ISRO General News and Updates

[Indx TechStyle]

Any updates on GSLV 3 launch schedule?

 

[Adioz]

Any updates on GSLV 3 launch schedule?

AFAIK, it was supposed to be this month. But no update since month started ...........

 

[Indx TechStyle]

AFAIK, it was supposed to be this month. But no update since month started ...........

Must be slated to another then. We would have got update otherwise.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Oct 12, 2018
ISRO successfully tests Cryogenic Engine (CE-20) for GSLV Mk-III / Chandrayaan-2 Mission

The upper stage of GSLV MK-III vehicle is powered by Cryogenic Engine (CE)-20 which develops a nominal thrust of 186.36 kN with a specific impulse of 442 seconds in vacuum. The engine operates on gas generator cycle using LOX / LH2 propellants combination. The major subsystems of the engine are thrust chamber, gas generator, LOX and LH2 turbo pumps, igniters, thrust & mixture ratio control systems, Start-up system, control components and pyro valves. The fifth hardware of CE-20 integrated engine designated as E6 is earmarked for GSLV Mk-III M1-Chandrayaan 2 mission.

The flight acceptance hot test of E6 engine was successfully tested for 25 seconds at High Altitude Test facility, ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri on October 11, 2018. The test demonstrated steady state operation of engine. The performance of all engine subsystems were observed to be normal during the hot test.

ISRO - Government of India

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Oct 13, 2018
Megha-Tropiques Successfully Completes Seven Years in Orbit

Megha-Tropiques satellite was built by ISRO and CNES as a Joint Venture. The satellite is meant to study water cycle and energy exchanges in tropical region for weather prediction and climate research. Megha-Tropiques was launched on 12th October 2011 from SDSC, Shriharikota. The satellite has successfully completed seven years of on-orbit observations with four Science instruments on board, namely, MADRAS, SAPHIR, SCARAB and ROSA. Megha-Tropiques provides scientific data on the contribution of the water cycle to the tropical atmosphere, with information on condensed water in clouds, water vapour in the atmosphere, precipitation, and evaporation.

All science instruments provided valuable data to the user community. Many national and international papers have been generated by utilizing these datas. The Global response for the Announcement of Opportunities for science data utilisation of the instruments on-board Megha-Tropiques has been good and is increasing with time.

 

[Adioz]

THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ISRO Planning to establish Visitor's complex at SDSC with a launch gallery to view rocket launches and much more!!!!!!

SDSC SHAR, the Space Port of India provides the world class launch base infrastructure for integration and launching of Indian Satellites and Foreign customer Satellites. In an endeavour to facilitate the General Public to witness the launches and also to generate greater awareness about its space programmes which are beneficial to all sections of the society it is proposed to establish a Visitors’ Complex at Sriharikota. The Broad Vision for Visitors’ Complex is: a) To accommodate maximum number of visitors without affecting the launch campaign activities. b) Showcasing the activities of ISRO and SDSC SHAR in a concise manner. c) Preserving and renovating the heritage structures of SDSC SHAR during the transformation of from an Island to Space Port of India. This will also enables memories of great contributions during the early stages of Space Programme of India. d) This complex shall be aimed to ignite the young minds towards the scientific oriented research activities by live demos of Solar system, Universe, significant achievements of Indian and International Space Programme and applications of space technology etc.
About Visitor’s Complex: The proposed Visitor Complex is configured to receive 1.5 million visitor per annum. That would be approximately 5000 visitor per day and on the launch day it will offer 10,000 public to witness the launch. Considering the above targeted visitors, the facilities inside the Visitor Complex are configured with sufficient parking space and other essential amenities such as restrooms, space shops, restaurants, ATMs, medical & first aid facilities. The Visitor Complex will tell the story of ISRO and Indian Space Programme by hosting the many world class facilities and experiences. It maintains the large collection of historic launch vehicles and satellites. The museum features many exhibition galleries, displaying hundreds of artefacts including ISRO central, engines, rockets, on board components, hall of fame, future of human spacewalk, early space exploration, International space arena, etc. Since, the exhibits and attractions will be added/improved time to time, the Visitor Complex master plan and facilities are configured to easy expandable type. Forecasting these needs and requirement an area of 450m x 550m (approx.) is proposed for the Visitor Complex.
All the vehicles shall be parked outside the theme park, no vehicles shall be allowed inside the Visitor Complex. The proposed theme and operations of the Visitor Complex is divided into three zones. Zone -1 focuses on the launch vehicle garden, exhibitions halls, simulations, theme concepts, launch view gallery, hall of fame, space theatre, future of human, etc., which will be open for all the days. Zone -2, is a bus tour, which will focus on the heritage of Indian Space Programme involving the guided tour of visitors to SLV, ASLV and SRC complex. The Zone-3, is also a bus tour to visit operational launch pads. Zone-2 and Zone -3 are guided tours and no personnel vehicle is allowed inside the Visitor Complex. Hip-off services are provide at ASLV, SLV & Sounding Rocket Complex. There is no drop off and/or pickup from launch complex, these facilities shall be shown from bus itself.

