Indian Space Capabilities

[rockstarIN]

India, Russia space cooperation reaching new heights


Bilateral relations between India and the Russian Federation have always been one of the most important foreign policy priorities of both the countries.

This strategic relationship has served not only in the long term national interests of India and Russia but has also effectively contributed in the space arena including scientific research & developmental programmes.

Today, space and cyber space are the new frontiers of national security. Space is a major key sector of cooperation between India and Russia. Both the countries have been cooperating with each other in the field of space technologies for many years.

In the 1970s-80s, the erstwhile Soviet Union has launched first Indian satellites- Aryabhatta and Bhaskara from its Baikonur cosmodrome. The first Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma has travelled to the Soviet Salyut-7 space station in 1984.

India’s space ambitions, since its inception in the early 1960s, have been mainly focused on practical applications. The country’s pioneering space agency, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has worked in favour of applications like communications and remote sensing that promised practical benefits to the Indian people.

But, for the last few years Indian space programme has taken a major leap. It has moved beyond its traditional missions to focus on new areas, like India’s first lunar mission (Chandrayaan-1), navigation, joint ventures in space science, and others.

Space and Technology is one of the major arenas where India and Russia share a long standing and successful cooperation. Both the countries actively participate together in many fields of exploration and peaceful uses of outer space. Currently it has many operational agreements in the fields of moon exploration, global navigation system, human space flight, spacecraft building for atmospheric studies, etc.

During President Vladimir Putin's visit to India in December 2004, two space related bilateral agreements were signed viz. Inter-Governmental umbrella Agreement on cooperation in the outer space for peaceful purposes and the Inter Space Agency Agreement on cooperation in the Russian satellite navigation system "GLONASS". Subsequently a number of follow up agreements on GLONASS have been signed.

India is a partner in this crucial project, and could be expected to launch some of the satellites for Glonass in the near future.

Russia currently has a total of 26 GLONASS series spacecraft in orbit, but three of them are not operational. Recently, three Glonass-M satellites crashed into the Pacific Ocean after the Proton-M rocket carrying them failed to reach orbit following their launch. Russia has also postponed the launch of its new-generation navigation satellite GLONASS-K until 2011. The satellite atop a Soyuz-2.1.b carrier rocket was to blast off from the Plesetsk Space Center in northern Russia on Dec 28.

Other than partnership in Glonass navigation systems, in November 2007, the two countries have signed an agreement on joint lunar exploration. The agreement was signed between India and Russia to cooperate on the development of Chandrayaan-2, a mission which features both an Orbiter and a Lander. These space cooperation programmes are currently under implementation.

In the field of human spaceflight programme, ISRO is planning to go ahead with its first manned mission slated for launch in 2017. This manned flight is considered as a calculated move by the country to boost its national prestige and sharpen its technological edge and scientific expertise for deep space missions including a possible lunar human landing by 2020.

India would be requiring about Rs. 12400 crore for the manned mission which ISRO plans to spend on the setting up of several ground facilities like launch pads, the mission control center, astronaut training center, all permanent assets on the ground including what goes into the orbit. The Indian Government is yet to give approval on ISRO’s proposal.

On December 2008, during the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to India, both the countries signed a memorandum of understanding on joint activities in the field of human spaceflight programme. According to the accord, an Indian cosmonaut will once again be part of a space mission on board a Russian spacecraft.

India, Russia space cooperation reaching new heights - Brahmand.com

 

[sudhir007]

India plans to launch 30 satellites in next decade - Brahmand.com

India is mulling to launch at least 30 earth observation satellites in the next one decade, a senior official at the Department of Space (DoS) said Tuesday.

"We expect not less than 30 satellites," Director of the Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), under the DoS Dr V Jayaraman said.

NRSC is responsible for remote sensing, satellite data acquisition and processing, data dissemination, aerial remote sensing and decision support for disaster management.

In a plan already drawn up for the next ten years, Indian Space Research Organisation would launch a series of Resourcesat, Cartosat, ocean and atmospheric satellites. This would include Cartosat-3 with 30 cm resolution, he said.

"We will launch Resourcesat-2 in early February or ending January. It will be a replacement satellite for Resourcesat-1 which gives us 5.8 metres, 70 km multi-spectral data for the first time," Jayaraman told PTI.

