ISRO General News and Updates

[charlie]

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[Cutting Edge 2]

Indian Space Organisation Ensures Protection of Satellites From Space Debris

18:07 19.07.2017

Facing criticism for launching hundreds of micro satellites into the same orbit where India’s own Earth observation satellites are or will be, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that it has ensured the nano or micro satellites won’t collide with each other.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — In February and June this year, ISRO had launched 103 and 30 nano satellites into orbit from a single rocket, respectively. Antrix has earned 6.1 million Euro in foreign exchange by launching the 29 nano satellites.

"ISRO has taken measures to protect its operational satellites from space debris by carrying out collision avoidance studies for all launch vehicles of ISRO to clear lift-off time; and space object proximity analysis on a daily basis to assess close conjunction with other space objects, in particular, of those objects identified by Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)," Jitendra Singh, junior minister of the space department, said on Wednesday.

Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair had warned that launching foreign nano satellites into 500-km orbits may pose harm to the present and future Earth observation satellites close to their lanes.

India will soon come up with a National Space Act for supporting the overall growth of space activities with increased level of private participation.

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201707191055691277-india-space-protection-debris/

 

[Cutting Edge 2]

India Made Rs 45 Crore on ISRO’s Launch of 29 Nanosatellites on C38 Mission

https://thewire.in/159329/isro-pslv-c38-nanosatellites-antrix/

 

[Cutting Edge 2]

Upcoming ISRO missions

Replacement sat IRNSS-1H onboard PSLV in Aug 2017

GSAT-6A onboard GSLV in Sept 2017.

 

[Prashant12]

ISRO Earned Rs 610 Crore From Its Space Body Launches In 2016-2017


ISRO has earned Rs. 610 crore from its space body launches in 2016-2017, bringing it to a total of Rs. 1,157 crores from foreign launches in the last four years.

Antrix, the commercial wing of ISRO, had launched 29 nano satellites from 14 countries in June, creating history for itself. The space agency has launched 130 satellites in the first half on 2017 and all the satellites of the foreign countries have been small in size.

Launch vehicleBusiness Standard



The Chairman of ISRO, AS Kiran Kumar, is sure that the organization will be able to provide Antrix with two launch vehicles in the next few years. Currently, ISRO only sells the space available after launching India’s satellites.

Cartosat-2’s launch along with several foreign nano satellites have earned ISRO Rs. 45 crores. Foreign satellites belonged to USA, Lithuania, Austria, Chile, Belgium, France, Finland, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia and the UK.

Cartosat-2Business Standard


Antrix Chairman and MD, S Rakesh, said,

The revenue we earn through foreign satellite launches is only 10% to 20% on an average. About 80% of our revenue comes from other services, with transponder leasing and satellite communication business contributing the highest. A small percentage of revenue also comes from ground station services abroad.

Between 1990 and 2014, ISRO launched 14 foreign satellites and earned Rs. 484 crore. In 2015, Antrix earned Rs. 230 crore from its commercial launches. The US has now become a big customer for Antrix with its first commercial launch in 2015. There is a trade embargo which prohibits American commercial satellites to get launched from India rockets. Despite this, US has emerged as the largest customer for Antrix .

http://topyaps.com/isro-earned-rs-610-crores

 

[Kshatriya87]

Two moon missions find their way into ISRO's space agenda in early 2018!

The first one will be the Chandrayaan-2 mission, an advanced version of its previous 2018 mission with the objective of deeper lunar surface probe, and the second mission will be an initiative by Team Indus – a group of space enthusiasts that wants to unfurl the tricolour on the moon's surface as part of a global lunar competition.

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been setting benchmarks for its global counterparts and has gained a solid foothold in the space race.

After its last big launch of the Cartosat-2 series and 30 co-passenger satellites last month, ISRO has won the appreciation and admiration of people from around the world.

With its commendable space program, ISRO is being lauded across the globe as one of the pioneers in space, along with exemplaries like NASA, JAXA and Roscosmos.





Considered the new kid on the block in the multi-billion dollar world launcher market, aims to set an enviable benchmark for the space-fairing nations and the space agency's latest announcement will certainly ensure its leading position in the space race.

According to a report in the Times of India (TOI), ISRO has announced the launch of two lunar missions from Indian soil early next year.

The first one will be the Chandrayaan-2 mission, an advanced version of its previous 2018 mission with the objective of deeper lunar surface probe, and the second mission will be an initiative by Team Indus – a group of space enthusiasts that wants to unfurl the tricolour on the moon's surface as part of a global lunar competition.

