ISRO General News and Updates

[Chinmoy]

4.
Space Act
The department is in the process of enacting a legislation to support overall growth of the space
activities in India with a higher order of participation of various agencies including public/ non-
governmental/private sector stake holders, in compliance with the obligations under international
treaties on space activities. The proposed legislation upon enactment through Parliament would
support the pursuance of space activities by various agencies in India including private sector and
start-up companies in aerospace sector, under due authorisation by the Central Government.

Now this is what I am talking about. Work needs to be done on this aspect.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

First of all, GOI is not going to fund a pure R&D based organization.

Their increments in budget sheerly disagree with you. Your entire point spins around assumption that GOI won't fund R&D and funds ISRO entirely for that ₹10 crore profit.

I said see their budget this year, last year, previous to that year and so on.

Saying that we would be 5 trillion USD economy by 2025 and so we could fund it is nothing more then wet dream as of now.

We don't need to be a five trillion economy to fund projects in our vision in next 10 years.

Even US of A didn't do it for NASA.

??
NASA is dependent upon ULA (privatized US launch vehicles on license) and individual launch companies. Leave alone launches, they even subcontract and even outsource new equipment to private companies.

Better don't give their example. US is a capitalist country and NASA has been doing such things since it's formative years. You will have a very hard time to support your point with West or Japan.

You won't be good with USSR/Russia or China either. Their space programs were decentralized in a state controlled neoliberal way since born.

ISRO would have to be commercially viable in one way or other to survive the bureaucracy of India.

AFAIK, ISRO was never a commercial agency and nor ever was threatened government to become profitable.

If we choose down the path to orient towards commercialisation, every single R&D project will have to be closed to attempt something stupid where there're no chances of success. Even if we get, even a few billion dollars are nothing significant. Without privatization and decentralization, ISRO's cap can't increase at first place.

Seriously, making profit is the job of some private company. ISRO is a state owned agency, supposed to work for state's biggest cause: Self sufficiency.

Now for ISRO there are two ways to remain commercially viable in space market. First by building satellites and second through commercial launch.

ISRO isn't supposed to be this.

Now satellite building is something where we have a upcoming market and in coming days there would be many entities who would be building satellites.

Already a lot exist in India, for past 10-15 years, they have been building components for ISRO, Indian private companies and foreign ones.

Where would ISRO stand then?

ISRO isn't in any competition with any private company to make satellites to generate revenue.

Privatization of one more thing actually will be good if it lightens load of government and adds a new sector to economy to generate more GDP. It will even be better if these companies could provide payloads for ISRO's research spacecraft.

On second point, having a viable robust launching ecosystem like ISRO would be a distant dream for any other private company.

ISRO is building launchpads for them itself and will not be launching PSLV and SSLV on own.
A number ex-ISRO scientists have opened companies and designed launch vehicles.

Within next 10 years, ISRO will take care of large satellites and research probes while Indian private companies will steal entire global small satellite market (if launchers are successful).

Setting up of different agencies for specific functionality brings its associated problem in case of India.

India's case lies with past expertise and not management itself. Here, we got this expertise. And as long as these are ISRO and IIA who have to decide what aspect of space exploration is to be done, there is no problem.

They can use other agencies like customer. They would be free of pressure of commercial launches too which other agencies will be doing monthly and hopefully on weekly basis too.

Tomorrow any Tom Dick or Harry would question the budget allocation to ISRO just for R&D purpose if it looses its commercial sheen.

ISRO's R&D isn't the paper type that would receive questions. It includes deployment of space stations, exploration probes and development of new techs. It obviously takes hundreds and thousands of crores. Only scam allegation we heard of raised eyes due to its commercial nature.
Governments should never be involved in business.

IIA meanwhile which is supposed to archive Indian astronomy is brutally underfunded will get attention too ones ISRO is independent.

Now this is what I am talking about. Work needs to be done on this aspect.

So, what did you expect.

We are supposed to leave some new company officials in corridor with hammers and sheet and ask them to make launch systems. Everyone is getting training to create an eco-system.

 

[Chinmoy]

Their increments in budget sheerly disagree with you. Your entire point spins around assumption that GOI won't fund R&D and funds ISRO entirely for that ₹10 crore profit.

I said see their budget this year, last year, previous to that year and so on.

We don't need to be a five trillion economy to fund projects in our vision in next 10 years.

??
NASA is dependent upon ULA (privatized US launch vehicles on license) and individual launch companies. Leave alone launches, they even subcontract and even outsource new equipment to private companies.

