ISRO General News and Updates

[Indx TechStyle]

From Mangalyaan MCC.
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/threads/indian-mission-to-mars.35020/page-41#post-1173572

 

[Indx TechStyle]

World’s Space Agencies Unite To Face The Climate Challenge

For the first time, under the impetus of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French Space Agency (CNES), space agencies of more than 60 countries agreed to engage their satellites, to coordinate their methods and their data to monitor human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

The COP21 climate conference held in Paris last December acted as a wake-up call in this context. Without satellites, the reality of global warming would not have been recognised and the subsequent historic agreement at the United Nations headquarters in New York on April 22, 2016 would not have been signed. Out of the 50 essential climate variables being monitored today, 26 - including rising sea level, sea ice extent and greenhouse gas concentrations in all layers of the atmosphere - can be measured only from space.

The key to effectively implementing the Paris Agreement lies in the ability to verify that nations are fulfilling their commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Only satellites can do that. Invited to New Delhi by ISRO and CNES on April 3, 2016, the world’s space agencies decided to establish “an independent, international system” to centralise data from their Earth-observing satellites through the ‘New Delhi Declaration’ that officially came into effect on May 16, 2016.

The goal now will be to inter calibrate these satellite data so that they can be combined and compared over time. In other words, it is to make the transition to closely coordinated and easily accessible ‘big space data’.

"It is overwhelming to see the unilateral support of all space agencies to use space inputs for monitoring climate change” said ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar. “Earth observation satellites provide a vital means of obtaining measurements of the climate system from a global perspective. ISRO is committed for the continuity of earth observation data, through the thematic series of satellites, with improvements en-route, to meet contemporary as well as future needs. ISRO is also engaging with CNES, JAXA and NASA for realising joint missions for global climate observation with advanced instruments.”

“This is a historic event that reaches far beyond the space sector and is a perfect example of the kind of success that can only be achieved through international cooperation” said CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall. “With this consensus among space agencies from more than 60 nations, including the world’s leading space powers, the international space community and scientists now have the tools they need to put their talent, intelligence and optimism to work for the good of humankind and our planet.”

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[Indx TechStyle]

ISRO Brings Together The World’s Biggest Coalition Of Space Agencies To Fight Pollution And Global Warming

For the first time, under the impetus of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French Space Agency (CNES), space agencies of more than 60 countries agreed to engage their satellites, to coordinate their methods and their data to monitor human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

galaxymonitor

The COP21 climate conference held in Paris last December acted as a wake-up call in this context. Without satellites, the reality of global warming would not have been recognised and the subsequent historic agreement at the United Nations headquarters in New York on April 22, 2016 would not have been signed. Out of the 50 essential climate variables being monitored today, 26 - including rising sea level, sea ice extent and greenhouse gas concentrations in all layers of the atmosphere - can be measured only from space.

The key to effectively implementing the Paris Agreement lies in the ability to verify that nations are fulfilling their commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Only satellites can do that. Invited to New Delhi by ISRO and CNES on April 3, 2016, the world’s space agencies decided to establish “an independent, international system” to centralise data from their Earth-observing satellites through the ‘New Delhi Declaration’ that officially came into effect on May 16, 2016.

climate.nasa

The goal now will be to inter-calibrate these satellite data so that they can be combined and compared over time. In other words, it is to make the transition to closely coordinated and easily accessible ‘big space data’.

"It is overwhelming to see the unilateral support of all space agencies to use space inputs for monitoring climate change,” said ISRO Chairman Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar. “Earth observation satellites provide a vital means of obtaining measurements of the climate system from a global perspective. ISRO is committed for the continuity of earth observation data, through the thematic series of satellites, with improvements en-route, to meet contemporary as well as future needs. ISRO is also engaging with CNES, JAXA and NASA for realising joint missions for global climate observation with advanced instruments.”

i.kinja

“This is a historic event that reaches far beyond the space sector and is a perfect example of the kind of success that can only be achieved through international cooperation” said CNES President Mr. Jean-Yves Le Gall. “With this consensus among space agencies from more than 60 nations, including the world’s leading space powers, the international space community and scientists now have the tools they need to put their talent, intelligence and optimism to work for the good of humankind and our planet.”

