ISRO General News and Updates

[sorcerer]

ISRO Eyes Record With Launch Of 83 Satellites On Single Rocket In Early 2017


Chennai: Indian space agency ISRO is aiming for a world record by putting into orbit 83 satellites - two Indian and 81 foreign - on a single rocket in early 2017, a top official of Antrix Corporation said.

He said the company's order book stands at Rs. 500 crore while negotiations are on for launch order for another Rs. 500 crore.

"During the first quarter of 2017 we plan to launch a single rocket carrying 83 satellites. Most foreign satellites are nano satellites," Rakesh Sasibhushan, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Antrix Corporation said.

Antrix Corporation is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

He said all 83 satellites will be put in a single orbit and hence there will not be any switching off and on of the rocket.

The major challenge for the proposed mission is to hold the rocket in the same orbit till all the satellites are ejected.

He said ISRO will use its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle XL (PSLV-XL) rocket for the record launch.

For ISRO, launch of multiple satellites at one go is not a new thing as it has done it several times in the past.

According to Mr Sasibhushan, the total payload/weight carried off into space by the PSLV-XL rocket will be around 1,600 kg.

Citing non-disclosure agreements, Mr Sasibhushan declined to name the clients whose satellites ISRO will put into orbit.

He said some satellites belong to clients whose satellites ISRO put into orbit in the past.

Meanwhile, ISRO is conducting high-altitude tests with its own cryogenic engine that is expected to power the heavier rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mk III (GSLV Mk III).

The GSLV Mk III has a capacity to carry around four tonnes of load.

The rocket is scheduled to be flown in January 2017.

The GSLV Mk III rocket is expected to save precious foreign exchange for India as it pays to launch heavier satellites through foreign space agencies.

In an interaction, ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar said the agency is looking forward to develop four-tonne communication satellites that will give the same output as a six-tonner.

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/isro...llites-on-single-rocket-in-early-2017-1586052

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Got info from source in ISRO, Pak High Commission staffer claimed on camera
Sources said Akhtar disclosed the names of Ramzan Khan and Subhash Jangir — also arrested Thursday — and gave names of other alleged informants in India, including that of the ISRO official.
WRITTEN BY MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL | NEW DELHI |Updated: October 29, 2016 5:04 AM

Mehmood Akhtar, the Pakistan High Commission staffer who was declared “persona non grata” on Thursday after Delhi Police accused him of espionage, has claimed, in a video-recorded interrogation, that he sourced “sensitive” information from an official with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Police sources told The Indian Express that Akhtar’s interrogation was recorded on Thursday before he was handed over to High Commission officials. “On being asked about his informers and sources, Akhtar disclosed the names of other ISI agents posted in the Pakistan High Commission and the name of an official with ISRO who provided sensitive details to him,” a senior police official said.

At least 45 minutes of Akhtar’s questioning by Delhi Police crime branch was recorded, sources said. A senior police officer said that the video begins with Akhtar, flanked by two police constables, being asked his name and address by another police officer.

It is learnt that the video shows Akhtar “trembling” as police begin questioning him in Hindi. Two constables hold him on either side. Another officer offers Akhtar some water to calm him down and after a few minutes the constables back away from Akhtar.

“He was uncomfortable at first but after drinking some water he calmed down. Officers told him they already knew about his operation and were only trying to corroborate the information they had,” a source said.

Sources said Akhtar disclosed the names of Ramzan Khan and Subhash Jangir — also arrested Thursday — and gave names of other alleged informants in India, including that of the ISRO official.

Police sources said Akhtar named eight officials in the Pakistan High Commission who, he alleged, were trained by the ISI. Sources said that during Akhtar’s questioning, senior officials from the Pak High Commission arrived at the Delhi Police’s Inter-State Cell office in Chankyapuri. According to the police, Akhtar was questioned for a short time in the presence of Pak officials.

The Pak High Commission has denied the allegations and, in a retaliatory gesture, declared Surjeet Singh, an Indian official at the High Commission in Islamabad, as “persona non grata.”

Chal beta, dekhte hain ki ISRO ki information ke baad suparco kaun sa teer marti hai. We will look ahead even if they can test fire a sounding rocket, not taking success or failure into account.:biggrin2:

And for ISRO Personnel, corruption must be crushed but make sure that they are not falsely making our scientists culprits who probably didn't even know that they were Pakistanis.