Better don't give their example. US is a capitalist country and NASA has been doing such things since it's formative years. You will have a very hard time to support your point with West or Japan.

You won't be good with USSR/Russia or China either. Their space programs were decentralized in a state controlled neoliberal way since born.

AFAIK, ISRO was never a commercial agency and nor ever was threatened government to become profitable.

If we choose down the path to orient towards commercialisation, every single R&D project will have to be closed to attempt something stupid where there're no chances of success. Even if we get, even a few billion dollars are nothing significant. Without privatization and decentralization, ISRO's cap can't increase at first place.

Seriously, making profit is the job of some private company. ISRO is a state owned agency, supposed to work for state's biggest cause: Self sufficiency.

ISRO isn't supposed to be this.

Already a lot exist in India, for past 10-15 years, they have been building components for ISRO, Indian private companies and foreign ones.


ISRO isn't in any competition with any private company to make satellites to generate revenue.

Privatization of one more thing actually will be good if it lightens load of government and adds a new sector to economy to generate more GDP. It will even be better if these companies could provide payloads for ISRO's research spacecraft.

ISRO is building launchpads for them itself and will not be launching PSLV and SSLV on own.
A number ex-ISRO scientists have opened companies and designed launch vehicles.

Within next 10 years, ISRO will take care of large satellites and research probes while Indian private companies will steal entire global small satellite market (if launchers are successful).

India's case lies with past expertise and not management itself. Here, we got this expertise. And as long as these are ISRO and IIA who have to decide what aspect of space exploration is to be done, there is no problem.

They can use other agencies like customer. They would be free of pressure of commercial launches too which other agencies will be doing monthly and hopefully on weekly basis too.

ISRO's R&D isn't the paper type that would receive questions. It includes deployment of space stations, exploration probes and development of new techs. It obviously takes hundreds and thousands of crores. Only scam allegation we heard of raised eyes due to its commercial nature.
Governments should never be involved in business.

IIA meanwhile which is supposed to archive Indian astronomy is brutally underfunded will get attention too ones ISRO is independent.

So, what did you expect.

We are supposed to leave some new company officials in corridor with hammers and sheet and ask them to make launch systems. Everyone is getting training to create an eco-system.

Buddy.............. ISRO as of now is getting funds only because it is the sole space agency. Bring couple of more agencies and its budget would be f****d up by bureaucratic red tape.

On your point that ISRO was neither created nor supposed to be concerned with commercial aspect, I do agree. But why then create something like Antrix in ISRO?

On decentralized Russian space agency,

The Soviet space program did not have central executive agencies. Instead, its organizational architecture was multi-centered; it was the design bureaus and the council of designers that had the most say, not the political leadership. The creation of a central agency after the separation of Russia from the Soviet Union was therefore a new development. The Russian Space Agency was formed on February 25, 1992, by a decree of President Yeltsin. Yuri Koptev, who had previously worked with designing Mars landers at NPO Lavochkin, became the agency's first director.[5]

In the early years, the agency suffered from lack of authority as the powerful design bureaus fought to protect their own spheres of operation and to survive. For example, the decision to keep Mir in operation beyond 1999 was not taken by the agency; instead, it was made by the private shareholder board of the Energia design bureau. Another example is that the decision to develop the new Angara rocket was rather a function of Khrunichev's ability to attract resources than a conscious long-term decision by the agency.[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscosmos

So much for decentralization.

On Chinese front,

CNSA assumes the following main responsibilities: signing governmental agreements in the space area on behalf of organizations, inter-governmental scientific and technical exchanges; and also being in charge of the enforcement of national space policies and managing the national space science, technology and industry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_National_Space_Administration

I think it is same as that of ISRO.


In India, governmental agencies are not being setup for economic benefit to start with, but most of those agencies become useless or basically dormant due to lack of budget. Only those agencies which could economically keep themselves relevant survives in long run.

Make ISRO an umbrella organization for every space related R&D and activity. Create labs, public & private, under it and create ways to make it economically viable. A huge organization which can't earn is a liability in long run. We have many such BIMARU example lying around us here.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

ISRO as of now is getting funds only because it is the sole space agency.

No, it's getting increment in funds for executing space exploration projects. Gaganyaan, space telescopes and extraterrestrial probes. I don't see any commercial milestone in sight that would require an instant excess investment of ₹3,000 suddenly.

On your point that ISRO was neither created nor supposed to be concerned with commercial aspect, I do agree. But why then create something like Antrix in ISRO?