 

[Chinmoy]

One small question.....................

Where do we get the solar panels for our satellites from? i mean where these are manufactured?

 

[Indx TechStyle]

One small question.....................

Where do we get the solar panels for our satellites from? i mean where these are manufactured?

BHEL manufactures it.
An article from January 2009,
BHEL manufactured solar panels in ISRO satellite(2009)

 

[Chinmoy]

BHEL manufactures it.
An article from January 2009,
BHEL manufactured solar panels in ISRO satellite(2009)

Is it completely furbished by BHEL from gounds up????...................

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Is it completely furbished by BHEL from gounds up????...................

Yes, it does. BHEL is also responsible for Nation's Fastrack solar energy program today.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

ISRO staff to launch Amaravati chapter of ISSE tomorrow

The Indian Society of Systems for Science and Engineering (ISSE), an organisation aimed at enlightening and highlighting the activities of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will open its branch at Vijayawada.

Director, Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR), Kunhi Krishnan, Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation Director K. Lakshminarayana and Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), Hyderabad, Director Raghavendra Rao will inaugurate the branch at K.L. Rao Bhavan, Governorpet, at 6 p.m. on Monday.

ISRO officials, in association with some academic institutions and industries, are running the society. The Thiruvananthapuram-based ISSE is having branches at Cochin, Bangalore, Manipal, Hyderabad and Chennai.

SHAR officials have launched ISSE branch at Sriharikota in December last year, and the second unit of the society, Amaravati Chapter, is being opened at Vijayawada on June 13, said SHAR Deputy General Manager and ISSE Amaravati Chapter Ex-Officio President B.V. Subba Rao.

 

[Chinmoy]

Yes, it does. BHEL is also responsible for Nation's Fastrack solar energy program today.

As far as I know, GaN is used to build up the solar panels for satellites. If BHEL does have this capability, then why we are looking forward to Gripen for GaN amplifiers for our RADAR?

 

[Indx TechStyle]

As far as I know, GaN is used to build up the solar panels for satellites. If BHEL does have this capability, then why we are looking forward to Gripen for GaN amplifiers for our RADAR?

Don't know, probably case of experience.
It's not very old, it's recent that BHEL has started building panels.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

‘Ache din’ and ‘naya savera’ for Indian Space Community

India's spaceship reached planet Mars, the successful launch of India’s mini space shuttle
India was spectacular. (PTI)

Two years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seen some ‘ache din’ (good days) and a ‘naya savera’ (new dawn) for the Indian space agency.

Since Modi took over, India’s spaceship reached planet Mars, the successful launch of India’s mini space shuttle India was spectacular, ISRO kickstarted the classic swadeshi satellite based navigation system.

Also Read: ISRO to launch record 22 satellites in single mission in June

Towards the end of this year, ISRO is getting ready to launch the unique South Asia Satellite, a friendly communications satellite for the South Asian neighbours, actually conceived by Modi himself. The launch of India’s first space observatory AstroSAT that gives India’s scientists a unique view of the universe also fructified successfully.

Most importantly, Modi pushed for use of space-based technologies in day-to-day governance of India where he sat through two hours of open grilling of line ministry secretary level bureaucrats on how they plan to use space assets.

Two years of the NDA government has seen classic turn around for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). During the Manmohan Singh government, the ‘squeaky clean’ space agency was scorched by the worst scandal of this century dubbed the Devas-Antrix S-band spectrum scandal where a total of upwards of Rs two lakh crore was allegedly swindled through crony dealings. The morale at the space agency hit rock bottom but it did not lose focus.

On 26, May 2014 when Modi took over, little did people know that the former ‘chaiwallah’ was an ardent space buff. Modi vibes well with the chairman of ISRO Kiran Kumar with whom he has interacted since his days in Ahmedabad when Modi was chief minister of Gujarat and Kumar was head of the Space Applications Centre there.