 

[Akask kumar]

Got info from source in ISRO, Pak High Commission staffer claimed on camera
Sources said Akhtar disclosed the names of Ramzan Khan and Subhash Jangir — also arrested Thursday — and gave names of other alleged informants in India, including that of the ISRO official.
WRITTEN BY MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL | NEW DELHI |Updated: October 29, 2016 5:04 AM

Chal beta, dekhte hain ki ISRO ki information ke baad suparco kaun sa teer marti hai. We will look ahead even if they can test fire a sounding rocket, not taking success or failure into account.:biggrin2:

And for ISRO Personnel, corruption must be crushed but make sure that they are not falsely making our scientists culprits who probably didn't even know that they were Pakistanis.

that ISRO officer who provided him the sensitive info must be brought under scrutiny.. if i can recall there was similar incident where a DRDO employee himself turned out to be Pak agent..

our research wing is always under paks radar so such incidents are bound to happen.THe good news is that we are successfully identifying and neutralising viruses in these research departments..Kudos to the intelligence team..


but there must be many Pak informants in other gvt department and they are working secretly without being filtered..

sometime i hear corruption in BSF too..

 

[Indx TechStyle]

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[Indx TechStyle]

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[Indx TechStyle]

So guys, it's confirmed now that GSLV Mk3 D1 launch is now slated for January.
Final PSLV of year coming this November. So, we can expect the Pad Abort Test this December probably. @Akask kumar

Well well well, this is possibly awesomest photo from LVM3-X (CARE Mission) Flight of our Sumo on December 18, 2014. After integration of SCE 200 engine, we'll able to make as strong rocket as US, Russia, EU and Japan have.:biggrin2:
@Kunal Biswas @SexyChineseLady @indiatester

India's Heaviest ever launch mission will be there in my D.P. till another historic moment arrives.

 

[Akask kumar]

So guys, it's confirmed now that GSLV Mk3 D1 launch is now slated for January.
Final PSLV of year coming this November. So, we can expect the Pad Abort Test this December probably. @Akask kumar

Well well well, this is possibly awesomest photo from LVM3-X (CARE Mission) Flight of our Sumo on December 18, 2014. After integration of SCE 200 engine, we'll able to make as strong rocket as US, Russia, EU and Japan have.:biggrin2:
@Kunal Biswas @SexyChineseLady @indiatester

India's Heaviest ever launch mission will be there in my D.P. till another historic moment arrives.

this mission is delayed by one month and PAD is prioritrized it appears space ministry is very eager to set its into space ..good ..

or ISRO dsnt want to take a big risk at the year end.. so many superttious ppl there..:biggrin2:

speaking about russians and EU.. Though they successfully executed the orbit insertion of their ExOMARS satellite but the landing didnt go as per the plans.

few sat modules and landing module(totally) was designed by the russians. What has happened to this space agency??
they have been trying landing from decades..something is really going wrong in Roscosmos.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Story of the Week - Indian Space Research Organization
SCATSAT-1 Wind Products (BETA Version) Released

SCATSAT-1 was launched on September 26, 2016 and was injected into 720 km orbit with the required inclination of 98°. The satellite was put into the orbit at 9:30 AM local time and then slowly will be drifted and arrested to 8:45 AM. Ku-band Scatterometer of SCATSAT-1 is the main sensor on board this satellite and the data is very useful for Atmospheric and Oceanographic Applications. The Scatterometer payload is identical to OSCAT of Oceansat-2. Back scatter coefficient (sigma – 0) and Wind products are main products from this satellite.

The objectives of SCATSAT-1 Mission are:

• To design, develop, launch and operate a state of art three axis body stabilized satellite providing ocean based remote sensing services to provide continuity of weather forecasting services to the user community

• To develop remote sensing capability with respect to global day and night weather forecasting

• To establish ground segment to receive and process the payload data at a specified turnaround time to meet the requirements of the user community

• To develop related algorithms and data products at 50 km X 50 km and 25 km X 25 km grids to serve the well-established application areas and also to enhance the mission utility

Data Processing:

There are 14 to 15 orbits data daily from SCATSAT-1 satellite. The data is being downloaded daily at Shadnagar and Antarctica ground stations together for all the orbits. The downloaded data at Antarctica is being transferred to Shadnagar for further processing and dissemination. Chains to receive, process and disseminate data products are developed in Integrated Multi-mission Ground Segment for Earth Observation Satellites (IMGEOS) environment. The systems are designed in such a way that the same can be used for future SCATSAT missions too.

