ISRO General News and Updates

[Indx TechStyle]

India’s Dream Space Vehicle RLV to hit the space sooner than planned




ISRO details its plans to unveil Dream Space Vehicle RLV
Encouraged and enthused by the success of the “test flight” of the Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) held at Satish Dhavan Space Centre, Sreeharikotta on May 23, 2016, scientists and engineers of Indian Space Research Organisation have decided to go ahead with the next mission sooner than that was decided earlier. The RLV technology has become a game changer of the country’s space research as the team which developed the vehicle ‘hit the bull’s eye’ with the first test flight itself, according to Shyam Mohan, project director, Team RLV.

Shyam Mohan, an aero- space specialist, told PGurus that the RLV-TD worked as per the “story board” scripted by the team members. “The next stage in the development of the reusable vehicle was to conduct another test and make the vehicle land on a pre-determined spot like a specially developed runway akin to an airport. We may need a runway of 3.5 length and were planning to construct one at Satish Dhavan Space Centre at Sriharikotta itself. But chances are that we may go ahead with the second test fight of the RLV and use one of the existing runways in the country,” said Shyam Mohan, who has a masters in engineering (IIT Madras) and Ph D from IIT Bombay.

What made ISRO to speed up the second ‘test flight’ of the RLV was the performance of the RLV-TD flown on May 23 which worked as per the “script”prepared by Shyam Mohan and team. “This is a rare feat. The mission which lasted for 200 seconds was a flawless operation as per the analysis held by us during the last couple of weeks,” said Shyam Mohan.

The winged rocket (that’s how Shyam Mohan describes RLV) had a length of 6.5 meters and had a wingspan of 3.6 meters. It weighed 1665 kg. “An HS-9 booster rocket powered by solid propellant was used to take the RLV to a pre-determined height. The RLV-TD was integrated to the booster rocket and the taking off looked like the vertical take- off of an aircraft . The booster rocket fired for almost 92 seconds and it took the RLV to a height of 30.2 km. Once the booster rocket completed the burning at the end of the 92 seconds, the RLV blasted off from that point at a speed which was more than 5 Mach (more than five times the speed of sound, in a lay man’s language),” explained Shyam Mohan and R Purushothaman Nair, one of his colleagues.

The RLV flew for 90 seconds at a speed of 5 Mach and when it reached a height of 65.39 km, the speed was decelerated as per the command given from the control room and it started its downward journey, described by Shyam Mohan as the most crucial phase of the mission. “We brought down the speed of the RLV from Mach 5 to that of an ordinary aircraft. When it entered the earth’s surface, the speed was a mere 121.4 meter per second,.” Said Shyam Mohan.

The RLV entered the earth’s orbit as per the instructions and guidance issued by the control cum guidance system of Team RLV-TD. “It landed at a spot 420 km east of Bay of Bengal and the landing was similar to that of an ordinary aircraft. This encouraged us and we are going ahead with the second mission and you will be able to see the next RLV landing on one of the runways in the country. All we need is a 2.5 km long runway,” said Shyam Mohan.

The May 23 experiment was the culmination of 11 years of perseverance and industrious work by Shyam Mohan and colleagues. “It all started in 2004 with the then space commission chairman G Madhavan Nair giving the go ahead for the RLV project. We could convince him that the satellite launch expenses could be brought down to unbelievable rates. Presently, 90 per cent of each launch is to develop the launch vehicle which burns up at the end of each launch. The fuel and other components cost hardly 10 per cent of the launch. Once the RLV becomes fully operational, we can bring down the launch bill and more and more countries will approach us for launching the spacecraft developed by them,” said Shyam Mohan.

Madhavan Nair said the RLV would have become fully operational by this time had the ISRO went ahead with mission with urgency. “But there was a lull after 2009 and many projects were put into the back burner by my successor. If one checks the number of space missions undertook by ISRO during this period you can understand it. We still lag behind by almost six years. But Shyam and his team has done a wonderful job,” said Nair.

https://www.pgurus.com/indias-dream-space-vehicle-rlv-hit-space-sooner-planned/

@pmaitra @LETHALFORCE
@Prashant12 has himself has posted this article in related thread. I don't think we need to keep duplicate post

 

[Akask kumar]

http://www.defencenews.in/article/Russia-formally-welcomes-Indias-MTCR-membership-6598

India-Russia cooperation in space and missile program and other high technology items are expected to grow following India's accession to MTCR. Supersonic missile Brahmos -- Indo-Russian joint collaboration -- could now be easy for Delhi to export following MTCR membership.