Roping in investors like Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani and space experts such as former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan and many experienced old hands from the Indian space agency, Team Indus is leaving no stone unturned to achieve its goal.

Comprising mostly young engineers and led by IIT-Delhi alumnus Rahul Narayan, Team Indus is planning the mission as part of a global contest to win $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE, which requires the rover of a competing team to move 500 metres on the moon's surface and should be able to beam back high-definition images back to Earth.

Praising the aerospace startup, Nilekani told TOI, "Team Indus is pursuing a big hairy audacious goal. I invested in Team Indus as I believe in their audacious mission to reach and land on the moon."

Confirming the use of PSLV service for the Team Indus project, ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar told TOI, "Team Indus has signed an agreement with Antrix (ISRO's commercial arm) for using the launch service of PSLV."

Explaining the difference between the two missions, the ISRO chief said, "Both the missions are scientifically and technically totally different.

Even the instruments used in the two spacecrafts will be different. There is no question of any comparison." Kiran Kumar wished Team Indus "all the best for the mission", TOI reported.

While Team Indus is using the service of PSLV to take its 600-kg baby spacecraft to the lunar orbit, ISRO will use its heavylift rocket GSLV Mk II for the mission.

Dr K Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, told TOI, "Unlike the 2008 Chandrayaan-1 mission when PSLV rocket was used for carrying the spacecraft, this time ISRO is planning to take a heavier payload (combined launch mass: 3,250 kg) comprising orbiter, lander and rover to the moon. Therefore, GSLV Mk II is the preferred choice."

 

[sorcerer]

ISRO sows seeds of future interstellar missions

Remember the 2014 Oscar-winning sci-fi movie "Interstellar", where a group of volunteers travels across the galaxy in search of a new home for humanity? In real life, however, only five Nasa spacecraft have gone beyond the planets of our solar system. Interstellar missions (travelling between stars or planetary systems) remain only in the realms of possibility.

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) became part of a global project that will help bring star travel closer to reality, when its PSLV C38 rocket launched six prototypes of tiny interstellar spacecraft, or sprites, into low-earth orbit on June 23 this year.

The good news is that one of these six stamp-sized sprites, which weigh just 4gm and are 3.5cm long, has managed to establish contact with ground stations, becoming the smallest spacecraft ever to do so. It's being seen as a giant step in space technology, with the Isro launch sowing the seed of what could be future interstellar missions.

Isro sows seeds of future interstellar missions

Sprite will help explore deep space mysteries
The six interstellar spacecraft or sprites, launched, are part of an ambitious, multi-million dollar 'Breakthrough Starshot' research project being funded by Russian billionaire and tech investor Yuri Milner and supported by cosmologist Stephen Hawking.

Breakthrough Starshot aims to send a fleet of sprites to Alpha Centauri — our closest star system located about 4.37 light years away from the Earth. Each sprite, weighing just 4 gm, carries with it sensors, solar panels, radio equipment and computers on a single circuit board. The sensors on each circuit board will enable scientists to track their movement in space.

Though India's Cartosat-2 satellite was the main payload of the June 23 launch, the PSLV C38 carried with it 29 nano satellites from 14 countries. The six sprite prototypes piggybacked on Venta and Max Valier educational satellites (two of the 29 satellites).

While Venta-1 is a Latvian satellite built in collaboration with Germany, Max Valier is a nano satellite co-developed by teams of Germany and Italy. Another four sprites are still mounted on Max Valier and await deployment.

Confirming the development, Isro chairman A S Kiran Kumar said, "Venta-1 and Max Valier nano satellites (on which six sprites were mounted) were indeed launched by PSLV C38 on June 23."

Though currently only prototypes of interstellar spacecraft have been launched for preliminary tests, Breakthrough Starshot wants to use lasers to launch the sprites deep into space.

The sprites, once accelerated by laser, will reach up to 15% to 20% of the speed of light. Even with such great speeds, it will take over 20 years for a sprite to reach Alpha Centauri.

Once there, the sprites will capture images of the star and its planet Proxima b, and send images back to Earth. Scientists expect to launch thousands of sprites to study the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere, and this could become a reality within the next decade

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...nterstellar-missions/articleshow/59840167.cms

 

[Prashant12]

Isro's launch capacity will get boost with new facility at Sriharikota by year-end

NEW DELHI: The satellite launch capability of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will soon get a boost as the country's solitary launchpad centre at Sriharikota-based Satish Dhawan Space Centre will get a second vehicle assembly building by the end of this year.