Scatterometer provides back scatter coefficients over the oceans. With these values, sigma – 0 and wind vectors of the entire globe are getting computed and corresponding HDF products are being generated. In contrary to OSCAT, here products are generated for pole to pole - North Pole (NP) to South Pole (SP) and SP to NP.

Different types of products are getting generated for 50 km and 25 km grid sizes. Level-2B, Level-3 products are planned to be provided to all users through internet. Level-1B and Level-2A products will be enabled for access only for specific users. Figure-1 and Figure-2 show global sigma-0 and global wind products respectively for October 18, 2016.

Data Dissemination:

Various types of products are planned to be disseminated through web portal and ftp server in near real time (within 50 minutes of data acquisition at Svalbard or Antarctica). Level-1B, Level-2A and Level-2B products will be supplied to specific users. Level-2B and Level-3 products will be uploaded onto ftp and web portal so that the users can download products in near real time mode.

Beta Version of SCATSAT-1 Wind Products are released recently to all the users for their research and feedback. Validation of software and products is in progress and operational products will be released shortly.

Link to SCATSAT-1 Products

SCATSAT-1 Orbit Detail

Orbit Polar Sun Synchronous
Altitude 720 km
Inclination 97.7°
Initial Local time 9:30 AM descending (drifting)
Final local time and inclination 08:45 with 98.2° as inclination
Orbital period 99.19 minutes
No. Of orbits per day 14+1/2


Specifications of Scatterometer Payload

Parameter Specifications
Altitude 720 km
Frequency 13.515 G Hz
Wind speed range 3 to 30 m/s
Wind speed 0 – 360 degrees
Scanning rate 20.5 rpm
Antenna Diameter 1 meter
Nominal PRF 193 Hz
Transmit pulse width 1.35 ms
Inner beam Outer beam
Polarisation HH VV
Swath 1400 km 1800 km
Footprint 27 km X 46 km 30 km X 70 km
Beam width in degrees 1.47 X 1.63 1.39 X 1.72
Wind vector cell size 50 km X 50 km and 25 km X 25 km


Product Types of SCATSAT-1

Sl. No Type of Product Product Level Format
01 Slice level sigma – 0
Level-1B

HDF 5
02 Grid level sigma – 0 Level-2A HDF 5
03 Orbit wise wind Product Level-2B HDF 5
04 Global sigma – 0 Level-3 HDF 5
05 Global wind product Level-3 HDF 5

Figure-1: Global Sigma-0 Products (day wise)

FIgure-2: Global Wind Product (day wise)

Story of the Week - Archive
Oct 31, 2016 : SCATSAT-1 Wind Products (BETA Version) Released
Oct 24, 2016 : NARL MST Radar observes echoes from the Moon
Oct 17, 2016 : INSAT-3DR Augments INSAT-3D for Improved Weather Monitoring and Prediction
Oct 10, 2016 : Indian Space Science Data Centre (ISSDC) - Gateway to India's Space Science Data
Oct 03, 2016 : AstroSat Completes One Year in Orbit
Sep 26, 2016 : SCATSAT-1 – Satellite for Weather Forecasting, Cyclone Detection and Tracking
Sep 19, 2016 : Updated Flood Hazard Atlas for Assam State

• 1 of 11
  
• next ›

Copyright © 2016 ISRO, All Rights Reserved.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

ISRO’s Cartosat-2 being prepared for launch. India’s government acknowledged for the first time that imaging and other satellites developed by ISRO have been used for national security. (credit: ESA)
ISRO’s commitment to India’s national security

India’s space capabilities helped its armed forces acquire actionable intelligence on the terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that were destroyed during the recent surgical strikes by India’s military. After the strikes, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) highlighted, for the first time, its role in India’s national security. Its leadership declared that the organization will not be found lacking from securing the country’s national interests. Although security is an integral part of the country’s socio-economic development, ISRO previously held reservations against such declarations owing to the unstable political and diplomatic relationship of India with the West, particularly the United States. The changing perceptions of high-end technologies, due to the geopolitical and security circumstances of India, is the driving factor in this change.

India’s space program was initiated with the vision of utilizing outer space for peaceful purposes at a time when Cold War peers contested for military and strategic superiority in this domain. The father of India’s space program, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, renounced such competition, stating space technology in this country should be meant for constructing a modern society with solid economic foundations. Accordingly, ISRO concentrated its resources on developing fleets of communications and remote sensing satellites, enabling telecommunications, weather forecasting, transportation, management and conservation of natural resources and natural disasters, urban planning, and more.