He said ISRO was setting up an integrated multi-mission ground segment in Hyderabad at an investment of Rs 35 crore to Rs 40 crore which is expected to be operational in June next.

In this single ground station (segment), ISRO would be able to receive all the satellite data "making the (space) products in such a way that every day we will supply 1000 products to the users directly."

Now, NRSC is in a position to deliver space products within four-five days of receiving the data. This new ground segment would enable it to do it within 12 hours and supply "emergency products" within one hour.

Earlier, inaugurating a state-level conference on Karnataka State Geospatial Database, organised by the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre, Jayaraman stressed that GIS (geographic information system) and remote sensing experts need to leverage the power of cloud computing.

 

[sudhir007]

http://www.brahmand.com/news/ISRO-m...99s-X-Sat-satellite-next-month/5958/1/10.html

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is expected to launch Singapore’s first satellite in orbit next month after a long delay and a four-fold cost overrun.

The launch of the satellite, dubbed X-Sat, has been delayed since 2007.

Experts estimated that the delay has raised the cost of the satellite four-fold to more than 40 million Singaporean dollars from earlier estimates of 10 million, according to a report in The Straits Times.

The satellite was earlier slated to be launched in December 2010. No reasons were given for the delay in the launch of X-Sat and it was not linked to the failure of ISRO’s Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) on Christmas Day.

The X-Sat would ride on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which has made 17 launches since its maiden flight in 1993, and has successfully put a total of 38 satellites into orbit out of 40.

The X-Sat, a refrigerator-sized micro-satellite, would be in orbit for three years at a height of 800 km.

It would take photographs to measures soil erosion and environmental changes on Earth, then relay them to a ground station at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

“The experimental micro-satellite is in the final phase of preparation leading to its assembly on the PSLV rocket. Stringent checks would be carried out before the launch,” the paper quoted a NTU spokesman as saying.

But ISRO has not set a launch date, the spokesman added.
ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan had said that the PSLV was in the assembling stage.

“We will be doing the flight testing stage later in January, and are expecting it to be launched in the first week of February,” he was quoted as saying in recent media reports.

The 100-kg X-Sat would be one of the three riding on the PSLV rocket, said Radhakrishnan.

The X-Sat would make Singapore one of the first Southeast Asian countries to have locally-built satellite in space. The satellite is built by NTU, one of Singapore's top universities and research and development centres.

 

[sudhir007]

ISRO to launch two large communication satellites in 2011 - Brahmand.com

ISRO on Wednesday said it plans to launch at least two large communication satellites within this calendar year to tide over the scarcity of transponders due to the failure of two consecutive GSLV missions.

The space agency has also decided to turn to the tried and tested Arianespace for the twin launches scheduled for March and December 2011.

“We are going to launch GSAT-8 and GSAT-10 this year. These two satellites will reduce the scarcity of transponders and help us reduce the backlog,” T K Alex, Director of the ISRO Satellite Centre, told reporters on the sidelines of the 98th Indian Science
Congress here.

Alex said the space agency has also been hiring transponders on other satellites as a temporary solution to clear the backlog.

The 51-m tall Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), carrying the 2.3-tonne advanced communications satellite GSAT-5P with 36 transponders, exploded barely a minute after it blasted off from the Sriharikota spaceport last month.

This was the second consecutive failure of a GSLV mission in nine months.

On April 15, the GSLV launched using an indigenously developed cryogenic engine failed to put the GSAT-4 in orbit.

Alex said ISRO also plans to launch the RISAT, Resourcesat-2, Meghtropiques and Youthsat satellites in 2011.

He said another communication satellite GSAT-12 will also be launched using a PSLV rocket sometime in the middle of the year.

On the December failure of the GSLV, he said a committee of scientists was going into the reasons of the failure and ways to correct it.

“We will go forward with a positive attitude,” he said.

Alex said ISRO is also developing its own cryogenic engine and ground tests for the same have been planned for this year.

“There are some very particular issues and we will try to solve them this year and possibly we will come out of it. Then we will be out of the red," he said. "Next year our own GSLV should be able to carry satellites,” he added.