Talking to TOI, Isro chairman A S Kiran Kumar said, "Because of just one vehicle assembly building, final assembling of components (stages of rockets) was a bottleneck. Therefore, the second vehicle assembly building is being constructed. The work on the building is nearly complete and by the end of this year, it will become operational. With the new assembly facility, we will be able to assemble parallelly the launch vehicle and bring it to existing two launchpads. It will thus help boost the launch capability of the Sriharikota centre."
On planning to build a third launchpad at Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR), a spindle-shaped island on the east coast of Andhra Pradesh, the Isro chairman said, "We have not reached the limit of two launchpads. With the new assembly facility, we will be able to assemble more vehicles. Once we are able to assemble more rockets but not able to launch them even by reducing launch timings, then we will start work on the third launchpad. But for that, we first need (government's) approval. So, we are gradually working to eliminate all bottlenecks to increase the frequency of launches." With the new facility, Isro can achieve launch 12 rockets in a year from the seven at present.

The Indian space agency has achieved several milestones in the first half of this year when it launched 104 satellites in one go on February 15, then the launch of the country's heaviest rocket GSLV Mk III on June 5 and thereafter the launch of 31 satellites, including with Cartosat-2 satellite, in one go on June 23 from Sriharikota. On missions planned in the second half of this year, the Isro chairman said, "We are trying for 3 to 4 launches by the year-end. The replacement satellite for the first navigational satellite IRNSS-1A will be launched by the end of this month." The need for replacing IRNSS-1A, which is one of the seven satellites constituting India's navigation system or desi GPS, was felt after three atomic clocks (meant to provide precise locational data) of the satellite stopped working.
On big missions early next year, Kiran Kumar said, "The launch of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and the second developmental flight of GSLV Mk III D2 is due in the first half of 2018."
With the increased frequency of foreign satellite launches, Isro can rake in big moolah. With Rs 230 crore earned through foreign satellite launches in 2015-16, Isro's existing share is just 0.6% of the global launch services market estimated to be worth Rs 38,000 crore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...harikota-by-year-end/articleshow/59890384.cms

 

[Why so serious?]

The time is right: India moves closer to a ‘desi’ GPS
Updated: August 4, 2017 23:27 IST | T V Jayan

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System can be used for accurate positional information services NIKOLAY ANTROPOV/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
ISRO inks pact with NPL to link navigational satellite system to Indian Standard Time
In a move that would give strategic advantage to the country, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday signed a pact with the New Delhi-based National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to use the “official time” provided by the latter for its indigenous global positioning system, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

Linking the IRNSS to high-precision atomic clocks maintained at NPL — the official timekeepers to the nation and a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) — would help ISRO end its dependence on the United States Naval Observatory (USNO) for time synchronisation. Moreover, this will bring down the error in time precision to less than 20 nanoseconds. One nanosecond is one-billionth of a second.

Currently, when IRNSS, which can be used for accurate positional information services, just like GPS or Russia’s GLONASS, tracks an event or location, it gives out time with respect to Coordinated Universal Time as per the time maintained by atomic clocks at the USNO.

“(There is) no way we can know what was the time with reference to Indian Standard Time,” said VV Srinivasan, Director of ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network, who signed the memorandum of understanding with CSIR-NPL director Dinesh Aswal. The deal with ISRO is expected to bring NPL an annual revenue of ₹1 crore or more, a source said.

×
High-precision time measurements are becoming increasingly important for different sectors of the economy. Smart grids for electricity distribution, for instance, need precise time synchronisation to avoid outages. Similarly, resolving cyber crimes would require the exact time of online fraud as million of transactions are done every second, the ISRO official said.

Tracking services
“Currently, we all use GPS for tracking and location services. GPS is not a NASA project, it is owned by the US Department of Defense. Anytime they can stop you from accessing GPS data. They have already done that in West Asia during the wars in the recent past,” another ISRO official present on the occasion said.

Linking to the IST would be strategically important as various government ministries and departments, including some strategic ones, and the public at large are expected to move to the IRNSS very soon, he said. The IRNSS became operational with ISRO launching seven navigational satellites last year

 

[Cutting Edge 2]

ISRO Develops Optical Imaging Detector Array for Hyperspectral Imaging Applications

Aug 08, 2017

ISRO is endeavouring to enter the domain of operational hyperspectral imaging from earth orbit. To find a suitable detector array for the proposed Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite’s (HySIS) payload in terms of performance and delivery schedule for meeting the project requirements, a detailed survey was conducted.