To create a commercial wing to add to economy in future. It's a secondary aim and never stands chance against the aim ISRO was created for.

Moreover, ISRO can never serve as an commercial agency and shouldn't even try it doesn't want to kill existing stream.

Government has realized it after failed attempts for a decade.

On decentralized Russian space agency,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscosmos

So much for decentralization.

Soviet space program didn't have a main coordinator unlike DoS.

On Chinese front,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_National_Space_Administration

I think it is same as that of ISRO.

CNSA is Chinese equivalent of DoS, not ISRO and was created in 1993, much later than ISRO. Even back then Chinese space program was growing when CNSA didnt exist. Multiple institutions were testing their own satellites and rockets, a complete ecosystem that didn't malfunction unlike USSR.

Now, CNSA coordinates and gets it's exploration goals, launch systems and satellites from various academies and subcontracting commercial work to private companies.

There is simply no justification for this commercial cause for agency because it doesn't serve a state controlled agency at first place. It's a complete waste of resources and time supposed to make new technologies.

 

[Akula]

Ardee Engineering supplies Mobile launch pad to Isro
https://www.thehindubusinessline.co...e-launch-pedestal-to-isro/article30843943.ece
Pictures of MLP
https://imgur.com/a/OMycj05

 

[chewi]

According to unofficial sources, GISAT-1 launch postponed again — from March 5 to March 15.

 

[Akula]

According to unofficial sources, GISAT-1 launch postponed again — from March 5 to March 15.

The GISAT-1 was scheduled to be launched in December 19 but the launch got postponed to January. Than again got postponed to February and again to March. Except Ariane launch we haven't launched a single rocket till now from India. Looks like every project is going to be launched in end of the year. ISRO itself is not following it's own timelines.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

ISRO itself is not following it's own timelines.

It has to operationalize a new launch vehicles, has 3 urgent commercial missions, has to make two extraterrestrial probes, have to launch 4 communications satellites, test an unmanned crew module and conduct rendezvous space docking with same manpower.

 

[Chinmoy]

No, it's getting increment in funds for executing space exploration projects. Gaganyaan, space telescopes and extraterrestrial probes. I don't see any commercial milestone in sight that would require an instant excess investment of ₹3,000 suddenly.

To create a commercial wing to add to economy in future. It's a secondary aim and never stands chance against the aim ISRO was created for.

Moreover, ISRO can never serve as an commercial agency and shouldn't even try it doesn't want to kill existing stream.

Government has realized it after failed attempts for a decade.

Soviet space program didn't have a main coordinator unlike DoS.

CNSA is Chinese equivalent of DoS, not ISRO and was created in 1993, much later than ISRO. Even back then Chinese space program was growing when CNSA didnt exist. Multiple institutions were testing their own satellites and rockets, a complete ecosystem that didn't malfunction unlike USSR.

Now, CNSA coordinates and gets it's exploration goals, launch systems and satellites from various academies and subcontracting commercial work to private companies.

There is simply no justification for this commercial cause for agency because it doesn't serve a state controlled agency at first place. It's a complete waste of resources and time supposed to make new technologies.

Just tell me one thing...... Why talk about decentralization of ISRO?

Commercialization comes secondary, agreed. But in course of time, you have to do it to sustain yourself. Its not about killing the existing stream, its about diversifying your field. Giving impetus to commercialization would kill you and this Decentralization is going to do the same.

Anyway, leave it......... Just tell me why they are talking about Decentralization?

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Why talk about decentralization of ISRO?

Agency is overloaded simply. The staff supposed to brainstorm each other about new projects, scan international locations for ISTRAC stations, explore applications new discoveries isn't supposed to listen quarrels of companies to give judgements as arbitration committees, engineers running behind workers as supervisors in launch vehicle factories for same launch vehicles and satellites they have been making for decades, keeping a track of national communication systems and see that telecom providers have sufficient bands. They themselves engage with customers and waste their launch windows, put projects on long holds for launching foreign satellites. What do you think ISRO chairmen have to engage with most of time?

They moreover get caught up in scams like Nair which hurts organization's reputation.

These things aren't a good sort of authorities given to ISRO but additional responsibilities which don't serve it's cause.

PS except one or two hundred million dollars for commercial launch, none of these additional jobs consume much budget. They only occupy time and manpower.

But in course of time, you have to do it to sustain yourself.