The present scope of the architectural consultancy is limited to Zone-1 only, which includes the following.
The major facilities at Zone–1 are:

a) Information Centre & Entrance Security Screening: Visitors will be guided to the main entrance, where they will follow the security procedures and safety regulations. Entrance plaza will consist of ticketing booth, security screening, cafeteria, souvenir shops, food courts, and information center. At the main entrance there will also be a resting lounge and restrooms for people who wish to refresh or stay back and wait for their group(s) to return.

b) Launch view gallery: The Space Port of India, naturally attracts the visitors to witness the launch activities and cheer for the pride of our Nation. At present, there are no appropriate facilities for accommodating more number of visitors to view the launch at Sriharikota. Hence, launch view gallery to accommodate 10,000 visitors is proposed in a semicircular frustum shape, which would enable the visitors to have the clear view of the Launchpad area. The Auditorium will be equipped with large display and speakers to showcase all the ongoing activities and news. During the non-launch period –lectures, interactive sessions and children space activities will be organized.

c) Rocket Garden: All the 1:1 ratio of beautiful ISRO launch vehicles –Sounding Rocket, SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV, Mk-III will be realised with a provision to go inside. Lawns will be developed along with photo points. Fountain will be realised at the middle of the rocket garden.

d) Space Museum: Space Museum provides a tell-tale account of the Indian Space Programme from its infancy. The story of the Indian Space Programme is unfurled in six sections, comprising of history, education, technology, applications, global and the future.

The museum will be divided into the following subjective areas: The history of Indian Space programme development and accumulated numerous achievements shall be showcased. The past, present and future of ISRO will be depicted with space transportation systems and satellite programme. Future of Indian Space programme, Mission planning, Rocket engines and its working principles, Human spaceflight, various ISRO Centre activities on Space science & solar system exploration and development fundamental space research & development will be displayed.

The space transportation system gives an overview of ISRO’s launch vehicles showcasing the actual engines used for flight qualification testing and scaled working models and other major components of launch vehicle such as casings, heat shield, onboard computers/electronics, etc.

As part of this pavilion, application of satellite technology for communications, disaster management and earth observation will be highlighted. Further, an overview of the GTO mission and its achievement of communication satellite and positioning satellites including the test model of the NAVIC will be realised. In similar lines, an overview of the SSO mission and its achievement of earth observation satellites including a test model of IRS will be realised.

In order to bring the awareness in the cutting edge R&D in space, space science and solar system exploration pavilion will be realised which highlight the space science, Lunar missions, Mars mission, Astrosat mission and Aditya mission including a test model.

