ISRO news and views

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NASA signs agreement with ISRO for use of Indian satellite-OCEANSAT-2

Reference: The Hindu : Thursday, November 19, 2009

U.S. space agency NASA has signed an agreement with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to use data from Indian satellite Oceansat—2, for various American agencies for research activities, including weather forecasting.

Launched on September 23, 2009 using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from Sriharikota, Oceansat-2; is designed to provide service continuity for operational users of the Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) instrument on Oceansat-1.

The agreement with the ISRO will lead to the use of data from Oceansat-2 for various U.S. agencies for research, education and other activities of public good including weather forecasting.

The Letter of Intent in this regard was signed by Michael H Freilich, Director Earth Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Mary E Kicza Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Science of the Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and R.R. Navalgund, Director, Space Application Centre, ISRO.

The signing ceremony was done in Washington on the sidelines of Sixth Plenary Session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).

The Deputy Chief of Mission, Indian Embassy, Arun K Singh; and Deviprasad Karnik, Counsellor (Space) were also present on the occasion.

 

[RAM]

More indigenous components in second moon mission: ISRO


Coimbatore, Nov 23(ANI): Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director of Chandrayan Mission II, ISRO, on Monday said that there would be more indigenous components in country’s second moon mission. Annadurai was in the city to participate in the 30th convocation of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the function, Annadurai said: “This time we expect more indigenous components will be there. But of course, we don’t rule out Indo-Russian composition, which is already there, but may not be that many number of instruments what we carried there (Mission Chandrayaan I).”“As of now India and Russia, others also trying to get in, but until we exhaust our own instruments we are not able to do it,” he added.

Annadurai further said that country’s second Moon Mission would consist of the spacecraft and a landing platform with two moon rovers.He added that ISRO would use the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in its second mission, which would be launched in 2012-13.
“This project is already in place and nearly Rs. 425 crores have been allotted for the budget provision for this Chandrayaan II Mission and scheduled to go for in 2012-13…another ISRO Mission Chndrayaan I was carried by PSLV whereas Chandrayaan II will be carried by GSLV,” Annadurai added.

He also informed that as opposed to Chandrayaan-1, which was a moon orbiter, Chandrayaan-II would have moon rovers and would be capable of actually landing on the moon surfaceIndia terminated its first mission to the moon in August 2009, a day after scientists lost all contact with the unmanned spacecraft orbiting the moon.

The 79 million dollar mission was launched amid national euphoria last October, putting India in the Asian space race alongside rival China and reinforcing its claim to be considered a global power. (ANI


More indigenous components in second moon mission: ISRO - Yahoo! India News

 

[RPK]

Government have proposed to build satellites for monitoring the different aspects of atmosphere and environment, agricultural conditions and different weather related aspects, in coordination with concerned ministries, such as Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation.

These satellites will facilitate understanding the different aspects pertaining to climate and its impact on agriculture.
Satellites for Monitoring Environment

 

[RPK]

Oceansat-02 was launched using India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on September 23, 2009 from Sriharikota. The satellite has three instruments on board, namely Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) to monitor chlorophyll in oceans, a Scatterometer to monitor ocean surface wind and a Radio Occultation Sounder for atmosphere. The total cost of the project is Rs. 129.15 crores.

The data from Oceansat-02 will facilitate identification of potential fishing zones; deriving ocean surface wind velocity, forecasting ocean state, study of temperature and humidity of atmosphere etc.

This satellite will facilitate monitoring of sea, specifically chlorophyll in sea waters and fronts and eddies in the ocean. This satellite will also provide additional data for understanding cloud system and cyclone related studies.
Launch of Oceansat-02

 

[RAM]

ISRO plans 36 launches during 11th plan

ISRO is planning 36 launches during the 11th plan with more than six a year, a top space official said here on Thursday.The expanding horizon of Indian Space Programme, with more number of launches annually and missions like reusable launch vehicle on the anvil, calls for increased productivity with consistent quality and at a competitive cost, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director, P.S. Veeraraghavan said.

Partnership with aerospace Indian industries was likely to grow multi-fold with the expanding activities of Indian Space Programme and ISRO’s foray into International Space market, Mr. Veeraghavan told at ‘National Aerospace Manufacturing Seminar’Presently more than 500 small and medium industries partnered with ISRO, he said.