India’s space program was initiated with the vision of utilizing outer space for peaceful purposes at a time when Cold War peers contested for military and strategic superiority in this domain.​

Owing to this idealistic perspective of high-end technologies, advanced spacefaring countries enthusiastically helped lay the foundations for India’s space program. Although the US and the Soviet Union were rivals in space, they contributed to India of space technology. India, for its part, dedicated the country’s first rocket launching station to the United Nations, reaffirming its support to the work of this international organization. India was one of the 18 members that formed an ad-hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at the United Nations, which later became permanent. India firmly believes in peaceful uses of outer space and has thus denounced space weaponization. It is one of the leading voices in creating the Outer Space Treaty that banned testing and placing of weapons of mass destruction in outer space or on celestial bodies.

However, the changing regional geopolitics during the 1960s and 1970s kept India from perceiving high-end technologies as purely peaceful. India woke up to the reality of a nuclear China in 1964, with whom it fought a border war just two years earlier. Pakistan remained an irritant with wars erupting in 1965 and 1971, when India was militarily confronted simultaneously on four sides and the US and United Kingdom deploying warships in support of Pakistan. Meanwhile, Henry Kissinger succeeded in opening US-China diplomatic relations facilitated by Pakistan, which concluded as a strategic loss for India.

With its very survival at stake, India went nuclear in 1974 and initiated a guided missile development program in 1983. The missile program benefitted to an extent from the experience of satellite launch vehicle technology being developed at ISRO. As realism entered India’s foreign policy and national security calculus, so did the perception of critical technologies. Sanctions were imposed on ISRO in the aftermath of 1974 nuclear test.

In the 1990s, the US imposed Missile Technology Control Regime sanctions on both India and Russia when they negotiated a contract for India to receive cryogenic engine technology from Russia. Although India argued that this complex technology is inconsistent with the requirements of ballistic missile systems, the sanctions and subsequent nullification of the deal by Russia, giving in to US pressure, led to further deterioration of space cooperation between the US and India. These developments induced a sense of apathy in the political relations as well.

This situation began to change in 2001 when, barely three months after the 9/11 attacks, the Indian Parliament also came under terrorist attack. The sympathy towards each other as victims of terrorism and the desire to fight this global menace opened room for a political dialogue between the US and India. This led to further consolidation of political ties when both the countries began undertaking a series of reciprocal steps in three critical technology areas for building mutual trust and confidence. Civil space cooperation is one of these areas (other two being civil nuclear cooperation and high technology trade), leading to improved ties between the space communities on both sides.

Due to the sensitivity of these developments, India abstains from talking space technology in the context of national security. However, the political bonhomie between the two countries and common struggle against terrorism did create a diplomatic space for India to reverse this custom. In this context, ISRO played a decisive role for India’s security and publicly stated its commitment for the future.

The launch of Radar Imaging Satellite 2 (RISAT-2) in 2009 is perhaps India’s first national security satellite discussed in the public domain. This satellite uses synthetic aperture radar developed by an Israeli company for providing radar images with a resolution of one meter regardless of the time or weather conditions over an area of interest. India obtained this technology from Israel in exchange for launching an Israeli satellite with a similar payload in 2008. The technical specifications and orbital parameters of RISAT-2, coupled with the pace it was built and launched, shows India’s efforts at plugging security vulnerabilities of the country after the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

ISRO is no longer inhibited about highlighting the critical role it plays for securing India’s national interests and security.​

Now, India also possesses world-class optical imaging satellites launched under the Cartosat series. Cartosat-1, launched in 2005, has a resolution of 2.5 metres. With the technological advances in this series, the currently operational Cartosat satellites can provide scene-specific images with a resolution better than 60 centimeters, along with the capability to capture one-minute video of the designated areas. It was this capability that notably provided intelligence input to the armed forces planning the recent surgical strikes. The next-generation Cartosat series can provide images with a resolution better than 25 centimeters, enabling India to detect specific objects and movement of personnel on the ground. India is also planning GEO Imaging Satellite that will be placed in the geostationary orbit for acquiring near-real-time images of the entire Indian subcontinent and the Indian Ocean.

In addition to these earth observation satellites, ISRO has also built communications satellites for strategic purposes. GSAT 6, launched in 2015, features an antenna six meters in diameter to provide secure communications for a host of strategic end users. The Indian Navy acquired its first dedicated communications satellite, GSAT 7, in 2013, while the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army are also set to acquire such satellites in the near future.