As part of fundamental research and development Physics laboratory, new challenges of space utilisation will be brought out by displaying the real equipment used for spacecraft. Rocket technology with virtual experience of launch vehicle travel and Human space flight with virtual experience will be realised in this section. The journey to Mars –virtual experience along with long range space observatory will be available. Hall of Fame –Posters & Exhibits of International Space, Future of Human –extra vehicular activities, InterPlanetary missions, Galaxy, etc will be shown thematically.

e) Children Activity: Virtual Interview with eminent personalities/experts like Chairman, ISRO and Centre Directors based on the selected topic. Working models and virtual themes explaining, orbiting the earth, exploring the universe, built your own rocket, built your own satellites and in space satellite operations.

f) The Space Theatre: Visitors will have the chance to see the universe from close quarters. The experience will be much more than merely seeing the stars in the sky in a planetarium. This will be an ultra-modern hemispherical domed Space Theatre which promises an amazing voyage of discoveries in universe to the visitors. Experience the launch in a real world scenario with a simulation of vibration and sound. It will also show a 15 Mins film of Rocket launch from Sriharikota with physical effects and visuals from the satellite camera clearing the Earth atmosphere and entering space. The film starts from the MCC launch countdown showing all the delegates and scientists witnessing the launch and ends at MCC after a successful launch. Planned capacity of the Space Theatre will be 2x250 persons. Apart from this scientific fiction documentaries will be screened.

4. FEATURES OF VISITOR COMPLEX

The Visitor Complex will be visited by huge public and will become the scientific destination in future. Keeping this into consideration, the following features will be considered while building planning and design.

Green building concept, capable of being remodeled to suit new exhibits or special events like National seminars/festivals. Restaurants and Shops will be modular type and will be provided at all the facilities. Sufficient rest rooms, waiting halls and seating arrangement will be provided. Special feature shall be for children activity. Personnel movement & shows will be addressed in such a way that no stagnation of crowd inside the complex. Limited accommodation will be provided at the entrance plaza of the Complex.

The facilities of the proposed Visitor Complex is capable to handle 5000 visitors per day. Ample parking space will be provided for car parking area. No personnel vehicles shall be allowed inside the Visitor Complex. The following security & safety arrangements are considered.

The entire area from Gate-I to Visitor Complex and to Heritage zone shall be covered with CCTV and Intrusion detection system.
- Airport type security arrangements will be adopted at the entrance plaza.
- Reception help desk/Information cell.
- Baggage drop point -Other than hand baggage no baggage is allowed inside the Visitor Complex.
- Check for proper identity at the entry followed by Baggage scanning & frisking.
- Enter into the main lobby area for ticketing.
- First Aid Centres/Emergency medical services shall be provided.
- Emergency exits, meeting point, FDA and Firefighting systems shall be part of building design & plan as per the standard codes of practice
____________________________________________________________________________________________

^^^^The above has been quoted from a RFP released by ISRO (link).

This is a long time due. I was wondering why ISRO is not creating a public viewing gallery for the launches. Seems like ISRO was listening to my thoughts. XD

 

[G10]

ISRO should not get into this gallery buisness. Better hand it over to guys who oversee planetarium and science exhibits.
Scientists should be least worried about common people being able to view launches.

 

[Flame Thrower]

ISRO should not get into this gallery buisness. Better hand it over to guys who oversee planetarium and science exhibits.
Scientists should be least worried about common people being able to view launches.

If the tickets are for sale. I'd buy one for the adorable boy's launch.

Hearing 2 golden words directly from launch site would be awesome.

 

[G10]

I am not against it but it should not be ISRO baby. They have other important things to do. Me too would like to see one.

 

[Chinmoy]

ISRO should not get into this gallery buisness. Better hand it over to guys who oversee planetarium and science exhibits.
Scientists should be least worried about common people being able to view launches.

ISRO is not doing it itself. They have released an RFP for this.

Moreover its a great initiative on part of ISRO. This would help us garner new talents among our new progeny. A launch view in real is much more impressive to young minds then a broadcasted one in TV.

 

[Flame Thrower]

ISRO is not doing it itself. They have released an RFP for this.

Moreover its a great initiative on part of ISRO. This would help us garner new talents among our new progeny. A launch view in real is much more impressive to young minds then a broadcasted one in TV.

Yes, Sachin'' inspiration was 1987 world cup as ball boy. He was a good player by that time though

Imagine a 10yr old kid watching the liftoff and wants to become a scientist!!!

 

[Illusive]

ISRO should not get into this gallery buisness. Better hand it over to guys who oversee planetarium and science exhibits.
Scientists should be least worried about common people being able to view launches.