Kumar has spent close to four decades working in Gujarat and manages to speak a smattering of Gujarati as well. The good chemistry has helped ISRO.

In the last two years under special instruction from Modi, the Indian space agency made a very special dash to complete India’s NAVIC – “Navigation with Indian Constellation” when the last of the seven satellites was successfully placed in the orbit by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on April 28.

During Modi’s tenure in rapid succession, five of the seven satellites of NAVIC were put in orbit. The Indian satellite constellation is already providing day and night coverage of the navigation signal throughout the Indian region. This is a unique achievement by ISRO.

Modi took forward a gem of an idea from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure when during the Kargil conflict India was denied access to the best quality satellite based navigation system signals it desperately sought to annihilate with pinpoint accuracy the reinforced bunkers on the high hills made by the Pakistanis.

The first round of the NDA government laid the foundation for the swadeshi GPS which Modi has fulfilled.

Other than India, globally, satellite-based navigational signals over South Asia are provided only by the American constellation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian constellation that uses a system called GLONASS. It is ISRO’s claim that the Indian navigation system is superior to both these systems for the South-Asian region.

Moreover, the American and Russian systems use 4 times as many satellites for their systems, making NAVIC (like a lot of ISRO’s technology) very frugal, operating with just 7 satellites.

It must of course, be clarified that the Indian NAVIC provides a regional signal while the American and Russian systems have global footprints. When required India’s footprint can also be made global by augmenting the number of satellites.

NAVIC’s assured signal coverage extends over the country and about 1500 km beyond Indian borders, and experts explain the rationale for this as being based on the current threat perception that exists for the country.

NAVIC – working for both the average and more specialised user – beams down two types of signals.

First, signals that can be tapped by the average user on any compatible smart phone, with accuracy on this frequency better than 20 meters, according to ISRO.

Second, special, highly accurate signals for usage largely by India’s security establishments to make sure that India’s borders are well protected (the “restricted users”). The NAVIC satellite navigation system has cost the Indian government, close to Rs 1400 crore.

Today, India holds the distinction of being the third country to have such a robust system over South Asia. Despite a late start, ISRO completed the deployment of the NAVIC system in a record 3 years. This significant milestone has been achieved under the leadership of Modi.

It was just in 2013, when the first of the seven satellites in this constellation was launched, it was understood that India was the sixth country to initiate efforts for its own satellite based navigation system with the US, Russia, European Union, Japan and China all actively pushing the frontier on satellite based navigation systems. Then the Americans and Russians took more than a decade to complete their work.

According to India’s Science and Technology Minister, Harsh Vardhan, India initiated this effort upon the denial of access to such signals during the Kargil conflict.

Vardhan shared his pride about the great display of skill and capability of the Indian science and technology establishment – with such a completely Made-in-India effort for the people of this country.

To make sure that the point is driven home that he keeps a hawk’s eye on the Department of Space; Modi witnessed live the launching of the seventh and last satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) from his office in the South Block.

He also spoke spontaneously about ways in which such a system could be used by India’s people. It was Modi who christened the system NAVIC, which means ‘sailor’ in Hindi.

He described how these brave men from India’s glorious past would navigate the sea using stars, adding with pride that ISRO’s new star would make for easier navigation.

Modi also built on what seems to be an initiative close to his heart – of working on India’s immediate neighbours and strengthening these ties, and said that NAVIC’s services could be offered to the country’s South Asian neighbours.

Modi said: “With this successful launch, we will determine our own paths powered by our technology. This is a great gift to people from scientists”. He described this as an example of “Make in India” and “Made for Indians.”

There are already a select few compatible smart phones that are receiving NAVIC signals and apparently, all Indian handsets will be made compatible using chipsets that are enabled to receive signals from NAVIC.

In an India increasingly digital, the idea of Indian entrepreneurs using more and more Indian signals is indeed an attractive one. Dependency on foreign vendors for providing satellite based navigation systems may also reduce and eventually cease, increasing self-sustained resilience.