These satellites simply provide sophisticated intelligence inputs for the decision-makers on the ground for crafting military operations, while striving to prevent the adversaries from eavesdropping on these plans. And, as ISRO has already noted, the discrimination between the good guys and the bad guys completely rests with the users on the ground. However, ISRO is no longer inhibited about highlighting the critical role it plays for securing India’s national interests and security.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

J&K Police is going to put computer chips in all their weapons so that they can be tracked if looted.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...ice-to-install-computer-chips-in-weapons.html
If I'm not wrong, ISRO will be doing the tracking job.
Over that ISRO has far more secured servers than civilians, essential for military purposes.

 

[SANITY]

J&K Police is going to put computer chips in all their weapons so that they can be tracked if looted.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...ice-to-install-computer-chips-in-weapons.html
If I'm not wrong, ISRO will be doing the tracking job.
Over that ISRO has far more secured servers than civilians, essential for military purposes.

How easy it is to steal weapons from police & military? Is it so bad that we need to install chips?

 

[Indx TechStyle]

How easy it is to steal weapons from police & military? Is it so bad that we need to install chips?

If attempts like stone pelting, terror attacks, protests or taking hostages etc. occur regularly, any system can fail my friend.

You can put there security measures but terrorists who attempt to get these weapons daily may get a chance bychance one day.

 

[Akask kumar]

J&K Police is going to put computer chips in all their weapons so that they can be tracked if looted.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...ice-to-install-computer-chips-in-weapons.html
If I'm not wrong, ISRO will be doing the tracking job.
Over that ISRO has far more secured servers than civilians, essential for military purposes.

yes ,all they have to do is hook up transmitters in the arms which can be picked by Navik.. by this we can trace them in real time.. this task is so simple that they can hand over to some private cellular firm in India .. no need to disturb ISRO..DRDO for designing the jam proof tracker and Private firm for mass production..

 

[Akask kumar]

How easy it is to steal weapons from police & military? Is it so bad that we need to install chips?

i saw in Z news that many J&K are willingly giving the weapons without resisting enough..Later they cry like baby to appear innocent.. i dont think there are any such weapon stealing cases with army..

 

[Indx TechStyle]

yes ,all they have to do is hook up transmitters in the arms which can be picked by Navik.. by this we can trace them in real time.. this task is so simple that they can hand over to some private cellular firm in India .. no need to disturb ISRO..DRDO for designing the jam proof tracker and Private firm for mass production..

ISRO is not only about to track them but spot their camps also.

 

[sorcerer]

Booming satellite business needs India's rockets


Like other big contractors, American space companies have long expected some friendly support from their government. And Uncle Sam has usually been more than happy to help. Sometimes, though, government help causes more harm than good.

Since 2005, US satellite manufacturers have been prohibited from hiring India's space agency to launch their equipment. Private American launch companies, such as SpaceX, are quite happy with this arrangement, which was intended to protect them. But the ban is not only wrong in principle -- it's actually impeding an exciting new American industry.

Last month, under pressure from satellite operators and manufacturers, US trade officials began reviewing the decade-old policy. They should heed the pressure and overturn it.

Emerging India may seem like an unlikely competitor for Silicon Valley rocket companies. Yet since 1969, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has consistently punched above its modest weight class, racking up a series of cheap and practical achievements. One of its most important feats was the development of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, which was designed to carry satellites for monitoring agriculture and water resources, among other things. What made the PSLV unique was that it was designed to launch small satellites. And that's a good niche to occupy at the moment.

Over the past few years, the small-satellite market has boomed as advances in miniaturization made space accessible to governments and companies that might never have considered it. The uses for such gear seem almost limitless, from shoebox-sized climate-monitoring devices to Samsung's plan to use thousands of micro-satellites to provide global internet access. Some $2.5 billion has been invested in the industry over the past decade.

But getting all those satellites into space is now proving to be a problem, and US policy is partly to blame.

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan's administration sought to protect nascent private launch companies from subsidized foreign competition by setting up Commercial Space Launch Agreements. The idea was simple: In exchange for the chance to put US satellites into space, foreign governments agreed to launch quotas and set fees. Both China and Russia signed such agreements. In 2005, India was asked to do the same. While the US waited for an answer (it was and continues to be "no"), it imposed an export moratorium on satellites for Indian launch.

The timing was no accident. In 2005, SpaceX was building its Falcon 1 rocket, which was designed to carry small satellites. The ban even came to be known as the "SpaceX Agreement." Problematically, though, the Falcon 1 had only one commercial launch before it was retired in 2009. At the time, the small satellite boom hadn't yet taken off, and SpaceX didn't believe there was a commercial justification for the rocket. (It's now scrambling to correct that mistake.)

