ISRO news and views

thread for ISRO news and updates.

 

After moon mission, ISRO now lines up twin launch


Bangalore, Feb 17 (PTI) After the successful Chandrayaan-I moon mission, Indian Space Research Organisation is now getting ready for a twin launch - a "breakthrough" Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) and ANUSAT.
Bangalore-headquartered ISRO is targeting a March last week date for launching them on board the indigenously built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from the Sriharikota spaceport.

Indian space scientists see the 1,780-kg Risat as a major milestone for the country as far as remote sensing satellites are concerned. RISAT mission would have a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, operating in a multi-polarisation and multi-resolution mode.

SAR, being an active sensor, operating in the microwave range of electromagnetic spectrum, provides the target parameters such as dielectric constant, roughness, and geometry, and has the unique capability for day-night imaging, and imaging in all weather conditions including fog and haze, and also provide information on soil moisture.

"So far, all satellites launched by ISRO are optical remote sensing satellites. But RISAT will have all other capabilities," ISRO spokesperson S Satish told PTI.

RISAT is capable of taking pictures during night as well and even in cloud-covered conditions, an expertise Indian remote sensing satellites did not have previously. PTI
http://www.ptinews.com/pti\ptisite.nsf/0/C382EFD377669B7B6525756000223345?OpenDocument

 

ISRO gets 27 per cent hike in budgetary allocations

New Delhi (PTI): ISRO today got a 27 per cent hike in budgetary allocation, a major chunk of which is will be spent on missions to moon, development of the semi-cryogenic engine and building a rocket for launching heavier satellites.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was allocated Rs 4,459 crore, an increase of Rs 960 crore over the previous year's sanction of Rs 3,499 crore, in the interim budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee here.

Development of a semi-cryogenic engine for future advanced satellite launch vehicles has been allocated Rs 75 crore as against Rs 4.09 crore last year. The Cabinet had approved the project for development of the semi-cryogenic engine recently.

Chandrayaan-I and its future missions have been provided Rs 90 crore as against Rs 88 crore last year, while the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III project has received Rs 217 crore as against Rs 240.19 crore last year.

The GSLV Mk III, which will have the capability to put in orbit four-tonne satellites, is expected to be launched later this year.

ISRO's institute for training space science personnel has received Rs 175 crore as against Rs 65.25 crore last year. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, currently functioning from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, is developing its permanent infrastructure at Valiamala in Kerala.

The space agency has received Rs 50 crore for its programme to send a human in space. The objective of the Human Space Flight Programme is to develop a fully autonomous manned space vehicle to carry a two-member crew to a 400-km low earth orbit and ensure their safe return to earth.

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, a constellation of seven satellites, has been provided with Rs 270 crore.

The IRNSS is expected to provide position accuracies similar to the Global Positioning System in a region centered around the country with a coverage extending up to 1,500 km from India.

The VSSC, a lead facility for development of satellite launch vehicles, has received Rs 613.42 crore as against Rs 494.69 crore last year.
The Hindu News Update Service

 

ISRO to send man to moon by 2020

KANPUR: The third day of the annual technical festival of IIT-K - Techkriti - like the other two days was full of activities where almost every

event entered into its final round. The main attraction of the day was the interaction session where ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair gave a power-point presentation through video-conferencing in the main auditorium of the IIT-K. The auditorium was packed to its capacity. Madhavan Nair started off by telling about the background of ISRO and the days of its establishment.

While briefing the audience about Chandrayaan I - the satellite sent by India on moon, ISRO chief showed them the images of the moon sent by the satellite. Through the images received from the satellite, he also showed the craters present on the surface of the lunar object. Further, speaking about the future plans of ISRO, Nair emphasised on the development of the re-usable rockets.
He explained, "At the time of launching a satellite the rockets sent above with it is made to fall into the sea. So, re-usable rockets will prove to be boon for launching of the satellites as these rockets after placing the satellite in the orbit of the planet will come down safely and will again be available for further launches."

Explaining about the cost efficiency of the re-usable rockets, Nair added, "The rockets now used for launching of the satellites can be used only once. Every time a satellite is to be launched a new rocket has to be brought into use. Once a satellite is placed in the orbit of a planet, the rocket cannot be re-used, so this increases the cost of the project. Re-usable rockets will cut down on the costs of projects."