Not everyone is a scientist in ISRO, besides watching something like this live not only for kids but plenty of us machine lovers is a dream come true.:biggrin2:

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Chandrayaan 2 - 2019
Shukrayaan - 2020-21
Aditya L1- 2020-21
XPOSat & AstroSat -2 -2020
Gaganyaan - 2022

Expanded IRNSS with over 11 Satellites

Mangalyan -2 - 2022-23

Indian Heavy Lift Launch vehicle
Global Indian Navigation System (GINSS)

Indian Space Station
Indian Asteroid lander/flyby
Indian Jupiter Mission
Indian manned spaceplane

Has to be accomplished in next 10-12 years, even if 50% is achieved.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Two satellites per month: ISRO’s plan hits hurdle

While two satellites were scheduled for launch during the month of October, sources say the launches were highly unlikely due to integration delays.

BENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which has set an ambitious target of launching two satellites every month from October this year and throughout 2019, appears to have hit a bottleneck in the very first month of the plan. While two satellites were scheduled for launch during the month of October, sources say the launches were highly unlikely due to integration delays.

ISRO chairman R Sivan, in a briefing held earlier this year, had announced that the agency will launch two satellites every month as it had launch orders for 50 satellites already, over a period of three years. GSAT-29 aboard Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) MK-II and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) - C43 with 31 satellites, according to Sivan, was scheduled to be launched. However, sources in ISRO indicate that the two launches were highly unlikely as the processes involved in integration and launch of satellites were yet to be completed.

Of the launches, GSAT-29 is a communication satellite targeting Village Resource Centres to “bridge the digital divide”. The second launch scheduled for the month was PSLV-C43, which was to carry a hyper-spectral imaging satellite along with 30 other satellites. Following the launch of these satellites, ISRO was to launch GSAT-11 and GSAT-7A in November, followed by Emisat and GSAT-31 in December. In January 2019, the launches announced included Chandrayaan-2 aboard GSLV Mk-III, PSLV C-45, and RiSat-2B.

However, sources said that the launch of the two satellites in the remaining days of October was difficult, if not highly unlikely. “If ISRO pushes for the launches in October too, it will be difficult to pull off two launches in two weeks,” the source said.

When contacted, an ISRO official who did not wish to be quoted said that various tests required for the launch of satellites was completed and the dates for the launch would be finalised in a week. “Since satellite launch involves several critical steps to pull off, it is difficult to follow a set schedule. However, all efforts are being made to ensure that the satellites are launched on time,” the official added.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

The moonshot has paid off, but ISRO still has a long way to go

The PSLV-C11 that put Chandrayaan 1 in orbit - THE HINDU

A file photo of Chandrayaan- undergoing tests - ISRO

10 years after Chandrayaan, space agency still lacks long-term vision, says expert
CHENNAI, OCTOBER 21

Ten years ago to the day, on October 22, 2008, India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), shot a rocket into space carrying a satellite, Chandrayaan. The spacecraft, which entered the moon’s orbit 17 days later, provided India a dose of pride— among its many tasks, it also landed the Indian tricolour on the lunar surface.

In the next one year, the Chandrayaan conducted many scientific experiments and significantly established the presence of water on the Moon before it went out of contact on August 29, 2009.

In the last ten years, ISRO has generated a respectable performance record. It has flown the PSLV (the rocket that carried the Chandrayaan) 31 more times, making a total of 42 flights of the rocket, of which only two – the 1st and the 39th were failures.

‘First time right’

It has also flown the rocket GSLV, twelve times successfully, test-flown the bigger version of it, the GSLV Mark III, launched 237 satellites for foreigners, and sent a spacecraft, Mangalyaan, to Mars. It got the ‘first time right’ with the Mars mission and has received due praise.

A second lunar launch, Chandrayaan-2, after a year’s delay, is expected to happen in early January 2019. In future, there will be a Mangalyaan-2, and Prime Minister Modi has promised that ISRO will fly an Indian into space before 2022.

Ten years after a milestone lunar launch and exactly half a century in existence, India’s space has managed to develop a halo around itself, but the mists of admiration mask a few unflattering aspects.