Stating that the aerospace industry faces tough challenges, he said it should adapt to advanced manufacturing methodologies to suit the design function flawlessly.Referring to the human resource shortage in aerospace engineering field, he said the industry should bring out innovative programmes in tie-up with Academic institutions, to ensure required number of manpower.

The Hindu : Sci-Tech : ISRO plans 36 launches during 11th plan

 

[RAM]

India developing semi-cryogenic tech to launch 6-ton satellite

Bangalore: India's space scientists are developing semi-cryogenic propulsion technology using kerosene that is expected to give the country the capability to launch six-tonne class satellite, almost three times the weight its rockets can currently handle.The cryogenic technology uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, whereas in semi-cryogenic technology, instead of liquid hydrogen, pure kerosene(aviation-grade) is used, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Radhakrishnan said.

The cost becomes far, far less (in semi-cryogenic technology using kerosene)," he said in his inaugural address to the 23rd national convention of aerospace engineers with the theme "Infrastructure development for growth of civil aviation and aerospace technology in India" here.
The semi-cryogenic technology, part of ISRO's efforts to cut down costs of space projects, would give a better density impulse which makes it a "good candidate for the booster status".The technology would enable the home-built GSLV rocket to launch six-tonne class satellites. India's current GSLV-Mk II has the capacity to launch only satellites weighing a maximum of 2.2 tonnes, Radhakrishnan said.

India developing semi-cryogenic tech to launch 6-ton satellite - dnaindia.com

 

[RAM]

ISRO eyes six to eight missions a year


The Indian Space Research Organisation [ISRO] will aim at launching between six and eight missions every year to meet its objectives in the areas of national development and space science,” ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said here on Thursday.

“We must look to create synergy between the space industry and the aircraft, Defence and atomic energy sectors,” he said in his address at the 23rd National Convention of Aerospace Scientists here. “The Indian space industry is robust, comprising 500 firms and employing a total of 15,000 people.” India’s first launch vehicle with an indigenous cryogenic engine, GSLV-D3 (Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) was in the final stages of preparation, said Mr. Radhakrishnan but did not comment on the date of the launch which is scheduled to be in December 2009.

A hypersonic wind tunnel will be ready in a span of between six months and a year in Thiruvananthapuram for testing model launch vehicles. While ISRO’s unmanned mission to Mars could take place anytime between 2018 and 2030, India will aim to have a “human presence” in space within seven years with its manned space mission.

MAVs to the rescue

Delivering the Vikram Sarabhai Memorial lecture, V.J. Sundaram, Adviser (Micro and Nanosystems), National Design and Research Forum, chose to focus on the humble micro air vehicle (MAV), which he said could prove a useful tool in disaster assessment and surveillance.Weighing between 20 gm and 400 gm and often imitating the flight aerodynamics and optic flow of insects or birds, mini, micro and nano satellites, it could help with search and rescue operations.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article55435.ece

 

[LETHALFORCE]

US refuses to take ISRO and DRDO off Black list: Strategic relationship under strain: India Today - Latest Breaking News from India, World, Business, Cricket, Sports, Bollywood.

US refuses to take ISRO and DRDO off Black list: Strategic relationship under strain

Ahead of the visit of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Washington for his thanks giving summit there are a sea of differences that is affecting the strategic relationship between the two countries.

While the differences on the climate change issue are yet to be ironed out, US continues to be non-committal on India's role in an expanded UN Security Council. Infact the issue of the US support is as good as dead according to insiders. Plus there are fresh strains on the non-proliferation issues; there is already a strong lobby within the Obama administration that wants Obama to press Singh to make a binding commitment on signing the CTBT, once the US revives the treaty in its own Congress.

Another sticking point is that despite several reminders US has refused to alter its entities list, or the black list that bans trade in sensitive technology for some Indian companies, including a dozen key government companies like Indian Space Research Organisation and Defence. This is despite the fact that the matter has been raised several times with the US as India is in dubious company of countries like North Korea, Pakistan and China that have a past track record of proliferation.