It's the private firms those are supposed to sustain themselves. ISRO isn't an independent agency and it needs government not commercial revenue to sustain itself.

In case of a budget crunch for space research (neither been in past two decades nor in sight in foreseeable future), government will immediately drain money from DoS even what they earned. So, it's stupid believe that any government agency can sustain itself without government.

And I've told you hundreds of times, ISRO's commercial revenue isn't even anywhere near a pocket money, leave alone sustaining agency.

We aren't a communist state to care more about a nearly dead commercial revenue than a waiting market.

ISRO's commercial revenue is too little to bother about (by ISRO itself) and ignoring the rise of private space sector around world what could be next hope for Indian economy, is suicidal.

Sooner you realise it, better for you.

 

[Assassin 2.0]

A Deep Dive Into ISRO’s Reusable Laun

ch Vehicle gies Required for RLV

A Deep Dive Into ISRO’s Reusable Launch Systems.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has long sought to lower the cost of access to space. In keeping with this goal, ISRO embarked on the Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD) Program more than decade ago. As part of the RLV-TD program, it has been developing various technologies that will serve as building blocks for a future Two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) reusable launch vehicle. Importantly, these technologies are being developed in phases through a series of experimental flights. While the first flight of the RLV-TD, dubbed the ‘hypersonic flight experiment’ (HEX), was successfully executed on May 23, 2016, the stage is now set for the return flight experiment (REX) and scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX) missions, respectively. LEX, in particular, is expected to be performed in the coming months.

Overall, the RLV -TD program aims to develop:

1. Hypersonic aero-thermodynamic design validation of winged-body vehicle

2. Evaluation of autonomous navigation, guidance, control and integrated flight management for said vehicle

3. Necessary infrastructure for design, analysis, simulation and testing for winged RLVs

4. Design and experimental flight experience of such vehicles with Thermal Protection Systems (TPS), hot structures, control surfaces and Reaction Control Systems (RCS)






Figure 1: RLV-TD Vehicle Configuration

As such, HEX has already served to validate autonomous navigation, guidance and control (NGC), while also proving vehicle aerodynamics, thermal protection and mission management systems. Future RLV-TD flights will seek to validate landing and propulsion-related technologies in order to serve as a test-bed for a follow-on programme that aims to develop a much larger RLV. This RLV will feature a SC 500 semi-cryogenic engine as well as a cryogenic CE 50 engine giving it a semi-cryo fly-back booster and a cryogenic orbiter. It is expected to have the capacity of putting a payload of 10 tonnes (T) into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Let us now take a deeper dive into the aerodynamic and thermal protection-related technologies developed as part of the RLV-TD programme and the challenges overcome therein. We will look at the development of sensing and guidance technologies related to the RLV-TD programme in a subsequent piece.







The challenges faced by ISRO in the RLV-TD program are highlighted in




Figure 3: New Systems Challenges



Aerodynamics
The RLV-TD has a blunt ogive forebody followed by a D-section fuselage. The D-shaped portion was designed to ease application of Thermal Protection System (TPS) and to have a low-blended wing configuration to lower aerodynamic heating. The vehicle has a drooped nose to cater to visibility requirements making it easier to develop manned versions of the same design in the future. Initial designs which featured a single vertical tail were discarded due to a lack of rudder authority at high angle of attack (AoA) during the re-entry phase. A twin-canted vertical tail airfoil of double-wedge type with maximum thickness at 60 percent of chord was chosen which also doubles up as speed brakes and helps in pitch trimming(ruddervator). Flight control logic for pitch and roll-axes was complex due to twin canted tail rudders. The CSIR-NAL team which developed the control laws for the LCA Tejas provided assistance to the program.

The double-delta wing has an 80 leading edge strake angle and a 45 main wing leading edge angle. This delays the wing stall and reduces the centre of pressure movement over the operating range of Mach numbers. The wing has an aspect ratio of 2.16, 3 dihedral angle (wing tip section is at a higher level than the wing root section) and wingspan of 0.55 times the vehicle length. 12 reaction control system (RCS) thrusters were used for three-axis control during low dynamic pressure conditions. The pitch RCS thrusters were placed in the top and bottom surfaces of the aft fuselage, the yaw RCS thrusters were placed at the aft fuselage side panels and the roll RCS thrusters were placed in the top and bottom surfaces of the wing.

