an exclusive ‘extrasurface’ test drive.

“This will be a terrain testing facility. Our basic idea is to recreate the moon’s surface on earth which helps us in getting first-hand information on how a rover works.”

“The SLT will have features like lunar terrain and its gravitational force,” ISRO’s Chandrayaan project director M Annadurai told Bangalore Mirror. “This helps us understand the problems encountered by rovers on the moon’s surface.

For example, if a rover encounters a problem on simulator, we can adjust its permiter and design so that we do not face the problems in real time. Once the simulator is ready, it will be a test drive similar to that cars currently undergo in its factories,” he added.

D Sreekumar, Group Director, Space Astronomy Group, ISRO said, “We are planning to create a small area which will look like the moon to test the lunar rover. With a simulator in place, it will be easy for us to understand the lunar rover’s path.”

ASTRONAUT CENTRE
According to ISRO officials, the SLT could be located at the state-of-the-art centre, costing Rs 1,000 crore, that is coming up close to the Bangalore International Airport. Besides housing offices of ISRO, this new facility will have a simulator for astronauts.

The centre would be like a big swimming pool where astronauts can go below the water and learn to adjust to zero gravity situations. “Facilities like thermal cycling and radiation regulating chambers will also be established in this centre,’’ an ISRO official revealed.

This centre, to be ready in the next couple of years, will also train astronauts in new space technologies, acceleration aspects when the vehicle zooms into space, in dealing with rescue and recovery, study of radiation environments and to cope with long and potentially hazardous space journeys.

 

[Abhiras]

India knows the investment in space would provide fruits in the future....

 

[RPK]

The Hindu : Sci-Tech : India building spacecraft to enable use of satellite phones


India is building a spacecraft for mobile applications that will enable use of satellite phones without dependence on foreign players, a top space scientist said here on Monday.

Presently, satellite phones used in India are supported by foreign satellites, including Indonesian ones.

“We are yet to make an impact on satellite-based mobile communication. But again there are plans to evolve such systems,” former ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair said.

“Designs are evolved. They (ISRO) are in the process of building the satellite,” he told reporters after addressing the India Semiconductor Association’s Vision Summit.

“It requires a huge deployable antenna on board. With that...with reasonable power, we can manage hand held communication systems. Maybe in a year or two, it (the satellite) will be up,” Nair said.

He said only the S-band can be used for mobile applications. “Already ISRO is doing some work on that...almost like PC (Personal Computer) size,” the scientist said.

Responding to questions, Nair, who oversaw 25 successful missions during his six-year tenure as head of India’s space agency, stressed the need to protect India’s space assets.

“Space-based assets are used for national development. We very much depend on that. One has to ensure the security space assets,” Nair, who is currently the president of the International Academy of Astronautics, added.

“One has to work out a strategy for that. I think the Space Department will be working on that,” Nair said.

On China having ASAT (Anti-Satellite) programme and declaring that it would weaponise space, he said “India has a declared policy that space-based assets would be only for peaceful applications. “I don’t think the (Indian) government has changed that policy yet,” Nair said.

On prospects for space tourism, he said, “It’s very, very remote at the moment.”

Nair also said India badly needs a semiconductor fab. “Compared to other countries, we have not invested in this area, and at least now, we should seriously think of (it). In the last two years, a lot of discussions were going on, but nothing concrete has taken place. Looking at the value of business India has got in terms of computers and communication equipment, we need a fab,” the former ISRO chairman said.

In this context, the industry should come together and the government should also support the initiative, he said.

Delivering the keynote address at the two-day conference, Nair strongly advocated a major push in the solar photo voltaic (PV) sector.

“A big R&D thrust is needed to bring down the cost of PV systems and improve its efficiency significantly,” he said.

 

[RPK]

Sindh Today – Online News India to make micron chips for space systems, reactors


Bangalore, Feb 1 (IANS) India is developing advanced micron chips for extensive use in space applications and atomic reactors, a senior scientist said Monday.