Then why India, is it a pressure tactic because all it is required is for the US President to issue an order to the US Department of Commerce which can remove these companies off the list. While the Prime Minister may be feeling good about getting to dine with Obama at his first state dinner, for the moment the strategic dimension of the relationship is on the backburner and for now it has become a relationship under tremendous strain.

Envoy leaves South Block red faced
India's Envoy in Sudan, Deepak Vohra has become a cause of embarrassment for the Foreign Office, considering that he continues to defy the ministry's order and has a past history of controversies which refuses to go away.

The envoy who was posted to New Zealand refused to take up his post, forcing the Ministry to accommodate the former Navy Chief Suresh Mehta, who is now headed there as the new High Commissioner.

According to South Block insiders, Vohra didn't stop at that and has now dared the Ministry to appoint someone in his place, and has warned that if he doesn't get a posting of his choice and that too, strangely only in Africa, else he will continue to stay put.

Considering that India's lines of credit in Africa have come under a cloud of suspicion because of dodgy deals by some envoys, the ministry has been left wondering if there is something more to Vohra's new found love for Africa. Besides, the reports from Khartoum are also not too good. While the file is moving back and forth the insiders believe that Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna may not be left with any choice but to take action against such errant officials who are holding the government to ransom.

MEA's spokesperson fights tough PR battle
While the Foreign Ministry's external publicity may be in tatters but the ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash is heaving a sigh of relief that he has managed to pull enough strings to survive as the spokesperson of the foreign office despite an elaborate exercise to find a new officer for the job.

But despite survival the ministry's public affairs face is fighting a public relations battle within the foreign office. Prakash who was handpicked by the Former Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon for the job, has come under a cloud of criticism with his own officers not willing to work under him. And the grapevine has it that now his Director, External Publicity Gopal Bagley has opted out of the division after petitioning the ministry for several months citing not so good working environment.

Even the previous Director, Nagma Malick had left for similar reasons. Now it's time to put the house in order before it is too late because while the Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is trying hard to boost the morale of her officers, if the situation doesn't improve it may cause a major embarrassment to the big bosses in South Block.

 

[rahulrds1]

India developing semi-cryogenic tech to launch 6-ton satellite

Reference: India developing tech to launch 6-tonne satellite: Rediff.com India News

BY : PTI

India’s space scientists are developing semi-cryogenic propulsion technology using kerosene that is expected to give the country the capability to launch six-tonne class satellite, almost three times the weight its rockets can currently handle.The cryogenic technology uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, whereas in semi-cryogenic technology, instead of liquid hydrogen, pure kerosene(aviation-grade) is used, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman said.

“…the cost becomes far, far less (in semi-cryogenic technology using kerosene),” he said in his inaugural address to the 23rd national convention of aerospace engineers with the theme “Infrastructure development for growth of civil aviation and aerospace technology in India” here.

The semi-cryogenic technology, part of ISRO’s efforts to cut down costs of space projects, would give a better density impulse which makes it a “good candidate for the booster status”.

The technology would enable the home-built GSLV rocket to launch six-tonne class satellites. India’s current GSLV-Mk II has the capacity to launch satellites weighing a maximum of 2.2 tonnes, official said.

 

[RPK]

Satellite launched by ISRO

India has successfully launched the Oceansat-2 satellite and six other small satellites of foreign countries by its PSLV-C14 flight on 23rd September 2009.

Generally, the resolutions of the imaging cameras onboard the remote sensing satellites are not designed to detect tiny creatures on and underneath earth. As of now, the fine resolution of the India remote sensing satellites is 0.8 meters, which is at par with that of advanced remote sensing satellites of other nations.

Services of Indian remote sensing satellites are enabled for all user agencies in India depending upon the requirements of their applications.

 

[rahulrds1]

Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle - GSLV-D3 / (MK-II) is in the final stages of preparation . . .

India’s first launch vehicle with an indigenous cryogenic engine, GSLV-D3 (Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) is in the final stages of preparation, said Mr. Radhakrishnan but did not comment on the date of the launch which is scheduled to be in December 2009.

Reference : The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News

 

[RPK]

ISRO to use aviation kerosene for semi-cryogenic


Bangalore, Nov 26 : Scientists at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were evolving a technology to develop semi-cryogenic propulsion system using aviation grade kerosene to put satellites weighing up to six tonnes, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said today.