He informed that the launch of the satellite, Chandrayaan II, is expected by the year 2012. "We plan to send humans to the moon by the year 2020", Nair added.

Meanwhile, several other events like mobile science exhibition, robogames, bio-business plan, exhibition titled 'Tech-Planet', Junkyard wars, National Spaghetti Bridge Design Competition were the other highlights of the day. The robo-games event conducted at 'student activity centre', pulled the maximum crowd who were seen applauding every time the robots entered into a fight with each other.
ISRO to send man to moon by 2020-Kanpur-Cities-The Times of India

 

Setting new highs with nano satellite

KANPUR: IIT-Kanpur with its nano satellite -- `Jugnu' is ready to set new highs in space research. A team of students, working under the guidance

of faculty members of the institute and scientists of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are set to launch India's first nano satellite.

Dr Sanjay Govind Dhande, director, IIT-K elucidated about `Jungu' on the inaugural eve of `Techkriti', on Thursday last. Weighing less than three kg and with most functionalities of a normal satellite on a small platform, the payload of satellite will include an indigenously designed camera for near remote sensing and a GPS receiver. `Jugnu' will transmit blinking signal, at all times-all over the earth.

Head of mechanical department, Dr NS Vyas said the nano-satellite, `Jugnu' will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (also known as SHAR, located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh by ISRO`s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). "It is extremely cost effective and reliable launch vehicle. After it's launch, `Jugnu' will be continuously monitored and controlled by ground station located at the campus", added Dr Vyas.

The team `Jugnu', comprising of faculty members, students and other staff members, is working to complete this project and is keeping an eye over quality assurance aspect also. The nano-satellite project of the IIT-K is going on in the mechanical engineering department, the department which has to its credit many successful projects. One such project is the `derailment prevention project' under Dr Vyas of the mechanical engineering department, in association with RDSO, Lucknow, for enhancing the safety of the passengers.

A member of the team `Jugnu' informed, "the images collected will also be useful in studying vegetation and the water bodies. The satellite design is mostly indigenous. In view of the high cost associated with the launch special efforts is being made to keep the weight to the lowest minimum."

"Most of the performance tests for the subsystems of satellite will be carried out in the institute itself, using existing infrastructure. However, launch critical tests will be carried out at ISRO centres", added the team member.

The team member of `Jugnu' further added, "Usually two models of the satellite are built, Qualification Model and Flight Model. Certain tests will be carried out in the Qualification model whereas a few number of tests will be done in the Flight model. The satisfactory performance of the Qualification model will give green signal to the flight model for the launch."

Designed life span of the satellite is proposed to be one year. Jugnu`s design will have to overcome many challenges as it will have to face high vibrations even before its ejection. The satellite will also have to survive high doses of radiation that can cause damage to the system's memory. There are many other functionality constraints on the satellite hardware due to the limited power availability.

The aim of the making and launching of `Jugnu' is to develop a long term infrastructure and human resources in the IIT-K for future space research programmes in the institute in collaboration with ISRO. The efforts of the team `Jugnu' was appreciated by Dr David Morrison, director, NASA Lunar Science Institute who was the chief guest in `Techkriti' which concluded on Sunday.
Setting new highs with nano satellite-Kanpur-Cities-The Times of India

 

welcome jaydev,

I have made this thread stick, guys all ISRO related discussion here

 

thank you nithesh

 

Work On Chandrayaan-II Has Started

Work On Chandrayaan-II Has Started

by Staff Writers
Vellore, India (PTI) Feb 17, 2009
Encouraged by the successful launch of Chandrayaan-I, ISRO scientists had started work on Chandrayaan-II, which was expected to be ready by 2011-12, a top scientist said on Saturday.

The cost, estimated at Rs 450 crore, was, however, likely to go up further by the time of the launch, Chandrayaan-I executive director M Annadurai said here.

Delivering the keynote address at the convocation of the Marudhur Kesari Jain college here, he said that the youth could achieve expertise in their chosen fields and come out with successful inventions if they worked hard.