Navigating road routes as one travels through the country, or increased efficiency of deployment of the transportation sector, or monitoring the movement of trains in the vast Indian railway network, NAVIC’s signals would be put to great use in the future.

There is little doubt that this would streamline road, rail and ship transport, also making it cheaper and more cost-efficient. There is a hope that these signals may help improve women’s safety, based on the usage of distress or panic signals using the panic button hat are to be introduced on all Indian mobile phone handsets by 2018.

The now famous frugal and effective engineering model that ISRO excels in has once again come out a winner, helping large goals like securing Indian borders, but also perhaps providing an impetus to the Indian economy and under Modi it has got a new energy and zeal to fulfil the aspirations of the 1.25 billion people. Perhaps reaching for the stars is just the beginning of India’s quest to master and domesticate outer space.

I guess it(NAVIC) may have become operational from June 2016 for research or military purpose only. But for us civilians, it will only be in 2016.

@Kunal Biswas @Kshatriya87 @Chinmoy @MKM @Akask kumar

 

[Akask kumar]

‘Ache din’ and ‘naya savera’ for Indian Space Community

India's spaceship reached planet Mars, the successful launch of India’s mini space shuttle
India was spectacular. (PTI)


Also Read: ISRO to launch record 22 satellites in single mission in June





























I guess it(NAVIC) may have become operational from June 2016 for research or military purpose only. But for us civilians, it will only be in 2016.

@Kunal Biswas @Kshatriya87 @Chinmoy @MKM @Akask kumar

thanks for the insight. good to know modi personally take interest in space affairs.. no mediator or minister in between..

 

[Chinmoy]

‘Ache din’ and ‘naya savera’ for Indian Space Community

India's spaceship reached planet Mars, the successful launch of India’s mini space shuttle
India was spectacular. (PTI)


Also Read: ISRO to launch record 22 satellites in single mission in June





























I guess it(NAVIC) may have become operational from June 2016 for research or military purpose only. But for us civilians, it will only be in 2016.

@Kunal Biswas @Kshatriya87 @Chinmoy @MKM @Akask kumar

Actually the constellation of 4 satellites would have been enough for initial military use, and hopefully by now with all the 7 sats up there it is ready for strategic use my IA, IAF and IN. But the thing is, is there any update on the reciprocating development of compatible devices for NAVIC?

Compatible handsets for civilian use would be out by 2017/18. But do we have any update on compatible ground receiver set for IA?

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Compatible handsets for civilian use would be out by 2017/18. But do we have any update on compatible ground receiver set for IA?

I have got multiple news articles about armed forces planning for IRNSS.

For latest, there is a MBRLS Pinaka 2(not to be confused with Pinaka Mk2), is going to have something called IRNSS Kit which will extend range to 100km.

 

[Chinmoy]

I have got multiple news articles about armed forces planning for IRNSS.

For latest, there is a MBRLS Pinaka 2(not to be confused with Pinaka Mk2), is going to have something called IRNSS Kit which will extend range to 100km.

I too am aware of it. Even if you search the net you would come across this conclusion that every guided missile in our armory has been configured for INS and IRNSS along with GPS/GLONASS.

What I want to know is, has our armed forces, basically IA has implemented any steps in using IRNSS compatible HHD along with the GPS devices which we are currently using?

I did searched a lot for any info on this, but has not been able to gather any satisfactory answer. Please do post if you got any update on this.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

I too am aware of it. Even if you search the net you would come across this conclusion that every guided missile in our armory has been configured for INS and IRNSS along with GPS/GLONASS.

What I want to know is, has our armed forces, basically IA has implemented any steps in using IRNSS compatible HHD along with the GPS devices which we are currently using?

I did searched a lot for any info on this, but has not been able to gather any satisfactory answer. Please do post if you got any update on this.