For a 50-year-old, ISRO is still way behind other space faring nations in technology. Writing in Quora, an ISRO scientist, Heman Phinehas admits that the organisation is “25-30 years behind NASA and Russia”.

Conflicted opinions

Some scoff at comparisons of ISRO with others. They note that ISRO’s purpose– to serve India’s here-and-now needs are different than other agencies’, which are space research and military might. However, others opine that the 50-year-old organisation should have developed capabilities to launch heavy communications to high altitudes (36,000 km). China launches 30-40 satellites every year; ISRO launches around 3-4. China has mastered the science of sending a man to the space; while India is still 5 years behind, even in its plans.ISRO is the only space agency that does not possess capabilities such as orbital docking (joining two spacecrafts in space) and orbital re-fuelling.

Some say it is due to thin budget. In the four years between 2015-16 and 2018-19, the entire allocation to India’s space programmes has been around ₹22,000 crore. However, there is another view.

“Funding has never been an issue,” said Dr MYS Prasad, a former Director at ISRO’s Sriharikota launch station. “After the mid-1990s, not one programme of ISRO has suffered for want of funds,” said Prasad, who, incidentally, as the ‘range director’ played a key part in Chandrayaan.

Prasad believes that a problem of ‘mindset’ could have slowed things down. He said that there are people who “due to their love for technology” believed that “except them nobody could do it”, which hampered outsourcing.

‘Vertical Integration’

While the private sector has been making parts of rockets and satellites — Godrej makes the Vikas engines for rockets — it has been a jobbing partner. A ‘vertical integration’ has not taken place. In 2016, ISRO tied-up with a consortium of Alpha Design Technologies, Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Electronics, for making and testing satellites, but there is still no vertical integration for rockets.

Koppillil Radhakrishnan, the Chairman of ISRO for five years till 2014, observed that “vertical integration is a process of learning”. The industry needs “numbers”, and now is the right time to outsource.

ISRO plans 16-18 launches a year and has no option but to outsource. Radhakrishnan said that “meeting the required numbers while taking the organisation to the next level of excellence” is the biggest challenge facing ISRO today. He believes that ISRO is on the cusp of acquiring heavy-launch capabilities, come ‘electric propulsion’, which will enable satellites to do with 2.5 tonnes less of fuel, bringing down the total mass.

Electric propulsion, semi-cryogenic engine, re-usable launch vehicles and a manned mission to space (Gaganyaan) are the next steps that ISRO will be taking into space, but some people, including Prasad, feel that these are just incremental steps.

“I feel there is no long-term programme, things are very ad-hoc,” says Prasad, who wishes to see a strategy for the next 15-20 years, and not “this mission, that mission”. For example, he would like ISRO to work on an Indian Space Station – the existing, four-country International Space Station will be decommissioned in 2028. Working on a space station will force ISRO to strive to higher level of excellence and will keep the organisation learning. “But I am not seeing any clear signals,” he says.

 

[rishivashista13]

ISRO is full filling the immediate needs of our country quite successfully. Building an Indian Space Station and then maintaining it will be cool but requires a lot of budget and working time. I don't think it required to do it now. First we should expertise the human space flight, Reusable launch vehicle and heavy lift vehicle. Actually, ISRO is doing quite well.

Sent from my Redmi 4A using Tapatalk

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Oct 23, 2018
Release of three publications on Indian Space Programme

A function was organised on October 16, 2018 at Antariksh Bhavan, ISRO Headquarters, Bengaluru, for releasing three publications on Indian space Programme. Dr K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, Dr K Radhakrishnan and Sri A S Kiran Kumar, former Chairmen, ISRO along with many senior officials were present on the occasion.

The first publication released was a book ‘’The Leapfroggers” by late Sri Ved Prakash Sandlas, who took over as the Project Director of India’s maiden satellite launch vehicle SLV-3 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The book effectively portrays the philosophy propagated by the great visionary and the architect of the Indian space programme, Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, who firmly believed in the concept of leapfrogging to state-of-the art technology rather than step-by-step approach for speedy development. The book also reflects upon basic ISRO culture and the cherished values of the pioneers of ISRO.