@Indx TechStyle

 

[Indx TechStyle]

http://www.defencenews.in/article/Russia-formally-welcomes-Indias-MTCR-membership-6598



@Indx TechStyle

India will be redesigning Soyuz, will get Astronauts trained and probably access to RD-180.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Deferred GSAT-18 awaits October launch at Kourou
I wish they operationalize GSLV Mk3 as soon as possible so that we may hear reverse news that India is launching foreign communication satellites.

 

[Yumdoot]

That above looks like a pretty strangely done wing. Radical I would say. I wasn't expecting that many curves on it.

Ok got it Mach 5 design. But if things are that maneuverable for Mach-5 vehicles then the future is going to be interesting for Brahmos-2 types too. heh heh

https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/oct...of-former-space-shuttle-hangars/#.V4Mtdvl97cc

and

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-060-DFRC.html

 

[Indx TechStyle]

@Akask kumar BTW, Mr Akask, the corporation between India and Russia isn't at large scale of which you are proving.
It just exists, India even corporates with Pakistan to a small scale in space.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Story of the Week - Indian Space Research Organization
MOU Signed Between ISRO and MoRD for geo-tagging the assets of MGNREGA

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) enacted in 2005, aims to enhance livelihood security of rural people by guaranteeing 100 days of wages in a financial year for adults willing to take up unskilled manual work. This initiative is unique of its kind across the globe in poverty alleviation. Around 30 lakh (3 million) assets are created annually across the country under the rural job scheme, which involves water harvesting, drought relief and flood control as preferred activities. Convergence with other schemes necessitates further transparency in database creation of MGNREGA assets.

Hon’ble Prime Minister during a review meeting had underlined for online recording and monitoring of assets to check leakages and for effective mapping of terrain for future developmental works. In view of such a mammoth scale envisaged, a systematic procedure is embarked upon for the creation of a database on these assets. The approach adopts technological interventions in terms of using mobile based geo-tagging and a Geographical Information System (GIS) based information system.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Rural Development (DoRD), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), New Delhi and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO, Hyderabad, for geo-tagging of the assets created under MGNREGA, on June 24, 2016. NRSC will be developing the geo-spatial solutions on Bhuvan Geo-portal and also the mobile based geo-tagging applications for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme. The entire implementation is planned in three phases and the memorandum addresses the first phase of implementation. Next phases aim to enable citizen based reporting as well as national level MGNREGA planning framework using geo-information.

Geo-tagging exercise is a national level initiative involving linking ISRO-Bhuvan with "NREGA-Soft" interface operated under DoRD by National Informatics Centre (NIC). This has to be established within a very limited time-line, which will enable access to all state implementing departments. Database of completed assets residing on "NREGA-Soft" will be pushed to Bhuvan, which in turn will be served to each data collector under Gram Panchayats. Collected data will be moderated for quality level through approved authorities at block level to ensure the precise information for online visualization. Bhuvan can facilitate a complete geographic information storage, retrieval, analysis and reporting for completed assets, with a high resolution backdrop of Indian Remote sensing Satellite (IRS) natural color images. DoRD and NRSC are closely working out the modalities of design, integration and roll out based on intensive schedules seeking compliance of high rigor.

More…

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Story of the Week - Archive
Jul 09, 2016 : MOU Signed Between ISRO and MoRD for geo-tagging the assets of MGNREGA
Jul 04, 2016 : Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas released
Jun 27, 2016 : PSLV Upper Stage Engines (PS4) successfully restarted in space
Jun 19, 2016 : Indian First Communication Satellite – APPLE
Jun 13, 2016 : MOM successfully came out of ‘whiteout’ Phase
Jun 06, 2016 : Mosaic of Martian North Pole and Ice Cap from MOM
May 30, 2016 : Indigenously developed Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar at Cherrapunjee dedicated to Nation by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India

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[Akask kumar]

@Akask kumar BTW, Mr Akask, the corporation between India and Russia isn't at large scale of which you are proving.
It just exists, India even corporates with Pakistan to a small scale in space.

really pakistan?? new info for me.. ya it isnt at large scale with russia , i was saying it will grow & will become large scale in future,Cost & tech are two things that compels an org to collaborate ..
You might have heard about Cassini probe.. why NASA didnt do it all alone ? why it joined hands with ESA..
I am not saying that for All missions ISRO should/would collaborate. i just meant of challenging missions that require Surplus Money & new tech.. sharing workload improves efficiency in challenging missions..