“We have developed 0.18 micron chips at the Semiconductor Complex Ltd (SCL) in Chandigarh for space applications such as gyroscopes and navigation systems. The chips can also be used in the electronic systems and controls at nuclear reactors,” former Indian space agency chairman G. Madhavan Nair told reporters here.

The 0.18 micron (one millionth of a metre) chips are an advanced version of 0.85 micron chips that were developed and manufactured by the state-run SCL and industry players under technology transfer.

“We have signed contracts with some manufacturing firms to produce these memory chips of 0.18 micron. Once they are ready, they will replace the existing chips of 0.85 micron. Nair said after inaugurating the Indian Semiconductor Association (ISA) summit.

The state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) still use the indigenous 0.3 micron chips in their respective electronic systems.

“Though the trend in advanced countries has been to use 64-bit or 40-bit nanometre (one billionth of a metre) chips in high-end technologies, we can still manage with earlier versions of 0.3 micron,” Nair said on the margins of the event.

Earlier, Nair told about 200 delegates participating in the two-day summit that India had achieved a great degree of self-reliance in space, atomic energy, defence, IT (information technology) and biotechnology.

“In space programmes, chip-based electronic systems and components are used in satellites, rocket launches and remote or ground-based operations. The successful launch of our maiden lunar mission (Chandrayaan-1) and achieving its objectives are evident of maturity and self-reliance in high-end technologies,” he said.

Noting that denial of technologies by the developed countries for dual use purposes was a blessing in disguise, Nair said such denials gave a fillip to indigenisation and self reliance in core activities.

Advocating a public-private partnership (PPP) between academia, industry and state-run research and develop (R&D) institutions for developing advanced chips, he said the potential to tap solar energy and wind energy was immense.

“For instance, nano materials can be used to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic cells and generate hydrogen as a fuel from water through chemical process. Though expensive upfront, more research has to be done to reduce the cost of energy through renewable sources,” Nair added.

 

[RPK]

'India to launch high-resolution CARTOSAT-2B soon'

fullstory

Bangalore, Feb 4 (PTI) India would shortly launch Cartosat-2B, a high-resolution remote sensing satellite, that would aid in infrastructure and urban planning, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K Radhakrishnan said today.

The launch was expected by March end or mid-April and the exact date would be finalised at the mission readiness review (MRR) meeting on February 10, he told reporters here.

The satellite, which would be launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), has a 0.8 metre resolution. This makes it capable to even take pictures of a car on the ground.

"Basically, it's a high resolution satellite," he said.

India launched Cartosat-2 in January 2007 and Cartosat-2A in April 2008. Cartosat-2B would add to the capability of the first two satellites.

"The advantage is when you have three satellites, you get more coverage in a day from different locations.

 

[RPK]

Sakaal Times

NASA and ESA to partner for chandrayaan-2


BENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisaton Chairman K.Radhakrishnan on Thursday said both NASA and European Space Agency would be sending instruments on board Chandrayaan-2 to be launched in 2013.

Radhakrishnan said NASA and ESA would actively participate in the second unmanned moon mission.

" They have already sent proposals" he said.

NASA and ESA had deployed several instruments on Chandryaan-I.

M.Annadurai, project director of Chandrayaan, said foreign agencies which had participated in the first lunar mission were happy with the results achieved.

India had hosted six foreign instruments in its maiden moon odyssey Chandrayaan-I -- three from ESA, two from NASA and one from Bulgaria.

Among other things , Chandrayaan-I discovered water sources in the moon.

ISRO officials said Chandrayaan-2 will be equipped with lighter payloads and more propellants to enhance its lifespan.



Chandrayaan-I had to be terminated halfway due to malfunctioning of critical components. The satellite lost communicaton links with the earth.





Chandrayaan-2 will have a rover to analyse samples from the moon's surface.