A solid booster had to be developed for HEX, since neither PSLV nor GSLV flights were available for this mission. This also meant, that unlike other countries which flew their vehicles within a launch vehicle payload shroud, RLV-TD had to be out in the open leading to aerodynamic challenges. A satellite along with ICGS Sagar & ICGS Samudra were employed for continuous telemetry during the mission. Validation of the aerodynamic design and ground based aerodynamic data generation procedure was one of the objectives of this Hypersonic Experiment (HEX) mission. In-house CFD software was one of the main sources of design and data generation apart from wind tunnel testing and application of engineering methods. Pressure measurements were made in the flight configuration over the fuselage, wing, vertical tail and rudder to carry out post-flight comparison.




Figure 4: RLV-TD Dimensions




Figure 5: Aerodynamics






Figure 6: Altitude, Speed Charts



Thermal Protection Systems



Figure 7: Thermal Protection Systems

The airframe of the RLV is made from Aluminium. Naturally, high speeds during re-entry of the vehicle into the Earth’s atmosphere results in extremely high temperatures on the surface of the RLV. This necessitates use of materials capable of withstanding such temperatures to protect the vehicle.








Figure 8: Thermal Challenges

Curvatures on the body of the RLV-TD necessitate the use of flexible thermal protection systems (TPS). The Aerothermal Simulation and Testing Division (ASTD) of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram for RLV-TD HEX mission decided to use flexible external insulation (FEI), which has silica-cloth layers on either side with Cerablanket felt (density 128 kg/m3) sandwiched and stitched together using quartz thread (thickness of FEI is 15 mm). TPS system-design is required to generate the desired temperature gradient at the backwall by developing a configuration of FEI having a ceramic surface layer coating with high-emissivity and low-absorptivity.




Figure 9: Thermal Protection Systems

Developing a binder that would help in utilising Silica for protection was a challenge. In-house efforts were made to select a suitable silica binder for this purpose and blankets with protection material were tested at NAL, Bengaluru followed by further testing using a non-destructive technique (NDT) method in VSSC. A room-temperature curable silica-based ceramic coating was developed which is compatible with silica or/and quartz fabric. The coating can be applied over FEI blankets either by spraying or brushing with minimum weight gain. Incidentally, this coating withstood a maximum heat flux of 4.8 W/cm2 during the KHS test.




Figure 10: Thermal Protection Systems- Silica Tiles



Landing Experiment
The first test HEX validated the design and mission requirements. The subsequent landing experiment test is to validate autonomous landing. Landing is the critical phase of any winged body’s mission. The test will validate safe deployment of landing gear at the right time, aerodynamic design of the RLV-TD in close proximity to the ground, flight path selection and control laws implementation for flight control. The RLV-TD will be carried by a Mi-26 helicopter and then dropped to perform this test. Studies have been carried out to understand effect of rotor downwash as well as influence of ground effect during landing. The landing gear was supplied by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The experiment will utilise the runway at Challakere Aeronautical Test Range, Karnataka. Following the landing experiment, an orbital insertion followed by de-orbital and landing and scramjet engine integration are planned.

Some of the above information and images were obtained from papers published in academic journals by ISRO.






© Delhi Defence Review. Reproducing this content in full without permission is prohibited

 

[Assassin 2.0]

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

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Amazonia-1 for September this year.
http://www.inpe.br/noticias/noticia.php?Cod_Noticia=5358

 

[Chinmoy]

Agency is overloaded simply. The staff supposed to brainstorm each other about new projects, scan international locations for ISTRAC stations, explore applications new discoveries isn't supposed to listen quarrels of companies to give judgements as arbitration committees, engineers running behind workers as supervisors in launch vehicle factories for same launch vehicles and satellites they have been making for decades, keeping a track of national communication systems and see that telecom providers have sufficient bands. They themselves engage with customers and waste their launch windows, put projects on long holds for launching foreign satellites. What do you think ISRO chairmen have to engage with most of time?

They moreover get caught up in scams like Nair which hurts organization's reputation.

These things aren't a good sort of authorities given to ISRO but additional responsibilities which don't serve it's cause.

PS except one or two hundred million dollars for commercial launch, none of these additional jobs consume much budget. They only occupy time and manpower.

It's the private firms those are supposed to sustain themselves. ISRO isn't an independent agency and it needs government not commercial revenue to sustain itself.

In case of a budget crunch for space research (neither been in past two decades nor in sight in foreseeable future), government will immediately drain money from DoS even what they earned. So, it's stupid believe that any government agency can sustain itself without government.

And I've told you hundreds of times, ISRO's commercial revenue isn't even anywhere near a pocket money, leave alone sustaining agency.

