Indian Space Capabilities

[ashisbutt]

While its wonderful post , but hopefully Indians should consider getting US help in this capsule or russians , its the moon mission /space mission , you can't risk it like Dhruv helicopter

It would not be cool event if the capsule malfunctions in life support in space -

But its great achivement no doubt for indian space program to be at this stage

For a moment I though this guy was beign postitive about ISRO. Then came the hidden...

Good going ISRO.

But people, FYI,

My childhood friend is now working as a scientist in ISRO. Even last week I had a chat with him for couple of hours. We spoke a lot about ISRO. Though most of the answers that he have comforted me, he said we a way behind China. I know I shuold not compare with them but I'm unable to controle this poor mind. He said that, (as we all know) we have only one launch pad. When I disagreed with him saying one is more than enough he replied saying that a back up launch pad is always necessary. He also spoke several things about the rockets engine etc.,

Friends, if you have any particular question in mind please ask me. I shall get an answer from him (provided he knows ). Or, I will try to biring here.

 

[Justin Joseph]

ISRO gearing up for series of launches between April-August

Posted On: 24-Mar-2010 15:35:29 By: R Venkat

Puducherry: The launch of GSLV-D3, GSat-4, PSLV-C15, Cartosat-2B and PSLV-C16 will take place between April and August this year, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre P S Veeraraghavan, said today.

Inaugurating a national symposium '' Application of Nuclear and Space Technologies for the beneift of Farmers'', jointly organsied by the Consortium of Farmers Association and the Kamarajar Krishivigayan Kendra here he said space technology will provide unlimited benefits both direct and indirect, to the farm sector. It has been proved that such benefits were of great help to farmers.

'' Presently we are in a position to produce sufficient food grains .But there are still areas where Green Revolution should take place in several ways, he said. A remote sensing satellite and cartosat would soon be launched so that the benefits ofspace technology through such initiatives would be accessible to farmers also, he said.

Later, in an informal chat with newspersons, he clarified that GSLV-D3 with an indegenously designed cryogenic engine would be launched in April. Hitherto, Russian made engines were being used.

He said the cryogenic engine would carry GSAT-4, an advanced communication satalite. He said India's development in communications and media will enable the country to launch at least eight satellites in a year vis-a-vis four presently. The capability would be increased gradually, he added.


ISRO gearing up for series of launches between April-August

 

[ironman]

An Indian Reconnaissance Satellite​

22 March 2010
Radhakrishna Rao
Freelancer, Bangalore
e-mail: rkrao1950@gmail.com

After hinting at developing the cutting edge technology required for realizing the building blocks of an anti satellite device, India’s state owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled a plan to build and launch a high performance electronic intelligence satellite capable of monitoring trouble spots along its international borders. In particular, Indian defence forces will be in a position to obtain a fairly good ”intelligence picture” of build up across the border in China and Pakistan by courtesy of this exclusive reconnaissance spacecraft. Indeed, the massive “intelligence failure” before and during the short lived 1999 Kargil skirmish with Pakistan highlighted the need for a dedicated spy satellite system at the disposal of the Indian defence forces.

While the payload of this satellite is to be developed by the Hyderabad based Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL), a constituent of DRDO, the satellite bus and launch support would be provided by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). DRDO is in talks with ISRO to take this project of national importance forward to its logical conclusion. According to G. Boopahty, Director of DLRL, the satellite would be equipped with sensors to pick up conversations and detect espionage activities. The Rs1000million satellite is planned to be launched into a 500kms orbit by means of the four-stage space workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota island on India’s eastern coast. Incidentally, most of the spy and surveillance satellites are placed into near earth and middle earth orbits.

“The spacecraft should be ready for launch by 2014” said Bhoppathy. He drove home the point by saying that “the focus is now space and we have to equip ourselves for electronic warfare from space too.” He also revealed that the proposed satellite will be more powerful than the current genre IRS series of earth observation satellites being operated by ISRO. As pointed out by sources in DRDO, the electronic intelligence system onboard this satellite would help keep an eye on hostile satellites besides intercepting and jamming satphone communications.

At the moment, Indian defence forces don’t have a dedicated satellite system for surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. Of course, all three wings of the services are in a position to access the constellation of communications and earth observation satellites belonging to ISRO. With everything going as planned, the Indian navy hopes to get its first exclusive satellite sometime later this year. Last year, Indian defence minister AK Antony had informed that the Indian Navy will get a dedicated satellite system for reliable, robust and foolproof communications in 2010. The satellite, codenamed Gsat-7, is being built by ISRO for launch later this year. While Indian navy sources have confirmed the launch of this satellite, ISRO continues to maintain its silence. Being a civilian space agency, the ISRO, has no mandate to give a “strategic edge” to its satellite development programme.