"We have 40 lakh youth in the country. If all of them, put together, work tirelessly, India will be a force to reckon with by 2020, as former President A P J Abdul Kalam has already predicted," he said.

Annadurai pointed to the example of ISRO engineers and scientists, who he said, had after years of hard work and some failures, successfully launched satellites.

District Collector Rajendran, who was present, handed out degree certificates to 229 candidates of the college.

 

Isro set to use indigenously developed cryogenic engine for GSLV launch

Isro set to use indigenously developed cryogenic engine for GSLV launch
Bibhu Ranjan Mishra / Bangalore February 18, 2009, 0:55 IST

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is expected to launch a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in July this year, using an indigenously developed cryogenic engine. The flight that is likely to launch the GSAT-4 into orbit will mark the end of India's dependence on Russia, which had been supplying the cryogenic engines since 1991. India has so far launched five GSLV rockets.

The launch vehicle is capable of placing a 2-tonne satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit, uses all the three kinds of propellants — solid, liquid and cryogenic. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) uses only solid and liquid propellants and is capable of carrying payloads less than 2 tonnes.

"All the previous GSLV flights had cryogenic engines procured from Russia. For the first time, indigenously developed cryogenic engines will be used. This is a development started almost parallelly to procurement from Russia. We have completed all the tests, including qualification and flight acceptance. Now the engine is fully qualified and will be used in the next flight of GSLV," a highly-placed source in Isro told Business Standard.

Work on developing India's own cryogenic engine was started by Isro shortly after the project to develop the GSLV was initiated in 1986. However, failing in the initial attempt to develop the highly complex cryogenic engine on its own, Isro inked a $120 million contract with Soviet space enterprise Glavkosmos in 1991 for supply of two KVD-1 cryogenic engines. India has so far procured seven Russian-built cryogenic engines, of which five have been used during the previous GSLV launches of Isro.

With an initial project cost of about Rs 235 crore, the work for the development of India's own cryogenic engine was jointly carried out by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in Trivandrum, Material Development and Research Centre at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Liquid Propulsion Test Facility (LPSC) at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. Isro conducted the flight acceptance test of the indigenous cryogenic engine on December 18 last year at the LPSC, which was found to be quite satisfactory.

"The flight acceptance hot test of the cryogenic engine was carried out at the liquid propulsion systems centre at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. This engine will be used in the next GSLV launch in April 2009 for carrying the 2.3-tonne geo-stationary experimental satellite (GSAT)," the space research agency had stated at that time.

GSAT-4, the communication satellite that Isro intends to launch using the indigenous cryogenic engine powered GSLV, will provide internet connectivity in remote villages. "We are going to launch GSAT-4 which will have digital connectivity on board. It's meant for data transfers from computers at remote villages," says Isro Chairman G Madhavan Nair.

Isro is planning to use the GSLV for the Chandrayaan-II mission scheduled for 2012 as opposed to PSLV that was used to launch Chandrayaan-I

 

Breakthrough achieved in SCRAMJET propulsion

As part of the Advanced technology initiative in the area of Air- Breathing propulsion, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre of ISRO at Thiruvananthapuram, has successfully carried out the design, development, characterisation and realisation of the Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (SCRAMJET).

Through a series of ground tests, a stable supersonic combustion has been demonstrated for nearly 7 seconds with an inlet Mach number of 6 (i.e., six times the speed of sound).

As such technologies are in a very nascent stage of development the world over, ISRO considers this achievement as a major technology breakthrough in Air-Breathing propulsion. Other than USA, which has recently carried out in-flight demonstration of supersonic combustion for a short duration, work related to supersonic combustor designs in other countries like Japan, China, Russia, Australia, Europe and others are either in their initial or ground testing phase.

Currently, the space transportation systems are expendable in nature and use the conventional chemical rocket systems for their propulsion. The cost per kg of payload of such expendable systems is quite high, and is in the range of $12,000 to $15,000 per kg. If we have to make the access to space more affordable, this cost needs to be brought down by an order of magnitude to something like $500 - $1000 per kg. This will require a two pronged approach (a) the systems are made recoverable and reusable (b) adopt more efficient propulsion systems like Air- Breathing rockets.