 

[Indx TechStyle]

really pakistan?? new info for me.. ya it isnt at large scale with russia , i was saying it will grow & will become large scale in future,Cost & tech are two things that compels an org to collaborate ..
You might have heard about Cassini probe.. why NASA didnt do it all alone ? why it joined hands with ESA..
I am not saying that for All missions ISRO should/would collaborate. i just meant of challenging missions that require Surplus Money & new tech.. sharing workload improves efficiency in challenging missions..

I'm saying it was large scale with Russia but it's not growing.
Russian Economy is getting weak and ISRO is being self capable. That's all. It will decline further.
You are again and again drooling for Russian tech but you're missing that with lack of budget, Russia won't be advancing tech at a great extent further.

Yet for new technology, I also believe Russia can help for two three more decades. But not money at all.



Problem with Russian tech is that it isn't reliable.
China's Mars Mission failed because Russian rocket and China withdrew from project to get independent program.

Russia's Phobos Grunt (base of Cdy-2) failed and India withdrew to do it alone instead of taking risk of failure.

 

[Akask kumar]

I DONT KNOW IF THIS WAS POSTED BEFORE

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

RUSSIA PROPOSED SAPCE STATION THAT SERVE MORE PURPOSES OTHER THAN JUST RESEARCH LIKE SPACE CRAFT ASSEMBLY

Before the predicted decommissioning of the International Space Station in the 2020s, the Russian Federal Space Agency(Roscosmos) plans to detach some of its modules, such as the Multipurpose Laboratory Module (which has not yet launched to the ISS), and use them as the basis for a new space station.

The proposal would use OPSEK to assemble components of manned interplanetaryspacecraft destined for Mars, the Moon, and possibly Saturn. The returning crew would also recover on the station before landing on Earth. This OPSEK could form part of a future network of stations supporting manned exploration of the Solar System.

According to the Russian manned spaceflight contractor RKK Energia, the new station must be able to perform the following tasks:[4]

• Large spacecraft assembly
• Flight tests and launches
• Creating, servicing and completing inter-orbital tugs
• Providing medical and biological conditions required for the rehabilitation of interplanetary expedition crews after their return to Earth orbit.

it wont take too long for construction coz more than half of the modules are already up there.. There were some talks that china may forge their space station with this one after ISS gets deorbitted.So the NXt international space station will be of asia/east.. as far as India is concerned , it seems we are lagging good in terms of building space station because our heavy lift rockets are still in the pipeline..

@Indx TechStyle

 

[Akask kumar]

HLV -- VYOMA SUIT -- and more visualised

 

[Indx TechStyle]

It
seems we are lagging good in terms of building space station because our heavy lift rockets are still in the pipeline..

@Indx TechStyle

No problem, we're catching as well.
Space suits developed
Crew Module developed
Launcher to be ready by year end

Sending humans in space yet to be done
Robotic space mission (for expertizing for building space station) yet to be done.

Sorry for replying late. I was busy.

 

[Akask kumar]

No problem, we're catching as well.
Space suits developed
Crew Module developed
Launcher to be ready by year end

Sending humans in space yet to be done
Robotic space mission (for expertizing for building space station) yet to be done.

Sorry for replying late. I was busy.

ya the moment GSLV MK 3 becomes reliable,, we will hit space.. and will send human without any problem. The West will be perplexed as they were with mangalyaan,any idea when the human space mission will happen?

i was little disappointed with the indian space station thing.. i did little research..

almost all modules of ISS weights 20 tonnes.. so without developing HLV we have no hopes for our space station as GLSV MK 3 can take 8 tonnes to LEO.so if we follow ISS model then we have to wait until HLV gets completed.
But one interesting thing i noted .. the Bigelow Inflatable module demo verion has been docked with ISS for 2 year testing and it weights around 1.5 tonnes.


if its sucessful then full scale module will be designed to be 20 ton.But its way above our need.

if we reduce the space/volume and restrict our initial volume to be under 8 tonnes then GSLV mk3 itself will be capable to put it in orbit .Plus this is the next generation module ahead of chinese,russian,or even ISS.. as it weights less , more strong ,can take more radiation and is more spacious

it is said it provides 210% more space.. that is .
a 16 tonne conventional module = a 8 tonne inflatable module..