Once this technology was mastered, ISRO, apart from bringing down the launch costs, would also be able to launch heavier satellites, weighing three times more weight than that of the present satellites launched by ISRO, he said, while delivering the inaugural address at the 23rd National Convention of Aerospace Engineers here.

With its current capability in boosters and strap-ons, the semi-cryogenic tecnology would enable the home-built GSLV rocket to put six-tonne class satellites in the space, the ISRO Chief noted.

He said the indigenous cryogenic technology now used hydrogen and liquid oxygen. In semi-cryogenic technology, instead of liquid hydrogen, pure kerosene (aviation-grade) is used.

The semi-cryogenic technology had been part of ISRO's efforts to bring down the cost of its space launches.

If this became a success the cost of putting payload in space would become much less. Kerosene gives better density impulse which made it a good fuel for booster rockets, he added.

He said ISRO was ready for the launch of its GSLV-D3 mission which would put a satellite weighing upto 2.2 tonnes in space.

The date of launch, slated to happen in the next few weeks, would be made known within few days.

 

[RPK]

NEWS ISRO DEVELOPS LOW-COST DEVICE FOR COASTAL SECURITY

from BUSINESS LINE, November 26, 2009 Kolkata, Nov. 25 - As the country prepares for observing the first anniversary of 26/11, debates rage over how to make our coastline safe.

What is perhaps little known is that a low-cost device, Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT) developed by Space Application

Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad, at the behest of Coast Guard for fool proof disaster management at sea, can provide the answer.

DAT is now commercially available. Manufactured by Delhi-based VTL Technologies Ltd, belonging to the S.K. Birla Group, with know-how from ISRO, about 1,000 pieces of the equipment have already been supplied by the company to ISRO which in turn has provided them to all the coastal States for distribution on experimental basis to fishermen venturing into seas for fishing.

The result has been encouraging, and ISRO has asked VTL to supply 1,000 more pieces. The Lakshwadeep Administration too has ordered 53 pieces of the equipment on an experimental basis.

DAT operates via INSAT-3A with full coverage of the Indian sub- continent. It works on Indian Disaster Management dedicated frequency and each equipment has an unique identification number.

The system works like this: immediately on receipt of distress signal from the boat in sea, the Coast Guard through DAT will be able to identify the boat and its precise location. The signal from the DAT positioned in the boat first goes to INSAT 3A satellite and from there to the Chennai-based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), which is a hub linked to coordination centres in each coastal State.

MRCC immediately coordinates the rescue operation from air and sea.

However, each equipment has to be registered with the Indian Coast Guard which is the authorised hub for Search and Rescue Coordination Authority at sea. The equipment has in-built GPS to give precise position and time of information. Most important, compared to similar foreign-made equipment, it is cheap, with each equipment costing around Rs 10,000. Foreign made ones cost more than Rs 50,000 each.

Besides, foreign equipment require registration with foreign agencies and must operate with international satellites.

One wonders if 26/11, which claimed 183 lives, could have been averted had there been a DAT positioned on board MV Kuber, the Indian fishing trawler hijacked by the terrorists to reach the Mumbai coast.

Santanu Sanyal Copyright 2009 Business Line

 

[RAM]

A fourth of India turning into desert: ISRO study

No less than a fourth of India’s geographical area, or 81 million hectares, is undergoing a process of desertification, reveals a first-of-its-kind ‘desertification status map’ of the country created by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in collaboration with several scientific institutions across the country.

A host of reasons are responsible for this phenomenon, including changes in rainfall pattern and over-exploitation of natural resources, says a research paper based on this data and published in the latest issue of Current Science.The spatial inventory, which uses satellite imagery from an Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, Resourcesat, also reveals that a third of the country’s area (or 105.48 million hectares) is degraded.

At least eight processes were at work, of which water erosion is the most pronounced (affecting 10.21 per cent of the total geographical area), followed by reducing vegetation cover (9.63 per cent) and wind erosion (5.34 per cent). Together 32.07 per cent of the total geographic area is being transformed by land degradation.State-wise, Rajasthan has the largest area (21.77 per cent of the total geographical area) undergoing land degradation, followed by Jammu and Kashmir (12.79 per cent), Maharashtra (12.66 per cent) and Gujarat (12.72 per cent).