Air- Breathing rocket systems are the ones which use the atmospheric oxygen from their surroundings and burn it with the stored on- board fuel for producing the forward thrust in contrast to the conventional chemical rocket systems which carry both the oxygen and the fuel on-board. As a result, the Air-Breathing systems become much lighter and more efficient leading to reduced overall costs. As the Air- Breathing systems have the capability to operate only during the atmospheric phase of flight, they always have to be adopted along with the conventional chemical rockets, for meeting the final orbital velocity requirements.

A good example of Air-Breathing engines is the Turbojet engines used in aircrafts; however, they have limitations in operating only up to a maximum of Mach number 3. To travel beyond these Mach number regimes, SCRAMJET propulsion is the only viable option. The development of SCRAMJET system is quite complex and it involves a number of technological challenges, especially the ones related to the mixing of very high speed air (velocity around 1.5 km/s) with fuel, achieving stable ignition and flame holding in addition to ensuring efficient combustion, within the practical length of the combustor.

In the coming years, ISRO is planning to flight test an integrated SCRAMJET propulsion system comprising of air-intake, combustor and nozzle, by using a cost effective two stage RH-560 sounding rocket. Development of such a high technology system will come in a big way towards meeting the futuristic space transportation needs of our country.

Breakthrough achieved in SCRAMJET propulsion | India Defence

 

:: ISRO ::

annual report

 

From quoted

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...expert/articleshow/4167135.cms?TOI_latestnews

India should review its space programme: US expert
21 Feb 2009, 2200 hrs IST, PTI


NEW DELHI: India should take strategic, comprehensive review of its space programme given the "military character" of China's space initiatives,
a US expert said.

Indian private universities should begin satellite or space development programmes as has been done in the United States, Richard Fischer Jr., senior fellow on Asian Military Affairs, International Assessment and Strategy Center said.

Initiating a discussion on "Chinese military modernization" at Observer Research Foundation here, he said China's space and satellite programmes have military character and military functions.

"We have to look forward to China performing military activities from moon," Fischer said.

He pointed out that China's space agency official had said its Moon missions would carry telescope and laser.

Fischer said the Chinese moon programme has even forced the US to take a re-look at this moon programme and give it high priority with necessary budget even at this time of economic meltdown.

These satellite programmes, to be developed by private universities after a legal permission, should be "completely outside the government tentacles", he said.

 

some interesting info, check the resolution of Chinese satellite

http://nedi1.nedi.gov/files/SAR_Radar_Remote_Sensing_Database_3Q2008-1.xls

 

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/plan-panel-okays-isro-manned-space-flight/426945/

Plan panel okays ISRO manned space flight

New Delhi: The Planning Commission has shown the green light to the Rs 12,400-crore manned space mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scheduled for launch by 2015.

“We had a good meeting. The general inference is that ISRO has done an expert job and it needs to be supported. The Planning Commission will support it,” said Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia who had a two-hour meeting last Friday with top ISRO scientists and officials of the Department of Space.

Ahluwalia said the Human Space Flight project would be executed in two phases. In the first phase, an unmanned flight would be launched in 2013-14 and the second stage in 2014-15 would be a two-man mission.

K Radhakrishnan, Space Commission member and Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said ISRO wanted to secure formal approval of the plan panel for the project to take off. The Rs 12,400-crore expenditure would include setting up long-term facilities and inputs needed for the space vehicle and its entire get-up.

“We intend to put two persons in the vehicle and launch them into space for seven days in an orbit of 275 km,” Radhakrishnan said. Though he did not elaborate, it is learnt that the manned mission would use the geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

Although ISRO would be the lead agency in executing the project, Radhakrishnan said other agencies were also expected to lend support.

India plans a manned mission to moon by 2020.

Professor Yash Pal, who served as the first Director of the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad from 1973 to 1981, said Indians are already in space and have the capability to deliver on a manned space flight. “We are already in space. We are better placed than what the Americans did earlier.” Yash Pal also attended the meeting last Friday.

Late last year, ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair had announced that India expected to accomplish a manned space mission in 7-8 years and would undertake its manned moon mission by 2020.