Vis-NIR Hyperspectral payload of HySIS satellite is a hyperspectral imaging sensor operating in the visible and near infrared regions of the electronmagnetic spectrum. This earth observing imaging spectrometer will operate in the 0.4 to 0.95µm spectral range, will have 55 spectral bands with 10 nanometre spectral sampling and 30 metre spatial sampling. Push-broom scanning mode is the operating mode of this sensor from a 630 km orbit.

Following the survey to find detector arrays, Vis-NIR Hyperspectral Imaging payload was originally conceptualised around a commercial off-the-shelf detector array developed by a foreign supplier. For the shortlisted detector array from that supplier, the pixel size, charge handling capacity and Signal-to-Noise ratio were not complying with the requirements.

So, these requirements were subsequently proposed to be met at the system level by employing the technique of ‘spatial and spectral signal binning’. But, following the recommendations during a prominent review, the payload team worked out a plan for indigenous development of a ‘Frame Transfer Charge Coupled Device’ (CCD 1000 X 66, 11µm x 26µm). In this regard, the Space Applications Centre (SAC) discussed the work breakdown and sharing structure with Semi Conductor Limited (SCL), Chandigarh, an autonomous body under the Department of Space, and the same was laid out between SAC and SCL team members.

As per the discussion, chip architecture (Fig.-1), device design,chip layout, and package design were carried out at SAC to meet project requirements with respect to spatial and temporal resolution, Dynamic Range, Modulation Transfer Function, Smear and spectral responsivity. 1000 X 66 pixels were designed to be readout, from both top and bottom directions, using four analog video ports to meet the frame rate requirement. Metal strapping was used for swiftly transferring integrated charges from image to storage region, in order to reduce image smear. Designs (both at chip and package levels) went through detailed review, before clearing for mask making and package fabrication, by a team consisting of members from SCL and SAC.

Wafer processing was completed at SCL with top priority. During wafer processing at SCL, the SAC team developed a test bench (Hardware, Firmware, and software for providing electro-optical stimuli) for electro-optical evaluation of the chip. Wafer level testing, assembly and packagingwere carried out at SCL. Few dies were packaged (Chip-on-board) at SCL for functionality verification.

The Chip on Board (COB) packages have successfully gone through functionality verification checks at SAC. Fig.-2, 3 and 4 are images of COB, test setup electronics, and EO test bench respectively. Raw images generated under normal laboratory illumination conditions at F#2, a focal length of 105mm, and an integration time of 30 milliseconds and acquired by the chip, are given in Fig.-5A through 5D.

Fig.-1 (FT CCD 1000 x 66, Chip Architecture)

Fig.-2 (Chip-on-board)

Fig.-3 (Test Setup Electronics)

Fig.-4 (E-O Characterization Testbench)

Fig.-5A (Image, RAW, captured by the chip)

Fig.-5B (Image, RAW, captured by the chip)

FIg.-5C (Image of Detector Characterization lab., RAW, captured by the chip)

Fig.-5D (Image of Detector Characterization lab., RAW, captured by the chip)



http://www.isro.gov.in/isro-develop...ctor-array-hyperspectral-imaging-applications

This breakthrough will give a huge boost to our indigenous imaging technologies such as remote sensing, surveillance, astronomy, etc. In future we may not even need to import sights for our drones and helis.

 

[Cutting Edge 2]

ISRO's Venus mission has been initially sanctioned with 10 lakh rupees. After completion of selection process of proposals more funds will be released along with detailed mission plan.

Based on initial plan from ISRO's AO, mission will be an orbiter only with 175Kg of payload (scientific). [MOM has payload of only 13.4Kg] Orbit will be elliptical about 500 to 60,000KM. Max available power would be 500W.

Timeline for the mission is post 2020.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/mbErel.aspx?relid=169829

 

[airtel]

Chandrayaan-2 launch likely next March
Aug 16, 2017, 12:46 am IST
Deccan Chronicle.

Science, Science

The capacity of the solid propellant plant in Shar is also being enhanced to facilitate launching of heavy satellites.

Nellore: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is gearing up to launch the Chandrayaan-2 Mission in March next year, director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shar, P. Kunhi Krishnan told media persons on the sidelines of the Independence Day celebrations at Sriharikota, on Tuesday.

Four rockets, including three Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) and one Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle will be launched before the end of this year. The first one, the PSLV-C39 with navigation satellite IRNSS-1H will be launched on July 31, 2018 from Shar.

Next PSLV missions likely in September
IRNSS-1H is meant to augment the existing seven satellites of the NavIC constellation, and is one among two spare satellites planned as part of NavIC.

The next two PSLV missions are likely to be in September and November and a communication satellite will go on board the GSLV before the end of this year.