Alex said ISRO was also helping universities develop smaller satellites – nano satellites – which also could be used to demonstrate nascent technologies.

Five institutes – IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Mumbai, Indian Institute of Space Technology, Sathyabhama Institute and Vellore Institute of Technology – have been building nano satellites.

 

[sudhir007]

GSLV?s German-made connectors snapped: ISRO

The 10 connectors that snapped prematurely destroying the Indian rocket - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) – on December 25 were imported from Germany, an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Space Summit session at the 98th Indian Science Congress, TK Alex, director of the ISRO Satellite Centre, said: "The connectors are German made."

On Christmas day, a GSLV rocket weighing 418 tonnes and costing Rs 175 crore (USD 38 million) and carrying an advanced communication satellite GSAT-5P veered off its flight path and disintegrated within a minute after lift off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

According to ISRO officials, commands from the rocket's on-board computers - located atop other equipments including the three stages/engines - are relayed through wires.

"As the three stages would separate after their work one after another, it is impossible to have long wires connecting the computers at the top and the stages located below. Hence, we have connectors, sort of plugs and sockets, to relay the commands and peel off smoothly when the stages separate," an ISRO official said.

According to ISRO, 10 connectors located below the Russian made cryogenic engine snapped leading to the rocket's failure.

Asked if it was a failure of the connectors, Alex said: "A committee has been set up to study the reasons for the connectors to snap. Even the back-up connectors snapped."

In July last year, an ISRO official said the failure of imported component for power systems was the reason for its satellites failing.

ISRO has lost two of its satellites - Chandrayaan in 2009 and INSAT-2D in 1997 - and INSAT-4B partially due to glitches in power supply systems.

ISRO, which is trying to get a foothold in the global communication satellite building market, suffered a setback as the W2M satellite built along with EADS Astrium for Eutelsat Communcations failed last year.

The Indian space agency imports the solar cells to make the solar panels that supply power to the satellite.

 

[NmHqh2JbVo]

GSLV?s German-made connectors snapped: ISRO

The 10 connectors that snapped prematurely destroying the Indian rocket - Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) – on December 25 were imported from Germany, an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Space Summit session at the 98th Indian Science Congress, TK Alex, director of the ISRO Satellite Centre, said: "The connectors are German made."

On Christmas day, a GSLV rocket weighing 418 tonnes and costing Rs 175 crore (USD 38 million) and carrying an advanced communication satellite GSAT-5P veered off its flight path and disintegrated within a minute after lift off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

According to ISRO officials, commands from the rocket's on-board computers - located atop other equipments including the three stages/engines - are relayed through wires.

"As the three stages would separate after their work one after another, it is impossible to have long wires connecting the computers at the top and the stages located below. Hence, we have connectors, sort of plugs and sockets, to relay the commands and peel off smoothly when the stages separate," an ISRO official said.

According to ISRO, 10 connectors located below the Russian made cryogenic engine snapped leading to the rocket's failure.

Asked if it was a failure of the connectors, Alex said: "A committee has been set up to study the reasons for the connectors to snap. Even the back-up connectors snapped."

In July last year, an ISRO official said the failure of imported component for power systems was the reason for its satellites failing.

ISRO has lost two of its satellites - Chandrayaan in 2009 and INSAT-2D in 1997 - and INSAT-4B partially due to glitches in power supply systems.

ISRO, which is trying to get a foothold in the global communication satellite building market, suffered a setback as the W2M satellite built along with EADS Astrium for Eutelsat Communcations failed last year.

The Indian space agency imports the solar cells to make the solar panels that supply power to the satellite.

Make sure the Germans pay for it. End of story.

 

[sudhir007]

India to have own satellite navigation system soon: ISRO

Chennai: India will shortly join a select group of nations having its own satellite navigation system called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) offering position, navigation and timing (PNT) services, an official of India's space agency said Wednesday.

"The IRNSS is a constellation of seven satellites - to be increased to 11 later - to offer PNT services that could be used by various organisations globally or regionally," said Suresh V. Kibe of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Speaking at the 98th Indian Science Congress held at SRM University in Kattankulathur near here, Kibe said there are two operational space navigation systems in the world -- US-owned Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) belonging to Russia.

He said that Europe's Galileo system and Chinese COMPASS system are also expected to be operational in the next five to ten years.