The launch of India's first moon mission has put ISRO on equal terms in planetary mission with international space players.

 

[RPK]

ISRO Recruitment 2010, ISRO Scientists/Engineers Recruitment | Buzz 7


2010 : ISRO has published an advertisement for Centralised Recruitment to the post of SCIENTISTS/ENGINEERS ‘SC’ in the Disciplines of ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICAL. (ISRO HQ:ICRB:01:2010 DATED 05-02-2010)

Indian space programme is aimed at promoting the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country and also providing valuable service to the Nation in a self reliant manner and witnessed several major accomplishments and scaled newer heights in the recent past. The space programme has made a multi-quantum forward leap, making India a major self-reliant space power. The future ISRO programme envisages development of cutting edge technologies for reusable launch vehicle, development of advanced technologies for Human Spaceflight Programme, advanced high efficiency semi-cryogenic propulsion system, advanced communication satellite, air breathing propulsion, satellite based navigation system, hyper spectral imaging sensors, and inter planetary missions.

Challenging opportunities exist at ISRO to undertake development of innovative technologies and establish the advanced infrastructure needed for space exploration and beyond. ISRO offers the position of Scientist/Engineer `SC’ in the pay band of Rs.15600-39100 with grade pay of Rs.5400/- to the young graduates in the following specialized fields.

 

[hindesi]

The Hindu : Sci-Tech : GSLV Mk III liquid stage to be tested this month: ISRO

After the successful static testing of its solid propellant booster rocket stage, S-200, for GSLV Mk III Launch Vehicle that would put heavier satellites in space, India would test the liquid stage later this month.

“We are in the final stages of preparation for the test of the liquid stage (two liquid engines each with 110 tonnes of propellants) at the Liquid Propulsion Centre at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K. Radhakrishnan told reporters here on Monday.

In a significant milestone in the country’s space programme, ISRO had successfully conducted the static testing of its GSLV Mk III’s Solid Propellant Booster Rocket Stage, S200, at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in the spaceport of Sriharikota, 80 km from here, on January 24.

S200 is the third largest solid booster in the world after the RSRM solid booster of Space Shuttle and P230 solid booster of European rocket ARIANE-5.

GSLV-Mk III is currently under the advanced stage of development for placing four tonne class of communication satellites in Geo-Sunsynchronous Orbit.

The vehicle will make India self-reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class weighing 4,500 to 5,000 kg and enhance its competitiveness in the multi-million dollar commercial launch market.

Speaking after receiving an honorary doctorate at the fifth convocation of SRM University here, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that the initial test of the liquid stage would be for 14 seconds and depending on its outcome a longer trial would be taken up.

“After analysing the performance, we will have a long duration test for about 200 seconds. It would take about a week or ten days to analyse the test data and after studying it in detail and if all the parameters are successful, we will go for the long duration test,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said.

He said the significance of the success of S200 solid booster test was that the design and development were a pure indigenous technology effort, including raw materials and entire processing.

During the test, the S200 booster was fired for 130 seconds and generated a peak thrust of about 500 tonnes. The performance of the booster was exactly as predicted. Nearly 600 health parameters were monitored during the test and the initial data indicates normal performance.

“We would have another S-200 test in six to eight months from now on at Sri Harikota,” he added.

On the launch of PSLV-C15, which would be the first for Mr. Radhakrishnan since taking over as the ISRO chief, he said it would take place by the end of March or beginning of April.

PSLV-C15 would put into orbit Cartosat-2B, a high-resolution remote sensing satellite, which would aid in infrastructure and urban planning.

ISRO would also take up the flight testing of indigenous “cryogenic stage” onboard GSLV-D3 in April, Mr. Radhakrishnan said. It would carry the GAST-4, a communication satellite.

“Though we have had several GSLV flights, this will be more significant as it will carry our own cryogenic stage. Till now we are using Russian cryogenic stage,” he said, adding the process of integrating the cryogenic stage with the vehicle was now underway.