Meanwhile, the Indian defence forces would stand to benefit from the upcoming launch of Cartosat-2B which will feature an earth imaging system of less than one metre resolution. The Cartosat-2B is poised for launch by means of PSLV during the first half of this year. Cartosat series of satellites are built and launched by ISRO though officially meant for cartographic purposes including urban planning and infrastructure development could effective serve as a dual use system. Of course, the Cartosat-series falls short of the 10-15 cm resolution featured by the best of the current genre military satellites.

The TES (Technology Experiment Satellite) launched by ISRO in 2001 with its one metre resolution is capable of distinguishing objects and details on earth as small as one square km and has been perceived to be India’s unofficial reconnaissance satellite. The TES data has helped the United States with high resolution imageries for its counter terrorism operations in the aftermath of 9/11. However, the launch of 300-kg RISAT-II satellite—realized by ISRO in association with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)—in April 2009 has been viewed as a response to the insecurity complex generated by the 26/11 Mumbai attack by Pakistan trained terrorists. This all weather microwave earth imaging satellite equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is capable of collecting data under conditions of darkness, clouds, haze and dust storm. The Indian earth observation satellites launched so far by ISRO were passive systems in that they were equipped to collect data only under the conditions of brightness.

Though ISRO describes RISAT-II as a civilian space system meant to enhance India’s capability in earth observation with special reference to floods, landslides, cyclones and disaster management, strategic analysts drive home the point that Indian defence forces could easily exploit the potentials of RISAT-II to boost their intelligence gathering capability in a big way. For earth observation and surveillance are considered the two faces of the same coin.

As envisaged now the Indian defence forces could easily use RISAT-II data to keep a tab on troops build up along India’s borders with China and Pakistan. In particular, RISAT-IIs revisit capability of four to five days is considered advantageous in the dynamic monitoring of the developments of strategic importance. Added to that the highly agile RISAT-II can be maneuvered to change its viewing angle as per the requirements of its users.

An Indian Reconnaissance Satellite by Radhakrishna Rao | India News and Articles

 

[jbond197]

‘GSLV-D3 launch will be a landmark in indigenous technology'

PUDUCHERRY: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3), fitted with an indigenous cryogenic stage, from Sriharikotta in April, and the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C15) in May, P. S. Veeraraghavan, Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said on Wednesday.

Terming the launch of the GSLV-D3 by April-end “a landmark in indigenous technology,” he said the vehicle would put into orbit an advanced communication satellite (GSAT- 4).

“So far we have been using Russian cryogenic engine.”

Mr. Veeraraghavan was speaking at the inaugural of a seminar on ‘Application of nuclear and space technology for the benefit of farmers,' here.

The PSLV-C15 would put into orbit Cartosat 2B, an Algerian satellite, two Canadian nano-satellites and a satellite developed by students of various colleges in Karnataka some time in the beginning of May.

Growing demand

There was a growing demand for more communication satellites, especially from television and cable networks. Now the ISRO was launching four satellites a year. The number of satellite launches had to be increased gradually.

“The 11th Plan demanded 30 missions. To achieve the objective, at least eight satellites have to be put into orbit every year,” Mr. Veeraraghavan said.

 

[ssheppard]

India Set To Launch GSLV | AVIATION WEEK

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) plans to launch India’s first cryogenic rocket engine next month, marking the end of a long effort to develop an indigenous upper stage for its Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

The launch vehicle — GSLV-D3 — is in the final stages of assembly at the launch center on Sriharikota Island in the Bay of Bengal. In place of the Russian engine that has powered the GLSV upper stage in the past will be India’s Cryogenic Engine. The all-indigenous vehicle will carry the GSAT-4 advanced communications satellite to orbit.

Developed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Center, the Cryogenic Engine will give the GLSV the ability to lift 2,200 kg. to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). It generates 73 kilonewtons of thrust in vacuum, with a specific impulse of 454 sec., ISRO says.

India was forced to develop its own upper-stage engine after the U.S., worried about missile proliferation, pressured Russia to withhold cryogenic-engine technology from ISRO. As compensation, the U.S. paid Russia the $400 million it had expected to gain from the technology transfer to India for services it provided to NASA during the Shuttle-Mir program that evolved into the International Space Station.

Instead of an Indian engine built with Russian technology, the GSLV flew with a Russian-built KVD-1 engine originally developed in the 1960s for the Soviet Union’s N-1 Moon rocket. A successful flight of India’s Cryogenic Engine will mark the end of that arrangement.