The PNT services find application in mobile phones, vehicles, aviation, maritime, emergency services, survey and others including military, Kibe said.

In the next 10 years, the number of navigation satellites is expected to be around 100, he said.

On ISRO's GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) project, Kibe said it will be used for landing of aircrafts with an accuracy of six metres and the target date of activating the system is 2012.

With the interests of space faring nations in exploring space colonization, emeritus professor P. Dayanandan said it is time for India to have a comprehensive space biology programme for self reliance and the success of current and planned space explorations.

He said 14 nations of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group hope that someday humans may live in other planets, most probably Mars and the most challenging issue is providing a permanent life support system.

 

[SpArK]

NASA map will guide ISRO on Moon​

The first ever complete map of Moon’s surface, being developed by US’ National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), will show India’s second unmanned lunar mission—Chandrayaan-2—the way around on Moon. Importantly, the map which is being readied by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre by using its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft that is orbiting Moon, will help India’s 2013-scheduled Chandrayaan-2 determine its precise landing point on the lunar surface, sources in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told DNA.

As a member of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group, India is in line to procure NASA’s lunar map data when the work is completed somewhere in 2013, in time for Chandrayaan-2.

Chandrayaan-2 will comprise a 1,200 kg Russian-designed and developed moon lander carrying a single 15 kg rover developed by ISRO in collaboration with Russia.

The lander will also carry a 35 kg scientific payload powered by solar panels, equipment to analyse the lunar soil and detect the presence of water, a seismometer, a laser reflector, and will place a beacon to facilitate future Moon landings.

Scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Centre presented the details about the first complete lunar map at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco on December 17.

According to scientists at Goddard, the data being compiled will include digital elevations and terrain maps that will act as reference for future scientific and human missions to the moon, beginning with Chandrayaan-2.

Gregory Neumann, geophysicist at Goddard said: “After about one year of taking data, we already have nearly three billion data points from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) on board the LRO spacecraft…We expect to make measurements through the next two years.”

“The data will be used by space scientists for a period of six months before being put into the public domain,” RR Navalgund, director of Ahmedabad-based Space Application Centre (SAC), told DNA.

Chandrayaan-2 will pick up from where Chandrayaan-1 left off after recording the discovery of water and water ice on Moon, particularly in Moon’s polar regions.

These regions are not reached by sunlight and not much is known about how deep these craters are near the lunar poles.


http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_nasa-map-will-guide-isro-on-moon_1492634

 

[bhagat]

Resourcesat-2 launch by end of Feb: ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which had a recent setback with the failure of Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-FO6) mission carrying its latest communication satellite GSAT-5P, will launch Resourcesat-2, a remote sensing satellite using PSLV C-16 version rocket by end of February 2011, said a top ISRO official.

“We will be launching three satellites in the next three months. They are PSLV C-16, PSLV C-17, and Resourcesat-2 and a series of communication satellites during the next year,” K Radhakrishnan, chairman, ISRO said


He told reporters on the sidelines of IMTEX 2011 here on Thursday he said the expert committee reports commissioned by ISRO on failures of GSLV on December 25 will be submitted by end of January.

ISRO would be launching ‘Resourcesat-2’, an advanced remote sensing satellite, ‘Youthsat’, a participatory scientific mission with payloads from both Russia and India, and X-sat, Singapore’s first indigenous satellite, onboard the homemade PSLV C-16 during February, March and April.

Resourcesat-2 is meant to replace Resourcesat-1, launched in 2003, to provide data connectivity.

 

[truthseeker2010]

Antrix to boost market share in remote sensing data products

Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), plans to increase its remote sensing data products market share with the launch of Resource-sat-2, a remote sensing satellite using PSLV C-16 version rocket next month.

Murthy Remilla, deputy director, business development (remote sensing) of Antrix said that the number of ground stations which the Antrix has been operating across the world may also go up from 20 at present.

"The number of ground stations will increase and the number of countries we service will also increase. Currently the Indian Remote Sensing data products are reaching around 70 countries either through a reseller or through our own ground station. Now we want to increase our presence in Latin America and Africa with the launch of new satellite. Additionally 2 to 3 ground stations may also come up in these areas," