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The Indian space agency has in its pipeline, in 2023, some of the biggest missions it has ever conducted
By India Today Web Desk: The Indian Space Research Organisaion (ISRO) in 2022 soared to new limits as it ventured into new tests to validate its human spaceflight mission, developed new facilities to train its astronauts, and established a new link to the private sector by testing India's first privately made rocket. 2023 is going to be no different. Instead, it could be a year of bigger, bolder, and braver missions to space from India as the lineup is ready.
The Indian space agency has in its pipeline some of the biggest missions it has ever conducted, with the boldest one being the maiden test of the Gaganyaan mission, the country's first astronaut mission that takes Indians outside the planet in an indigenously developed system.
The Big missions for 2023
(1) CHANDRAYAAN-3 TO THE MOON
With Nasa successfully conducting the maiden launch of the Artemis-1 mission to the Moon, India is ready to send the successor of its most successful probe to the lunar orbit. Chandrayaan-3 is set to be launched on GSLV Mk-III in June this year. The mission has been delayed as Isro continues to test the rover, which is expected to be more robust than the last two missions. While the mission is not a replica of Chandrayaan-2, which crash-landed on the Moon, it will use its predecessor's orbiter which is already hovering above the lunar surface. Isro Chairman S Somnath has said that the engineering on the spacecraft is significantly different and that they have made it more robust so that it does not have problems like last time. These measures include software changes, changes in the propulsion system, new sensors, ruggedisation to handle unexpected situations and failures. All these efforts will enhance the reliability of this mission, Somanath said.
(2) ADITYA L1 TO THE SUN
While Europe and the US have already sent probes to better understand the physics of the Sun and the evolution of the star in the center of our solar system, India has readied a mission for the same. The Aditya L1 mission will be launched in 2023 to the Lagrange point 1 (L1). The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system provides an uninterrupted view of the sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite SOHO from Nasa. This position provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities continuously.
Aditya-L1 carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle detectors. Four payloads directly view the Sun from the unique vantage point of L1, and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.
(3) REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE TEST
Along the lines of the American shuttle missions, India is working to develop its first Runway Landing Experiment (RLV-LEX). The mission could be tested at the Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka's Chitradurga. Science & Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament last month about the developments with the mission
Isro has said that the configuration of RLV-TD is similar to that of an aircraft and combines the complexity of both launch vehicles and aircraft. The winged RLV-TD has been configured to act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies, namely, hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, and powered cruise flight. In the future, this vehicle will be scaled up to become the first stage of India’s reusable two-stage orbital launch vehicle.
ISro team works beside India’s first re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV) or 'Space Shuttle' at Vikram Sarabhai Space Center. (Photo: Getty)
(4) MAIDEN GAGANYAAN FLIGHT
Isro will also conduct the maiden test flight of its most ambitious, Gaganyaan mission, in 2023. While the crewed launch has been pushed to 2024, the Indian space agency could conduct the uncrewed ‘G1’ mission in the last quarter of 2023 followed by the second uncrewed ‘G2’ mission in the second quarter of 2024. The first uncrewed flight of the Gaganyaan programme ‘G1’ mission, is aimed at validating the performance of the human-rated launch vehicle, Orbital module propulsion system, mission management, communication system, and recovery operations.
The astronaut designate, selected from the Indian Air Force, has already completed the first-semester training, wherein they have undergone course modules on Theoretical basics, Space medicine, Launch vehicles, spacecraft systems, and ground support infrastructure
Standing next to a model of Indian crew moduleis Dr S. Somanath, Chairman, Isro.
(5) PRIVATE SECTOR TO BOOM
Isro tested its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in 2023, which while did not deliver on all parameters, set the stage clear for the space agency to attract the billion-dollar small satellite market. Isro has also been empowering and guiding private aerospace companies, especially startups, and the launch of the first privately made rocket by Skyroot Aerospace last year is a big example. The private sector is expected to go deeper into the space exploration era with more and more money pouring into the sector and new cutting-edge technological advancements shaping the field.
2023 could be Isro's biggest year and if all goes according to the plans, there will be many more countdowns, liftoffs, and science in the new year.
www.indiatoday.in
By India Today Web Desk: The Indian Space Research Organisaion (ISRO) in 2022 soared to new limits as it ventured into new tests to validate its human spaceflight mission, developed new facilities to train its astronauts, and established a new link to the private sector by testing India's first privately made rocket. 2023 is going to be no different. Instead, it could be a year of bigger, bolder, and braver missions to space from India as the lineup is ready.
The Indian space agency has in its pipeline some of the biggest missions it has ever conducted, with the boldest one being the maiden test of the Gaganyaan mission, the country's first astronaut mission that takes Indians outside the planet in an indigenously developed system.
The Big missions for 2023
(1) CHANDRAYAAN-3 TO THE MOON
With Nasa successfully conducting the maiden launch of the Artemis-1 mission to the Moon, India is ready to send the successor of its most successful probe to the lunar orbit. Chandrayaan-3 is set to be launched on GSLV Mk-III in June this year. The mission has been delayed as Isro continues to test the rover, which is expected to be more robust than the last two missions. While the mission is not a replica of Chandrayaan-2, which crash-landed on the Moon, it will use its predecessor's orbiter which is already hovering above the lunar surface. Isro Chairman S Somnath has said that the engineering on the spacecraft is significantly different and that they have made it more robust so that it does not have problems like last time. These measures include software changes, changes in the propulsion system, new sensors, ruggedisation to handle unexpected situations and failures. All these efforts will enhance the reliability of this mission, Somanath said.
(2) ADITYA L1 TO THE SUN
While Europe and the US have already sent probes to better understand the physics of the Sun and the evolution of the star in the center of our solar system, India has readied a mission for the same. The Aditya L1 mission will be launched in 2023 to the Lagrange point 1 (L1). The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system provides an uninterrupted view of the sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite SOHO from Nasa. This position provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities continuously.
Aditya-L1 carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle detectors. Four payloads directly view the Sun from the unique vantage point of L1, and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.
(3) REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE TEST
Along the lines of the American shuttle missions, India is working to develop its first Runway Landing Experiment (RLV-LEX). The mission could be tested at the Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka's Chitradurga. Science & Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament last month about the developments with the mission
Isro has said that the configuration of RLV-TD is similar to that of an aircraft and combines the complexity of both launch vehicles and aircraft. The winged RLV-TD has been configured to act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies, namely, hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, and powered cruise flight. In the future, this vehicle will be scaled up to become the first stage of India’s reusable two-stage orbital launch vehicle.
ISro team works beside India’s first re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV) or 'Space Shuttle' at Vikram Sarabhai Space Center. (Photo: Getty)
(4) MAIDEN GAGANYAAN FLIGHT
Isro will also conduct the maiden test flight of its most ambitious, Gaganyaan mission, in 2023. While the crewed launch has been pushed to 2024, the Indian space agency could conduct the uncrewed ‘G1’ mission in the last quarter of 2023 followed by the second uncrewed ‘G2’ mission in the second quarter of 2024. The first uncrewed flight of the Gaganyaan programme ‘G1’ mission, is aimed at validating the performance of the human-rated launch vehicle, Orbital module propulsion system, mission management, communication system, and recovery operations.
The astronaut designate, selected from the Indian Air Force, has already completed the first-semester training, wherein they have undergone course modules on Theoretical basics, Space medicine, Launch vehicles, spacecraft systems, and ground support infrastructure
Standing next to a model of Indian crew moduleis Dr S. Somanath, Chairman, Isro.
(5) PRIVATE SECTOR TO BOOM
Isro tested its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in 2023, which while did not deliver on all parameters, set the stage clear for the space agency to attract the billion-dollar small satellite market. Isro has also been empowering and guiding private aerospace companies, especially startups, and the launch of the first privately made rocket by Skyroot Aerospace last year is a big example. The private sector is expected to go deeper into the space exploration era with more and more money pouring into the sector and new cutting-edge technological advancements shaping the field.
2023 could be Isro's biggest year and if all goes according to the plans, there will be many more countdowns, liftoffs, and science in the new year.
Chandrayaan-3 to Gaganyaan: 2023 is going to be about bigger, bolder, braver missions from India
The Indian space agency has in its pipeline, in 2023, some of the biggest missions it has ever conducted.
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