Since then, no other US company has offered a rocket for small satellite launches (though some are reportedly in the works), even as demand has surged. That leaves American satellite companies with few options. The US Trade Representative has handed out occasional waivers from the moratorium. And a European government consortium now offers its own small satellite launch vehicle, for a hefty fee. But a far cheaper and more reliable option -- going to India -- remains off the table.

That's only hurting American companies, while sending the wrong message to India. Civilian space cooperation would benefit the economies of both countries, and restraining it to protect American companies -- which have had 10 years to come up with a competitive product -- can't be justified from a business or diplomatic standpoint. If the US government wants to help its space companies shoot for the stars, it should stop shooting itself in the foot.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...as-rockets/articleshow/55200159.cms?prtpage=1

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Booming satellite business needs India's rockets


Like other big contractors, American space companies have long expected some friendly support from their government. And Uncle Sam has usually been more than happy to help. Sometimes, though, government help causes more harm than good.

Since 2005, US satellite manufacturers have been prohibited from hiring India's space agency to launch their equipment. Private American launch companies, such as SpaceX, are quite happy with this arrangement, which was intended to protect them. But the ban is not only wrong in principle -- it's actually impeding an exciting new American industry.

Last month, under pressure from satellite operators and manufacturers, US trade officials began reviewing the decade-old policy. They should heed the pressure and overturn it.

Emerging India may seem like an unlikely competitor for Silicon Valley rocket companies. Yet since 1969, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has consistently punched above its modest weight class, racking up a series of cheap and practical achievements. One of its most important feats was the development of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, which was designed to carry satellites for monitoring agriculture and water resources, among other things. What made the PSLV unique was that it was designed to launch small satellites. And that's a good niche to occupy at the moment.

Over the past few years, the small-satellite market has boomed as advances in miniaturization made space accessible to governments and companies that might never have considered it. The uses for such gear seem almost limitless, from shoebox-sized climate-monitoring devices to Samsung's plan to use thousands of micro-satellites to provide global internet access. Some $2.5 billion has been invested in the industry over the past decade.

But getting all those satellites into space is now proving to be a problem, and US policy is partly to blame.

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan's administration sought to protect nascent private launch companies from subsidized foreign competition by setting up Commercial Space Launch Agreements. The idea was simple: In exchange for the chance to put US satellites into space, foreign governments agreed to launch quotas and set fees. Both China and Russia signed such agreements. In 2005, India was asked to do the same. While the US waited for an answer (it was and continues to be "no"), it imposed an export moratorium on satellites for Indian launch.

The timing was no accident. In 2005, SpaceX was building its Falcon 1 rocket, which was designed to carry small satellites. The ban even came to be known as the "SpaceX Agreement." Problematically, though, the Falcon 1 had only one commercial launch before it was retired in 2009. At the time, the small satellite boom hadn't yet taken off, and SpaceX didn't believe there was a commercial justification for the rocket. (It's now scrambling to correct that mistake.)

Since then, no other US company has offered a rocket for small satellite launches (though some are reportedly in the works), even as demand has surged. That leaves American satellite companies with few options. The US Trade Representative has handed out occasional waivers from the moratorium. And a European government consortium now offers its own small satellite launch vehicle, for a hefty fee. But a far cheaper and more reliable option -- going to India -- remains off the table.

That's only hurting American companies, while sending the wrong message to India. Civilian space cooperation would benefit the economies of both countries, and restraining it to protect American companies -- which have had 10 years to come up with a competitive product -- can't be justified from a business or diplomatic standpoint. If the US government wants to help its space companies shoot for the stars, it should stop shooting itself in the foot.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...as-rockets/articleshow/55200159.cms?prtpage=1

Already posted from the original Source.

Just like HSP, Lunar/Martian Program and Deep Space Exploration Program, this topic also deserves so possesses a dedicated thread for updates on all related developments.
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/threads/isros-low-cost-launch-service-irks-us-companies.76080/

 

[sorcerer]

Already posted from the original Source.

Just like HSP, Lunar/Martian Program and Deep Space Exploration Program, this topic also deserves so possesses a dedicated thread for updates on all related developments.
http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/threads/isros-low-cost-launch-service-irks-us-companies.76080/

okay!!.
Will be extra careful next time on posting at relevant thread

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Two injured, one critically, after fire breaks out at Sriharikota Space Centre

 

[PD_Solo]

http://swarajyamag.com/insta/launch...-that-shield-space-start-ups-from-competition