And in January this year, M Annadurai, project director of Chandrayaan-I, said the successful launch of Chandrayaan-I last October had given space scientists the confidence to undertake a manned mission to the moon.

He said the Chandrayaan-II mission was expected to be undertaken within a couple of years and would be followed by Chandrayaan-III. The Chandrayaan-I mission, he said, was sending considerable amount of data and scientists were busy analysing it.

According to Annadurai, several countries have approached India to set up a common lunar research centre for conducting studies.

 

Performance Audit of National Aerospace Laboratories
http://www.cag.gov.in/html/reports/civil/2008_PA2_SD_civil/chap_1.pdf


Performance Audit on Procurement of Stores and Inventory Control in the Department of Space

http://www.cag.gov.in/html/reports/civil/2008_PA2_SD_civil/chap_2.pdf

 

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20090084559

My dream is to put an Indian into space: Madhavan Nair
Pallava Bagla
Monday, February 23, 2009, (Bangalore)

Heady after the success of India's maiden mission to the moon Chandrayaan-1, G Madhavan Nair (66), chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), says he dreams of putting an Indian into space on an Indian rocket from Indian soil in the next six years. He spoke exclusively to NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla on a day when the Planning Commission gave its green signal for India's manned space flight program.

Pallava Bagla: You are hoping to have Indians orbiting the earth in low earth orbits. Can we talk a little bit about that sir?

Madhavan Nair: Well, I think the first step is we should develop the capability to have the human going in the earth orbit. So now we have cast a project report, which envisages the development of a capsule that can carry two to three passengers on board the Geo Synchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV). We plan to be in space for about a week or so and then safe return back to earth.

Pallava Bagla: Which Indian rocket can you use for a manned mission?

Madhavan Nair: GSLV, Mark II and Mark III. Of course Mark II can take just two passengers, but Mark III will be more comfortable when we want to carry three passengers. For this capsule, the basic configuration design, what are the technologies required, and what facilities we need, all these have been defined in a project report. By about 2015, we should be able to have such a capability.

Pallava Bagla: So you can hope to have an Indian in space from an Indian rocket from Indian soil in 2015?

Madhavan Nair: Yes. It will cost money, about Rs 12,000 crore. If we are able to spend that kind of money, yes it is possible.

Pallava Bagla: Do you think we should be spending that kind of money?

Madhavan Nair: I think this is nothing compared to the overall expenditure that we are making in the science and technology area, and it not only gives you that additional technology capability, but also opens up a vast avenue of research related to the human body, human psychology. Then the technology spin off from this could also be of tremendous value. So comparing all this, Rs 12,000 crore for investing over the next six years is peanuts.

Pallava Bagla: But for a poor country like India that is a lot of money.

Madhavan Nair: Who said we are a poor country? Our economy is growing very fast, we have sufficient resources, and this will translate into merely something like 16 per cent of the budget of the space program.

Pallava Bagla: Are you excited?

Madhavan Nair: Certainly, naturally at ISRO that could be the path-breaking event.

Pallava Bagla: When are you hoping to talk to the government about this funding?

Madhavan Nair: Soon, the seed money is already there.

Pallava Bagla: Seed money is there, so there is a hope that they will clear it.

Madhavan Nair: But you know, we have to share the concerns of the economic situation, what you call, downturn we are facing. We'll have to wait. I am optimistic that we will be able to get our sanctions soon.

Pallava Bagla: But are politicians ready to say yes?

Madhavan Nair: No, actually we have presented this at various forums, like you know the Parliamentary Committee, the Space Commission and the expert committee of the Planning Commission and so on. The response has been quite positive and encouraging. Now I think we should be able to present this to the government and seek the approval.

Pallava Bagla: But why are they taking so long?

Madhavan Nair: See, the thing is, as you yourself asked the question, is it relevant, and can we spend this kind of money? So this has to be debated at a national level also. So this debate is going on right now.

Pallava Bagla: Is there a firm date you have where you think the government would be able to make a decision?

Madhavan Nair: I think within the next few months we should be in place.

Pallava Bagla: Hoping a yes for it?

Madhavan Nair: I think, normally ISRO has got an approach of preparing the grounds, and then convincing people about the need and otherwise, so we hope we will be able to succeed in this as well.