We aren't a communist state to care more about a nearly dead commercial revenue than a waiting market.

ISRO's commercial revenue is too little to bother about (by ISRO itself) and ignoring the rise of private space sector around world what could be next hope for Indian economy, is suicidal.

Sooner you realise it, better for you.

Did ISRO ever complained about being over worked?
Is it effecting its current performance in any way?

We all know the answer to this two questions. Now why the DECENTRALIZATION concept cropped up? ISRO has just shown interest in privatizing the launching sequence and manufacturing of vehicles. This could be done without decentralizing ISRO. Then why the concept of DECENTRALIZATION cropped up?

Before answering this, lets look at the commercial aspect of ISRO which according to you is not much of a priority. Now if its not of priority, then why instead of going along with Antrix, why NSIL got set up? Government should have carried on with Antrix.

Now coming to the point of DECENTRALIZATION, its more about bureaucratic control of ISRO rather then growth of ISRO. DOS is being headed by Dr Sivan, a technocrat instead of a bureaucrat. Its more about gaining bureaucratic control over the budget provided to ISRO which doesn't come under any ministry where the top position is occupied by any IAS or IFS or any babu.

Regarding the last point,

NSIL was set up to meet the ever-increasing demands of Indian space programme and to commercially exploit the emerging global space market. The emergence of NSIL would spur the growth of Indian industries in the space sector and enable Indian industries to scale up manufacturing and production base.

https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=192201

So I think government and I am on same page here.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Did ISRO ever complained about being over worked?

What kind of stupid response is this?

Is it effecting its current performance in any way?

Haven't I written tonnes about it already?

You know why Gaganyaan's timeline jumped 2 years later and Aditya L1 postponed even recently.

We all know the answer to this two questions. Now why the DECENTRALIZATION concept cropped up? ISRO has just shown interest in privatizing the launching sequence and manufacturing of vehicles. This could be done without decentralizing ISRO. Then why the concept of DECENTRALIZATION cropped up?

Decentralization is for taking care of launch authority and manufacturing within state controlled organization, privatization is for hastening manufacturing itself. Both don't necessarily relate to each other.

Before answering this, lets look at the commercial aspect of ISRO which according to you is not much of a priority. Now if its not of priority, then why instead of going along with Antrix, why NSIL got set up? Government should have carried on with Antrix.

Ever heard of 2G spectrum scam?
Antrix can't continue full scale operations anymore legally.
https://www.firstpost.com/business/...-to-help-you-understand-the-deal-2918312.html

https://m.economictimes.com/news/po...-on-devas-multimedia/articleshow/67798365.cms

NSIL takes care of operations of Antrix too and Antrix too could be used as technology incubator if needed.

Now coming to the point of DECENTRALIZATION, its more about bureaucratic control of ISRO rather then growth of ISRO. DOS is being headed by Dr Sivan, a technocrat instead of a bureaucrat. Its more about gaining bureaucratic control over the budget provided to ISRO which doesn't come under any ministry where the top position is occupied by any IAS or IFS or any babu.

DOS and DAE aren't ran by babus. The main executive of DoS too will be a scientist.

Regarding the last point,

https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=192201

So I think government and I am on same page here.

What kind of coincidence of your "pages".

It's true that government has been trying to incubate space technology into private sector to get ISRO out of commercial work. It just confirmed that.

For decentralization, this source doesn't negate and isn't even remotely related.

 

[Akula]

Check out @isro’s Tweet: ..........................

This time Gslvmk2 is having a ogive shape payload fairing similar to Gslvmk3's.

 

[G10]

That Von karman profile is the most efficient for rockets. Its a common knowlege in us for a long time. Don’t know why isro took that long.

 

[fire starter]

ISRO X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPOSAT) MISSION

XPoSat is an Indian dedicated mission to study X-ray polarization of bright astronomical sources in medium energy band and long duration spectroscopic observation in soft energy X-ray band. The mission will help to understand the emission mechanism from a variety of X-ray sources. The spacecraft will be carrying two scientific payloads and is planned to be placed in a low inclination orbit. The mission will be launched in the year 2020.

The primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) of astronomical sources in the medium X-ray energy of 8-30 keV photons. The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will give spectroscopic information of soft X-rays in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV. The payloads and various subsystems hardware of XPoSat satellite are at different stages of development to meet the launch schedule.

 

[fire starter]

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

 

[sorcerer]

LV ready for the launch.

Launch called of cuz of technical stuff