Meanwhile, ISRO engineers are evaluating the reason for a premature shutdown of the liquid core stage of the new GSLV Mk III launch vehicle during a static test March 5. The test at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Center test facility at Mahendragiri was scheduled to run for 200 sec., but was halted at 150 sec. after “a deviation in one of the parameters,” according to ISRO. The new launch vehicle is designed to launch 4-ton payloads to GTO with two Indian Vikas engines. In the original GSLV configuration, a single Vikas burns for 150 sec. to power the second stage.

 

[Justin Joseph]

ISRO to develop low cost Emergency Locator Transmitters

STAFF WRITER 16:14 HRS IST

Chennai, Mar 27 (PTI) To ensure timely help to fishermen in distress in midsea, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to develop low cost version of Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT), a senior official said today.

"The existing ELT costs about Rs 10,000, which perhaps is unaffordable for fishermen. Hence, ISRO is planning to manufacture low cost ELT on a larger scale so that fishermen could benefit from it," Manager of Bangalore-based Indian Mission Control Centre of ISRO N K Shrivastava said.

The ELTs can be activated anywhere and the signal sent by it would be picked up by INMCC and relayed to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), which will inturn alert the Coast Guard, he told reporters here on the sidelines of an Indian Coast Guard rescue exercise.

fullstory

 

[Choppers]

India developing winged reusable rocket : ISRO​

PTI
BANGALORE, March 28, 2010

A model of Re entry launch vehicle (RLV)on display at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba, on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. File photo

India is developing a winged reusable rocket and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has configured a Technology Demonstrator as a first step towards realising it, the space agency said in a report.

India’s space scientists have already configured a winged Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD). This is a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-reusable launch vehicle, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The agency said in its latest annual report that a series of technology demonstration missions have been conceived.

“The RLV-TD will act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies like hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air breathing propulsion. First in the series of demonstration trials is the hypersonic flight experiment (HEX),” it said.

Meanwhile, for the Chandrayaan-2 mission, expected by 2012-13, ISRO has received 36 Indian payload proposals for orbiter and lander/rover.

The Scientific Advisory Board of Chandrayaan-2, a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-1, is currently in the process of reviewing the payloads proposed for orbiter.

ISRO sources said the space agency has also received foreign proposals evincing interest to send their instruments for hosting by the Chandrayaan-2 which would be jointly developed with Russia.

It would have an Indian orbiter and mini-rover, and Russian lander and rover.

According to ISRO, the Megha-Tropiques satellite, an Indo-French joint mission for the study of the tropical atmosphere and climate related aspects, is expected to be launched later this year.

It is set to join a string of global spacecraft designated to study climate change.

“Considering the strong global demand for data from Megha-Tropiques, ISRO, CNES (French space agency) and NASA have agreed to integrate this satellite into Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) constellation of satellites,” ISRO said.

“With this, Megha-Tropiques will be one of the eight satellites contributing to the global scientific community to study and understand the dynamics of climate system,” it said.

Data from the recently-launched Oceansat-2, which carried an atmospheric sounder ‘ROSA’ from Italy apart from main payloads -- ocean colour monitor and scatterometer -- is highly sought after by international scientific community.

In this respect, a cooperative programme on sharing the data with National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their operational research is expected to be signed shortly, it said.

The Hindu : Sci-Tech : India developing winged reusable rocket : ISRO

 

[Mohan]

Wow! India is reaching new heights...

 

[RPK]

The Hindu : News / National : GSLV to be launched on April 15

For the first time GSLV will be powered by home-made cryogenice engine. PSLV will take off on May 5

India’s GSLV rocket, powered by home-made cryogenic engine for the first time, would be launched on April 15 from Sriharikota to place into orbit GSAT-4 experimental satellite. Previous GSLV flights were fitted with Russian engines.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also fixed May 5 as the date for the launch of the Cartosat-2B by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The mission readiness review conducted by ISRO at Sriharikota yesterday finalised the dates, and gave the go-ahead for the two launches, sources in the space agency said.

Besides the Cartosat-2B, the PSLV would also have on board an Algerian satellite and some small and nano satellites, ISRO sources said.

 

[Tejas-MkII]

The Hindu Business Line : Space-based navigation to take off in April

Space-based navigation to take off in April

Madhumathi D.S.

Bangalore, March 29

Civil aviation in the country looks set to take the first step towards modern space-based navigation when GSAT-4, the country's first satellite carrying a navigational payload, is flagged off in mid-April.

The navigational payload is only a part of the satellite and is part of the Rs 776-crore GAGAN programme initiated by the Airports Authority of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation at least five years ago.

An ISRO official said GAGAN (GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigational system) would herald the country's move towards seamless modern air traffic management.