‘Indo-Russian collaboration in space: A recap @ 2017” was the second book released. This book is compiled and edited by Dr P.V. Manoranjan Rao, who carries the credit of writing on various space topics, and more importantly, on the Indian space programme. This book recapitulates 54 years of Indo-Russian cooperation in space. Its nine chapters vividly discuss several Indo-Russian collaborative programmes, including the provision of a Minsk computer to Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station as well as M-100 sounding rockets, free launch of the satellites Aryabhata and the Bhaskara, provision of cryogenic stages and Indo-Russian joint manned spaceflight in which Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma undertook spaceflight in a Soviet spacecraft in April 1984.

Besides these two books, a special edition of the “Journal of Aerospace Sciences and Technologies" dedicated to ISRO's Scramjet project, was also released. This publication is brought out by the Aeronautical Society of India. Following the successful conduct of the challenging SCRAMJET flight test experiment in August 2016 from Sriharikota, ISRO intended to disseminate the

accumulated knowledge to the researchers and facilitated this publication.

It is hoped that these three publications will further inspire our younger generation to pursue their career in aerospace domain with added interest and take our country to still greater heights in the domain of space.

 

[su30mki2017]

A TEL mounted SSLV if possible , would help the military in times of conflict replace attrition losses or launch specialised nano/micro satellites in support of ongoing conflict as per requirements.
I believe India should persue it.

Satellite launch vehicle

Tough we all know what it is

Unverified drawing comparing A-5 and sslv(agni 5 twin?)

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Unverified drawing comparing A-5 and sslv(agni 5 twin?)

It's the only project, I'm pretty sure won't get delayed.

 

[sorcerer]

What after Gaganyan, ISRO has set its eyes on Space Tourism

This year in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) a deadline of sorts by announcing that an Indian astronaut would go to space by 2022. This has made ISRO speed up its work on Gaganyan mission, the supposed name of India's first crewed spaceflight program.

There are a number of new technologies that ISRO has to develop to successfully carry out Gaganyan and several of these technologies are being tested, but there still a long time till the ISRO perfects these technologies. One of the most challenging technologies that ISRO will have to develop is to build a spacecraft in which astronauts can live in Earth-like conditions in space.

If ISRO executes Gaganyan perfectly, then there would be a paradigm shift in the way world looks at India's capabilities in terms of space exploration. Success of Gaganyan can prove India's ability to develop complex technologies and would establish ISRO as a major space power. India has been launching satellites for other countries, but what Gaganyan can do is to encourage ISRO to dive into lucrative business of 'Space Tourism'.

Space tourism, in essence, is putting paying customers into space for the purpose of recreation, rather than exploration. Given that only seven people have actually gone into space as tourists so far, the idea of ISRO entering into this aspect of outer space activities may seem far fetched, but here is what ISRO chief said in October 2018.

ISRO chairman K Sivan on October 11 said that India needs to explore space tourism. "We are creating capacity for it so that we do not lag behind," Sivan said on space tourism.

If India does enter space tourism, the impact would be huge as investment in space tourism can generate revenues and employment on a sizeable scale. Space tourism would require personnel for building the spacecraft, to training travellers, to investment and insurance.

But, at present there are no laws governing space tourism in India. One must understand that laws that are applicable to trained astraunauts cannot easily be extended to space tourists.

All the ISRO missions so far involved sending satellites/orbiters out of the earth's atmosphere. But, when humans are being sent to space, then they have to be brought back, and that is a big technological challenge.


In 2011, the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, conducted a pilot study exploring the scope of a space tourism industry in India, which suggests that India could reduce the overall cost of commercial space travel. It states that at present, anyone looking to buy a seat to outer space will have to dish out roughly $200,000 but if India can bring that figure down by a fourth, it will be a competitive player in the market, said a HuffingtonPost report.

With the rise of companies like space-X and the huge success that ISRO has achieved so far, space tourism may become a real thing in the coming future, but it is hard to predict how much time it may actually take. An industry can only develop when there is demand for that kind of goods or services.

https://www.oneindia.com/india/what...as-set-its-eyes-on-space-tourism-2797953.html