Mr Krishnan also said that the construction of the 96-metre-tall second vehicle assembly building has been completed up to 82 metres and it should be ready within the next six months.

The capacity of the solid propellant plant in Shar is also being enhanced to facilitate launching of heavy satellites.

In addition to this, 29 new work stations will come up in Shar under the Augmentation of Solid Motor Production (ASMP) facilities project to increase the number of motors from the present six to 12 for PSLV and GSLV first stage.

This facility will also be used to produce a motor for the third stage of the PSLV.

A new PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) is being built one-and-a-half kilometres from the first launch pad to assemble the PSLV up to the fourth stage and move it to the first launch pad to increase the number of PSLV missions from the present six to 12 per annum.


http://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/...7/chandrayaan-2-launch-likely-next-march.html

 

[Gessler]

Does anyone have updates regarding Semi-Cryo engine developments?

@Indx TechStyle @gslv markIII @Anupu

 

[Kalki_2018]

ISRO's website only has 2 launches till end of 2017. IRNSS-11H on Aug 31 and GSAT-6A in Sept/Oct. Not sure what the other two are supposed to be.

 

[kurup]

PSLV Launch scheduled

BAY OF BENGAL AND INDIAN OCEAN (.)CHARTS 32 33 41 313 356 391 INT 70 71 (.)

PSLV LAUNCH SCHEDULED FROM 31 AUG – 02 SEP 17 BETWEEN 1200 - 1600 UTC FROM 13-43.2N 080-13.8E

2. DANGER ZONE AS FOLLOWS

ZONE -1: CIRCLE OF 10 NM AROUND LAUNCHER
ZONE–2: 13-30N 080-30E, 13-50N 080-35E, 13-35N 081-30E, 13-15N 081-25E
ZONE–3: 13-00N 082-10E, 13-30N 082-15E, 12-55N 084-05E, 12-25N 084-00E
ZONE–4: 12-20N 084-05E, 13-00N 084-15E, 12-45N 085-10E, 12-05N 085-00E
ZONE–5: 11-10N 088-25E, 11-45N 088-35E, 11-25N 089-40E, 10-50N 089-30E
ZONE–6: 09-05N 094-50E, 09-55N 095-05E, 09-35N 096-00E, 08-45N 095-45E
ZONE–7: 19-00S 134-00W, 17-00S 134-00W, 13-00S 112-00W, 07-30S 090- 00W, 09-30S 090-00W, 15-00S 112-00W

3. CANCEL THIS MSG 021700 UTC SEP 17

 

[Cutting Edge 2]

Preparations for August 31, 2017 PSLV-C39 launch.

Launch time: 18:59 Hrs from SDSC SHAR

IRNSS-1H

Loaded

Wings open

PSLV-C39

More

http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c39-irnss-1h-mission/pslv-c39-irnss-1h-mission-gallery

 

[gslv markIII]

PSLV Launch scheduled

Still alive ?

..............................................................................................................................................................

 

[kurup]

Still alive ?

..............................................................................................................................................................

Yup .... :biggrin2: ..... just busy with work .

 

[kurup]

PSLV Launch scheduled

BAY OF BENGAL AND INDIAN OCEAN (.)CHARTS 32 33 41 313 356 391 INT 70 71 (.)

PSLV LAUNCH SCHEDULED FROM 31 AUG – 02 SEP 17 BETWEEN 1200 - 1600 UTC FROM 13-43.2N 080-13.8E

2. DANGER ZONE AS FOLLOWS

ZONE -1: CIRCLE OF 10 NM AROUND LAUNCHER
ZONE–2: 13-30N 080-30E, 13-50N 080-35E, 13-35N 081-30E, 13-15N 081-25E
ZONE–3: 13-00N 082-10E, 13-30N 082-15E, 12-55N 084-05E, 12-25N 084-00E
ZONE–4: 12-20N 084-05E, 13-00N 084-15E, 12-45N 085-10E, 12-05N 085-00E
ZONE–5: 11-10N 088-25E, 11-45N 088-35E, 11-25N 089-40E, 10-50N 089-30E
ZONE–6: 09-05N 094-50E, 09-55N 095-05E, 09-35N 096-00E, 08-45N 095-45E
ZONE–7: 19-00S 134-00W, 17-00S 134-00W, 13-00S 112-00W, 07-30S 090- 00W, 09-30S 090-00W, 15-00S 112-00W

3. CANCEL THIS MSG 021700 UTC SEP 17

^^^^^^

Zone 7 , where the third stage falls into , is very close to South America .

 

[south block]

CE 20

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