Higher reliability

Although this was an augmentation of the US-owned GPS, “We do not have the space segment now. This may eventually do away with terrestrial navigational aids. It will offer higher reliability and enhanced positional accuracy, besides many improvements” to flights, the official told Business Line.

A technology demonstration phase of the project conducted by ISRO and AAI across the country a few years ago proved that GAGAN could indicate aircraft routes and landing points far more precisely than ground based navigation to pilots. Switching into different countries would be smoother.

GPS augmentation

Only the US, Europe and Japan are implementing a GPS augmentation as mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

GSAT-4, the satellite that carries the GAGAN payload, is due to be launched on April 15, a PTI report said.

However, these improvements in air cannot be expected immediately, the official said. At least one or two more satellites will be needed to fully realise its benefits. The next follow-on satellite carrying the GAGAN payload – the GSAT-8 – is due later.

The GAGAN project was approved in 2008 after a technology demonstration phase. The satellite made in Bangalore has been moved to Sriharikota for pre-launch testing and preparations.

The ground equipment for the GAGAN system, sourced from Raytheon, US, formed a major component of the cost of the project.

Meanwhile, ISRO is working on a GPS-independent Indian regional navigation system of seven satellites.

 

[Justin Joseph]

India role model to the world: ISRO Chief

By Sudarshan Kumar
Tuesday,30 March 2010, 11:44 hrs

Bangalore: Gone are the days, when India used to look after NASA or other satellite centres to launch satellites. Today, India is the first country to orbit 10 satellites in one single mission and the facilitator for a major discovery of water molecules and water ice on the lunar surface. Also, it is one of the six in the world with capability to make satellites and launch them from its own soil.

Speaking at 34th Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore convocation, Dr. K Radhakrishnan, Chairman - Space Commission, Secretary - Department of Space and Chairman - ISRO said, "When I entered ISRO, it was in nascent phase, and now the heights we have reached in the space sector, is achieved with a shoestring budget as low as three percent of NASA's expenditures on space programmes." Adding to it, he also said that India is a front runner in the global comity playing pre-eminent roles in the International forums of space agencies and space-faring nations.

According to ISRO's report, India is developing a winged reusable rocket, and the ISRO has configured a Technology Demonstrator as a first step towards realizing it. Scientists have already configured a winged Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD), and ISRO believes that it is the first step towards realizing a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-reusable launch vehicle.

The Indian satellite centre has also received foreign proposals evincing interest to send their instruments for hosting by the Chandrayaan-2 which would be jointly developed with Russia. According to ISRO, the Megha-Tropiques satellite, an Indo-French joint mission for the study of the tropical atmosphere and climate related aspects, is expected to be launched later this year. It is set to join a string of global spacecraft designated to study climate change.

Radhakrishnan, who was conferred Post Graduate Diploma when the first convocation was held 34 years ago, with some of the renowned names like Kiran Karnik, Sudarshan P, Prof S Chandrasekhar (representing IIM-Ahmedabad and Calcutta) and many more, joined ISRO in its nascent phase and saw it evolve into a great team providing valuable and self-less service to the nation.

India role model to the world: ISRO Chief - SiliconIndia

 

[1nd1a]

India developing winged reusable rocket : ISRO​

PTI
BANGALORE, March 28, 2010

A model of Re entry launch vehicle (RLV)on display at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba, on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. File photo

India is developing a winged reusable rocket and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has configured a Technology Demonstrator as a first step towards realising it, the space agency said in a report.

India’s space scientists have already configured a winged Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD). This is a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-reusable launch vehicle, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The agency said in its latest annual report that a series of technology demonstration missions have been conceived.

“The RLV-TD will act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies like hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air breathing propulsion. First in the series of demonstration trials is the hypersonic flight experiment (HEX),” it said.

Meanwhile, for the Chandrayaan-2 mission, expected by 2012-13, ISRO has received 36 Indian payload proposals for orbiter and lander/rover.

The Scientific Advisory Board of Chandrayaan-2, a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-1, is currently in the process of reviewing the payloads proposed for orbiter.

ISRO sources said the space agency has also received foreign proposals evincing interest to send their instruments for hosting by the Chandrayaan-2 which would be jointly developed with Russia.

It would have an Indian orbiter and mini-rover, and Russian lander and rover.

According to ISRO, the Megha-Tropiques satellite, an Indo-French joint mission for the study of the tropical atmosphere and climate related aspects, is expected to be launched later this year.

It is set to join a string of global spacecraft designated to study climate change.

“Considering the strong global demand for data from Megha-Tropiques, ISRO, CNES (French space agency) and NASA have agreed to integrate this satellite into Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) constellation of satellites,” ISRO said.