Taingong 1(chinese initial habitat module) weights 8 tonnes , so a 4 tonne inflatable module can outmatch that. A 8 tonne inflatable indian space station module will be twice the size of this chinese module.

So,IF ISRO works in Inflatable space station module then we can have our station sooner ,dont need to wait for HLV.

Inflatable station are the future, i expect ISRO to take a forward step , and build inflatable station beating chinese in just one shot.

Building & maintaining an inflatable station is cheaper compared to conventional.Plus by improving this technology further one can pave its way for moon habitat or mars habitat..

 

[Indx TechStyle]

ya the moment GSLV MK 3 becomes reliable,, we will hit space.. and will send human without any problem. The West will be perplexed as they were with mangalyaan,any idea when the human space mission will happen?

i was little disappointed with the indian space station thing.. i did little research..

almost all modules of ISS weights 20 tonnes.. so without developing HLV we have no hopes for our space station as GLSV MK 3 can take 8 tonnes to LEO.so if we follow ISS model then we have to wait until HLV gets completed.
But one interesting thing i noted .. the Bigelow Inflatable module demo verion has been docked with ISS for 2 year testing and it weights around 1.5 tonnes.


if its sucessful then full scale module will be designed to be 20 ton.But its way above our need.

if we reduce the space/volume and restrict our initial volume to be under 8 tonnes then GSLV mk3 itself will be capable to put it in orbit .Plus this is the next generation module ahead of chinese,russian,or even ISS.. as it weights less , more strong ,can take more radiation and is more spacious

it is said it provides 210% more space.. that is .
a 16 tonne conventional module = a 8 tonne inflatable module..


Taingong 1(chinese initial habitat module) weights 8 tonnes , so a 4 tonne inflatable module can outmatch that. A 8 tonne inflatable indian space station module will be twice the size of this chinese module.

So,IF ISRO works in Inflatable space station module then we can have our station sooner ,dont need to wait for HLV.

Inflatable station are the future, i expect ISRO to take a forward step , and build inflatable station beating chinese in just one shot.

Building & maintaining an inflatable station is cheaper compared to conventional.Plus by improving this technology one can pave its way for moon habitat or mars habitat..

Why disappointed.
ISRO is studying a rocket capable of carrying 20-25 tonnes to LEO.(Further super heavy Moon rockets were conceptualized in 2010).
http://www.vssc.gov.in/VSSC_V4/index.php/technology/heavy-lift-launch-vehicles

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Launch_Vehicle



HLV is nothing but a Cargo Version of GSLV Mk3 so much bigger than LVM3 and comparable to western rockets.
That's why I'm saying, if GSLV Mk3 is successful,
HLV will be successful
it's a win because our most future heavy rocket designs are based on it.

I never said GSLV Mk3 will make space station but in fact, a rocket based on GSLV Mk3 will do so.

 

[Akask kumar]

Why disappointed.
ISRO is studying a rocket capable of carrying 20-25 tonnes to LEO.(Further super heavy Moon rockets were conceptualized in 2010).
http://www.vssc.gov.in/VSSC_V4/index.php/technology/heavy-lift-launch-vehicles

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Launch_Vehicle



HLV is nothing but a Cargo Version of GSLV Mk3 so much bigger than LVM3 and comparable to western rockets.
That's why I'm saying, if GSLV Mk3 is successful,
HLV will be successful
it's a win because our most future heavy rocket designs are based on it.

I never said GSLV Mk3 will make space station but in fact, a rocket based on GSLV Mk3 will do so.

great man !! thnx for info ..i thought HLV is different thing.. so i guess HLV is just combining 3 GSLV MK3 without strap on. Great,BIngo.. !! If GSLV MK3 makes successful launch at end of this year then by doing one or two testing next year we can have our HLV.

How about the Inflatable Space station concept that i mentioned. Its next generation thing. but i think ISRO will go for conventional module..

 

[Indx TechStyle]

How about the Inflatable Space station concept that i mentioned. Its next generation thing. but i think ISRO will go for conventional module..

Yep, this is a high tech concept.
But I would be satisfied if ISRO makes one on any concept.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Tech in place to source data from desi GPS

Representative Image

BENGALURU: The launch of seven satellites under the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) by the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) saw the dream of an Indian Global Positioning System coming true. Now, data from the constellation is ready to be sourced by indigenous systems, which will take it to millions of Indians through a variety of applications.