Okay, I will.
Here's the last what I got.
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/threads/indian-mlrs-pinaka-thread.86/page-8#post-1153383

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Story of the Week - Indian Space Research Organization
MOM successfully came out of ‘whiteout’ Phase

Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft experienced the ‘whiteout’ geometry during May 18 to May 30, 2016. The planets continuously in motion can align with the sun causing ‘whiteout’ or 'blackout' causing communication disruptions. In this particular geometry, the Earth came in between the Sun and Mars causing a ‘whiteout’.

A ‘whiteout’ occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and Mars and too much solar radiation may make it impossible to communicate with the Earth. The maximum duration of ‘whiteout’ is around 14 days. MOM spacecraft experienced the ‘whiteout’ during last month (May, 2016). However, MOM is built with full autonomy to take care of itself for long periods without any ground intervention.

Angular separation between Earth and Mars at Sun centre
(Ref: CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 109, NO. 6, 25 SEPTEMBER 2015)

The entire planning and commanding for the ‘whiteout’ was completed 10 days before the actual event. No commanding was carried out on the satellite in the ‘whiteout’ period. Payload operations were suspended. Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery were kept enabled, so as to take care of any contingency on the spacecraft. Master Recovery Sequencer was programmed, to acquire the attitude of the spacecraft and ensure communication with earth even in case of loss of attitude.

The spacecraft came out of ‘whiteout’ geometry successfully on May 30, 2016 and has been normalised for regular operations.

It may be recalled, MOM went through a communication 'blackout' as a result of solar conjunction from June 2, 2015 to July 2, 2015. Telemetry data was received during most of the conjunction period except for 9 days from June 10-18, during superior conjunction. MOM was commanded with autonomy features starting from May 18, 2015, which enabled it to survive the communication 'blackout' period without any ground commands or intervention. The spacecraft emerged out of 'blackout' period with auto control of the spacecraft systems successfully. This experience had enabled the mission team to program a spacecraft about one month in advance for all operations.

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Story of the Week - Archive
Jun 13, 2016 : MOM successfully came out of ‘whiteout’ Phase
Jun 06, 2016 : Mosaic of Martian North Pole and Ice Cap from MOM
May 30, 2016 : Indigenously developed Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar at Cherrapunjee dedicated to Nation by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India
May 24, 2016 : Temporal repetitive mapping of waterbodies across India
May 16, 2016 : Tele-health services made operational in Kumbh Mela at Ujjain
May 09, 2016 : Nozzle Testing Laboratories established at VSSC
May 02, 2016 : MENCA observed the evening exosphere of Mars

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• next ›

 

[Indx TechStyle]

ISRO challenges Elon Musk with record satellite launch
The launch of 22 satellites next week is the biggest single launch by India

The 22 machines being launched next week include an Earth observation satellite to capture light invisible to the naked eye. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: India’s space agency, Isro, will launch a record 22 satellites on a single rocket as it tries to ease a global backlog and demonstrate the ability to compete with commercial space flight companies run by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Satellites from the US, India, Canada and Germany will enter orbit after a scheduled 20 June lift-off from the Sriharikota barrier island along the south-east coast, the agency’s chairman, A.S. Kiran Kumar, said in a 9 June interview in Bengaluru. Most of the machines will observe and measure the Earth’s atmosphere, with another from an Indian university helping provide service for amateur radio operators.

The business of putting satellites into space is surging as phone companies, Internet providers, airlines and even car makers seek bandwidth for communications. The resulting backlog is creating opportunities for Musk and Bezos, who are privatizing what was once a government-only industry by testing reusable rockets to help reduce costs. To keep pace, India is touting its traditionally low-cost programme along with achievements such as putting an orbiter around Mars and building a space-shuttle prototype.

“Unless you keep yourself abreast and look to the future on how to make things better, how to make it more cost-effective, you run the risk of becoming irrelevant,” said Kumar, 64, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). “So you have to take care of these threats.”

Weather, smartphones

The 22 machines being launched next week include an Earth observation satellite to capture light invisible to the naked eye. It is the biggest single launch by India, trailing Russia’s 33 in 2014 and NASA’s 29 the year before.