“With this, Megha-Tropiques will be one of the eight satellites contributing to the global scientific community to study and understand the dynamics of climate system,” it said.

Data from the recently-launched Oceansat-2, which carried an atmospheric sounder ‘ROSA’ from Italy apart from main payloads -- ocean colour monitor and scatterometer -- is highly sought after by international scientific community.

In this respect, a cooperative programme on sharing the data with National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their operational research is expected to be signed shortly, it said.

The Hindu : Sci-Tech : India developing winged reusable rocket : ISRO

I keep hearing AVATAR RLV. Its not a new concept. India is working on it from last couple of years. First test should be completed by next year end....Please find more details at below link

Avatar (rocket) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyone has any recent update on this?

 

[Choppers]

Boeing eyes collaboration with ISRO on communication satellites​

PTI, Mar 30, 2010, 12.13pm IST

BANGALORE: Boeing has evinced interest in collaborating with Indian Space Research Organisation in the area of communication satellites, and the two entities are exploring joint opportunities, a senior ISRO official said.

But the future possible cooperation with Boeing is unlikely in the field of joint-building of communication satellites as the Indian Space agency already has a tieup in this segment with EADS Astrium, Managing Director of Antrix Corporation, ISRO's commercial arm, K R Sridhara Murthi indicated.

"They (Boeing) said they are interested in having collaboration with us in the field of communication satellites. But we (ISRO) already have an alliance with Europeans (EADS Astrium)," he said.

"May be some new areas of business we (ISRO and Boeing) have to explore. We need to do a lot of homework before we could arrive at collaborative level. Still, it's very preliminary type of exchange," Murthi said.

ISRO, meanwhile, is expanding its alliance with Astrium, with which it has an agreement to jointly offer communication satellites with a launch mass of two tons to three tons for the international market.

"We are trying to cooperate in other areas (in addition to communication satellites) such as earth observations. So, we have built along with them (Astrium) some multi-sensor ground systems for the USA and we are also trying to cooperate in other areas and explore what other type of cooperation we can do in the field of earth observations," he said.

Boeing eyes collaboration with ISRO on communication satellites - India Business - Biz - The Times of India

 

[sudhir007]

Boeing eyes collaboration with ISRO on communication satellites​

PTI, Mar 30, 2010, 12.13pm IST

BANGALORE: Boeing has evinced interest in collaborating with Indian Space Research Organisation in the area of communication satellites, and the two entities are exploring joint opportunities, a senior ISRO official said.

But the future possible cooperation with Boeing is unlikely in the field of joint-building of communication satellites as the Indian Space agency already has a tieup in this segment with EADS Astrium, Managing Director of Antrix Corporation, ISRO's commercial arm, K R Sridhara Murthi indicated.

"They (Boeing) said they are interested in having collaboration with us in the field of communication satellites. But we (ISRO) already have an alliance with Europeans (EADS Astrium)," he said.

"May be some new areas of business we (ISRO and Boeing) have to explore. We need to do a lot of homework before we could arrive at collaborative level. Still, it's very preliminary type of exchange," Murthi said.

ISRO, meanwhile, is expanding its alliance with Astrium, with which it has an agreement to jointly offer communication satellites with a launch mass of two tons to three tons for the international market.

"We are trying to cooperate in other areas (in addition to communication satellites) such as earth observations. So, we have built along with them (Astrium) some multi-sensor ground systems for the USA and we are also trying to cooperate in other areas and explore what other type of cooperation we can do in the field of earth observations," he said.

Boeing eyes collaboration with ISRO on communication satellites - India Business - Biz - The Times of India

PICTURE OF COMMUNICATION SATELLITES

 

[Marxist]

Creation of armed forces space cell significant
New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) The creation of an Integrated Space Cell (ISC) for the armed forces is 'a significant step forward towards modernisation', the defence ministry said in its annual report released Monday.

'The setting up of the Integrated Space Cell (ISC) under the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) as the nodal point for all space related activities of the tri-services was a significant step forward towards modernization,' the report says.

The ISC has worked out the overall satellite communication requirements of the three services till 2020 in coordination with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the report says.

It also notes that a contract was signed this month to equip two regiments of the Indian Army with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system.

On India's indigenous missile programme, the report says that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) plans soon to conduct the fourth flight test of the long range Agni-III missile that is capable of carrying a 1,500 kg warhead.

The DRDO is also toying with the indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System, based on the Embraer-145 aircraft platform. The first modified aircraft is expected in mid-2011, the report says.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100329/812/tnl-creation-of-armed-forces-space-cell.html