From alerting fishermen about the weather to aiding security agencies in surveillance, data from IRNSS can be used in a wide range of applications in science, aviation and financial services, among others. However, it will be some time before the new technology replaces the existing GPS on our smartphones as it requires changes to hardware specifications.

The Bengaluru-based Accord Software and Systems Private Limited has been developing GPS-based technology for the past two decades. The company has now developed three systems that can utilise data from IRNSS. "We're ready with three systems that people and organisations can directly buy and use. We also possess the knowledge to design chipsets just like the ones used to source GPS data, that can be used on mobile phones to provide information on positioning, etc.We're currently in talks with a few Indian handset manufacturers," said Accord vice president (India business development), Varadraj GS.

Read Also:

• IIT-Kharagpur develops electronic tracking system for school kids

Jatayu (dongle), Navshare-IRN (bluetooth data recorder) and Navitrack-IRN (IRNSS-based tracker) are the three systems developed by Accord, the only company with access to IRNSS technology .

Murali Krishna S, also a vice-president at Accord, is working on IRNSS solutions."Our systems are the first IRNSS user-end signal receivers that can compute location and decode the broadcast messages," he said.

Jatayu, which will receive signals from IRNSS through a miniature antenna, is similar to the internet dongle that can be connected to mobile phones. Information pertaining to one's position is transmitted over the USB interface to a portable platform such as a smartphone. Using IRNS data-based apps, various locations services can be enabled.

@Kshatriya87

 

[Akask kumar]

semi-cryogenic engine almost developed,Whats holding ISRO is lack of test facility. so..

HLV- check (with lauch of LVM3 by this year end)

ULV-this will use semicryoigenic engine (almost done ,all we need is testing)

ISRO is also working on Ion propulsion and had put a test module on GSAT 4. A better version of ion propulsion will be tested on GSAT-19..Gr8..

 

[Chinmoy]

One simple query............... Does India really need something like ISS? If so, why?

Now you have to look at the priorities of ISRO right now and the feasibility of any such move on our part. The onus of ISRO does lie in the fact that its one of the most successful and cheapest satellite launching facility and org. in the world right now. Its only due to the fact that its an org. who have set their priorities and is working single minded towards it. So rather then diverting their focus on multiple platform and projects, its better for both ISRO and India, that they remain focus on their goal i.e., payload delivery.

Right now what we need more is number of zero maintenance quality satellites up there rather then a huge maintenance hungry Space Station.

 

[Akask kumar]

One simple query............... Does India really need something like ISS? If so, why?

Now you have to look at the priorities of ISRO right now and the feasibility of any such move on our part. The onus of ISRO does lie in the fact that its one of the most successful and cheapest satellite launching facility and org. in the world right now. Its only due to the fact that its an org. who have set their priorities and is working single minded towards it. So rather then diverting their focus on multiple platform and projects, its better for both ISRO and India, that they remain focus on their goal i.e., payload delivery.

Right now what we need more is number of zero maintenance quality satellites up there rather then a huge maintenance hungry Space Station.

dont worry ISRO will not get disracted.ISRO was made for doing science and research to extend our capabilites for the betterment and upliftment of society..

Right now ,ISRO is becoming sort of Commerical space industry good but we need to focus on science..as far as launching satellites ,payload is concerned ISRO is planning to erect few Private players in India like spaceX..
so that they get freed from this repititive job of launching satellite,which will give more time to ISRO to allocate its fund in exploring space and new related tech.

like you i use to think Space station is bull and why should we copy others.. but in fact if you are planning to push human exploration in space .Space stations are must in order to study human physciology,vrious physcial phenomena etc in micro /zero gravity.effect of radiation, plant growth, fluid flow , how fire spread ,,from little to big things all works different in zero gravity..

MANY RESEARCH DONE IN SPACE HAVE BEEN FOUND FRUITFUL ON EARTH

understanding of such things will enable any space organisation to plan their missions in deep space - like mars,moon,asteroids etc in a better way with minimal failures.. No other sapce prg will share you their experiments , so you have to develop your own station

DEVELOPING space station is a long curve . it will not happen overnight or in 2 years. it takes time ,so you plan early and plan well.
space sattion in future will not be just restricted to Reasearch but will also serve as spacecraft assembly Yard, resting station for deep space missions.may serve as a Railway Junction to moon ,mars..