“There is tremendous pressure on our land-based natural resources” say the authors of the paper, adding that this information could serve as baseline data to monitor and develop strategies to arrest desertification. “There has been a long-pending need for a scientific status mapping of desertification and land degradation of the entire country.”

ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad served as the nodal coordinating organisation for the study.

The spatial inventory, at national and regional levels, will be integrated to generate a desertification status map of the world as envisaged by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.The research paper adds that about 15.8 per cent of the country’s geographical area is arid, 37.6 per cent semi-arid and 16.5 per cent falls in the dry sub-humid region. Put together, about 228 million hectares, or 69 per cent of the country constitute ‘dry land.’

The Hindu : Sci-Tech : A fourth of India turning into desert: ISRO study

 

[rahulrds1]

ISRO to launch 8 foreign satellites; also eyes acquisitions

Bangalore November 30, 2009, 12:43 IST

India's space agency has in its pipeline eight foreign satellites for launch and is scouting to acquire such spacecraft from abroad to expand capacity in the field of communication transponder back home.

"Today, we have eight (foreign) satellites to be launched. This will be launched over the next two-three years", Managing Director of Antrix Corporation, marketing arm of Bangalore headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), K R Sridhara Murthi, said.
These are a mix of small and bigger satellites, he said but declined to elaborate, noting that the space agency is yet to formally ink some of these contracts.
But one foreign satellite that is being readied for launch is a 150-kg one from Algeria, which is slated to be launched by home-grown Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle as a piggyback payload likely in April next year.
Sridhara Murthi said ISRO is looking for opportunities to acquire foreign satellites.
In fact, it, along with its global partners, recently unsuccessfully bid to acquire a satellite, which was put up for auctioning by a company facing bankruptcy, in the United States.

Intelsat won the bid with a price of $210 million. ISRO was ready to shell out $100 million for part of the capacity that it intended to use, Sridhara Murthi said. ISRO's bold move is a sign of its growing confidence, he said.
ISRO has also started integrating Hylas spacecraft, a contract it jointly bagged with EADS-Astrium, and it would be delivered to the customer, UK-based Avanti Screenmedia, in June. Under the contract, EADS-Astrium is the prime contractor in charge of overall programme management and would build the communications payload, while Antrix/ISRO would build the satellite with a lift-off mass of around 2.5 tonnes and power of 3.2 KW.
"This year, we are producing a very sophisticated high definition television satellite (Hylas) -- probably for the first time in the world", he said. ISRO is looking to further scale up the participation of industries in space projects and even mulling to outsource some research and development tasks to them.
"Nearly 400 industries take part in space programme today", he said, noting for example that industries now undertake 70 per cent of work on developing launch vehicles (rockets). "So, when (Indian) rocket is a success, it's not merely ISRO which has to take credit, it is also a large number of industries which have to take credit", Sridhara Murthi said.
In addition, as of March this year, ISRO had transferred 289 technologies to modern industries for commercialisation and provided 270 technical consultancies in different disciplines of space technology.
ISRO endeavours to develop technologies with industries. "In the years to come, even for R & D tasks, ISRO will depend more and more on industries". Sridhara Murthi also spoke about the profitability of space business. Antix today has an annual revenue of over Rs 1,000 crore.
"Each satellite can pay for itself including the cost of launching. If you take a communication satellite, probably we spend about Rs 300 crore to launch one satellite. But, typically, this can pay back Rs 800 crore to Rs 1,000 crore over a period of its life".
"If we look at the value chain of space activities, if we invest one rupee in space, there is ten rupee business on ground", he said.

 

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[RPK]

India a space power: NASA officer

BANGALORE: India is now looked up as one of the most important space powers, especially after the successful finding of water and ice on the surface of the moon by the Chandrayaan- 1 project said Dr Edward Rogers, chief knowledge officer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre.


He was speaking to reporters after delivering a lecture on ‘How NASA Learns and Reapplies Knowledge’. He said that there was a variety of opportunities in the field of space before India, similar to the kind of opportunities that were before the US in the 1960s and 1970s.

Rogers, who during his visit to Bangalore will be holding discussions with ISRO officials and IT major Infosys, said that he would be looking at cooperation between NASA and the Indian counterparts in the areas of knowledge sharing and education exchange.

“A few decades ago, space collaboration was considered as part of enhancing political cooperation.

Today it has become a necessity,” he said.

He added that knowledge circulation was more important and that it should be used to improve lives on Earth

 

[RPK]

ISRO earned over Rs 100 crore from foreign satellite launches



NEW DELHI: ISRO earned over Rs 100 crore in the last three years by launching satellites of other countries, Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj
Chavan told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The space agency launched 12 foreign satellites during the last three years, including six nano satellites at a cost of Rs 101.60 crore, he said.

In reply to a separate query, Chavan said ISRO also plans to launch a Naval satellite in 2010-11 which would provide communication facility to various naval vessels.

He said the ISRO plans to send human beings in space and undertake planetary exploration within the next decade.

"The overall thrust of the space programme for the future is to sustain and strengthen space-based services in a self-reliant manner towards national development and develop space technology capabilities in the areas of advanced satellites," Chavan said.

The space programme also envisages enhancing capabilities in the areas of satellite communications, navigation, earth observation and human space flight in addition to pursuing research in space science, astronomy and planetary exploration, he said.

ISRO's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is capable of putting into orbit a 500 kg payload to undertake a mission to Mars.

 

[Flint]

India hopes to join cryogenic rocket engine club By IANS
Saturday,05 December 2009, 22:09 hrs PrintForward
Chennai: India's heaviest rocket - the 49-metre tall, 414-tonne Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV), powered by the indigenous cryogenic engine, will be launched in January 2010, making it a member of the select club of countries possessing this technology.

Officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) say the space agency will start the new year in style, launching the GSLV-D3 carrying the two-tonne communication satellite GSAT-4 sometime next month and not December as hoped earlier.


Speaking to IANS on the condition of anonymity, an ISRO official said: "The launch is expected in January. From the time the satellite reaches the spaceport, one needs at least 30 days' time for checking the systems prior to the launch. The satellite is yet to reach the spaceport."

The GSAT-4 was supposed to reach ISRO's spaceport Sriharikota last month, but is now expected during the middle of this month.

ISRO's director for Publications and Public Relations S.Satish told IANS from Bangalore: "Twenty days' time is sufficient for checking the satellite systems at the spaceport." However, he declined to comment on the probable month of launch.

ISRO's chairman Dr.K.Radhakrishnan was not available for comment on the subject.

GSAT-4 will carry a multi-beam Ka-band bent pipe and regenerative transponder and navigation payload in C, L1 and L5 bands. The satellite can guide civil and military aircraft.

GSAT-4 will also carry a scientific payload, TAUVEX, comprising three ultra violet band telescopes developed by Tel Aviv University and Israel space agency (ELOP) for surveying a large part of the sky in the 1,400-3,200 angstrom wavelengths.

Meanwhile, the ISRO scientists are checking and rechecking the various systems in the cryogenic engine and examining the technical data.

An ISRO official told IANS the test results are being reviewed by experts to be doubly sure about its efficiency so that rocket's third stage can deliver the satellite into geo transfer orbit (GTO) from where it will be taken to an altitude of 36,000 km above earth and then positioned.

The cryogenic engine reached Sriharikota from ISRO's facility in Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu in October.

ISRO officials told IANS the checks show the cryogenic stage is in a healthy condition and fit for flight.

Only a few countries like the US, Russia, France, Japan and China possess the technical expertise to develop their cryogenic engines and India is expected to join this club.

For all the five earlier GSLV missions, ISRO had used Russian cryogenic engines.

While GSLVs with Russian cryogenic engines have been designated as operational rockets after two developmental flights, the one that will go up in January is called "developmental flight 3" (GSLV D3) as it will be fired by the ISRO-developed cryogenic engine.

The last GSLV went up on Sep 2, 2007, carrying the 2,130 kg INSAT-4CR satellite.

According to an ISRO official the rocket's two fuel stages - the first stage solid fuel booster and four strap-on motors and the second stage liquid engine has been assembled. The last stage is the cryogenic stage.

In December 2008, the indigenously developed cryogenic upper stage engine passed the flight acceptance test with the engine tested for 200 seconds.

The development of cryogenic engines involves mastering materials technology, operating rotary pumps and turbines which run at 42,000 revolutions per minute (RPM).

The development of a cryogenic engine is crucial for ISRO to build more powerful GSLV rockets that can carry four-tonne satellites.

ISRO is lagging behind in launching its GSAT series due to not having a indigenously-developed cryogenic engine. GSAT was supposed to have gone up two years back

 

[ironman]

India to test world’s third largest solid rocket booster

India to test world’s third largest solid rocket booster​

By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS
December 6th, 2009


The Indian space agency is expected to take a major step in January towards realising its next generation rocket by ground-firing the world’s third largest - in terms of fuel mass and length - solid rocket booster developed in-house.

An Indian Space Reasearch Organisation (ISRO) official said: “The large solid propellant booster project was taken up nearly a decade ago and will achieve its first milestone next month.”

Recently, ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said the static testing of the booster will happen soon.

The 200-tonne solid propellant rocket booster - designed to power ISRO’s next generation (geosynchronous launch vehicle) GSLV Mark III - will be ground tested at India’s space port Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, 80 km from here.

The stage is expected to burn for 103 seconds.

In terms of fuel mass and length GSLV Mark III’s 200 tonne, 25 metre long solid boosters will rank after US Space Shuttle’s booster (fuel mass of 440 tonne, 37.8 metre) and Europe’s Ariane (fuel mass 240 tonne, length 31.6 metre).

Measured in terms of diametre ISRO’s new solid booster will rank second in the world with 3.2 metre while that of Space Shuttle and Ariane measure were 3.6 metre and 3.05 metre respectively.

As to fuel burn time the ranking will be in the order of Ariane (130 seconds), Space Shuttle (123 seconds) and GSLV Mark III (103 seconds).

However, the US is developing much larger first stage solid rocket motor for its new rocket Ares1. The diametre is 3.77 metre, length 52 metre with a propellant capacity of 625 tonne with a burn time of 123 seconds.

While the US recovers Space Shuttle booster steel casings for re-use, ISRO has no such plans as it requires parachutes for soft landing on the Indian seas and the issues relating to reuse.

“The steel casing has to be cleaned of salt deposits and refurbished for re-0use,” the ISRO official told IANS on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The 42.4-metre-tall GSLV Mark III rocket with a lift off weight of 630 tonne is being designed to reach towards the heavens sometime in 2011 carrying communication satellites weighing upto five tonne thereby making India self sufficient in respect of launch vehicles.

The first stage of the three fuel stage rocket will be two identical solid boosters strapped onto the second stage, the L110 re-startable liquid stage.

The third stage is the cryogenic stage powered by liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.

The large payload fairing measures 5 metre in diameter and can accommodate a payload volume of 100 cubic metre.

ISRO’s existing rockets - the three stage GSLV and four stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)- has a lower carrying capacity.

The present GSLV can carry a luggage of 2.5 tonne to be ejected in geo-transfer orbit (GTO) while PSLV can sling 1.6 tonne and 1.1 tonne satellites into polar orbit and GTO respectively.

Interestingly, January 2010 will be a landmark month in ISRO’s calendar for one more reason.

The space agency will be flying its GSLV powered by its own cryogenic engine.

Box: Solid propellant boosters of different rockets

Parameter Space Shuttle Ariane 5 GSLV MK III

USA Europe India

1.Diameter (metre) 3.6 3.05 3.2

2.Length (metre) 37.8 31.6 25

3.Number of Segments 4 3 3

4.Propellant Type Ap+Al+ HTPBAp+Al+ HTPBAp+Al+HTPB

5.Total Mass (tonne) 500 276 220

6.Propellant Mass (tonne) 440 240 200

7.Average Thrust(tons) 1,040 500 400

8.Nozzzle gimballing 8 degree 6 degree 8 degree

9.Firing duration (seconds) 123 130 103

10.Motor case Material Steel Steel Steel