There were 208 satellites launched in 2014, almost double the amount the year before, as countries such as India and Indonesia try to bring phone services to most of their people for the first time. India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market after China, and that demand is helping fuel what may be a 30% increase in lift-offs globally during the next five years.

India has about 35 satellites in orbit for broadcasting, navigation, scientific exploration and weather monitoring, yet it needs double that amount, Kumar said.

“We need to make more launches and we have to build more satellites,” he said in an office dotted with scale models of Indian rockets and satellites. “So we are trying to make that happen. We’re reaching a stage where every month we are having a launch.”

Orbiting Mars

India last month successfully launched a scale model of a reusable spacecraft, a project that in time could pit the nation against Bezos and Musk in the race to make access to space cheaper and easier. The country also injected a probe into Mars’ atmosphere in 2014 for just $74 million, about 11% of the cost of the US’s Maven probe.

To meet the increasing competition from private industry and other nations, India needs to expand its space programme, said Ajey Lele, a New Delhi-based senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

“Right now, India has got only one launch site,” Lele said. “So, it needs to develop another site within India or maybe somewhere else.”

Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp., after three successful landings of the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket since April, plans to start reusing rockets as soon as September, the billionaire said. Blue Origin Llc has shot off and landed the same rocket three times, and Bezos said low-cost launches are the missing pieces for space travel.

India takes that as a challenge, said Kumar, who joined ISRO in 1975 and has since helped design satellites and worked on the Mars mission. India is also collaborating with NASA for the 2020 launch of a radar system to detect small changes in the Earth’s surface, potentially benefiting climate-change studies and helping farmers with crop rotation and flood monitoring, Kumar said.

“If you don’t have a capability, you have to build that capability,” he said. “It is not trying to emulate, but you also have to be relevant.” Bloomberg.

TOPICS: ISRO | INDIAN SATELLITES | SATELLITE LAUNCH | SPACE | ELON MUSK

 

[Akask kumar]

ISRO challenges Elon Musk with record satellite launch
The launch of 22 satellites next week is the biggest single launch by India

The 22 machines being launched next week include an Earth observation satellite to capture light invisible to the naked eye. Photo: PTI




Weather, smartphones




Orbiting Mars






TOPICS: ISRO | INDIAN SATELLITES | SATELLITE LAUNCH | SPACE | ELON MUSK

jeff bezos is uselessly drawn into these topics.. his rocket is big joke.. and ISRO can not keep pace with elon musk because he has heavier class rockets - falcon 9 and falcon heavy (in development) .. our no rocket cant match these two .
ISRO only has edge in launching smaller payloads .while spacex target heavier and bulkier loads..

like spacex india should also make private org that can take care of lauches taking this burden away form our scientists so they can do actual science work and have more time to think R&D ,make plans and explore universe..

 

[Indx TechStyle]

jeff bezos is uselessly drawn into these topics.. his rocket is big joke.. and ISRO can not keep pace with elon musk because he has heavier class rockets - falcon 9 and falcon heavy (in development) .. our no rocket cant match these two .

There is a called rocket HLV in study by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre capable of lifting nearly 10 tonnes to GTO and 20-25 tonnes to LEO, discussed few months before on this thread with links and references.
Plus
We are operationalizing a mid heavy rocket of 6GTO/13LEO capacity rocket this year and a 15 tonnes LEO capacity rocket till 2020.

ISRO only has edge in launching smaller payloads .while spacex target heavier and bulkier loads..

We will see till 2019, because it's very recent that we operationalized. :biggrin2:
For SpaceX, they get help for NASA, so, ISRO will transfer tech to private companies.

like spacex india should also make private org that can take care of lauches taking this burden away form our scientists so they can do actual science work and have more time to think R&D ,make plans and explore universe..

There is a program run by ISRO for complete privatisation of light launches by 2020 by giving technology to private companie . By this, ISRO could be conducting 18-24 launches every year. Heavy Rockets will be operationalized in next decade.

For comparison with space X,
There is a private company called Bellatrix Aerospace working on a PSLV like rocket called Garuda, (comparable to smallest version of ULV).
They will develop heavy rockets before expectations.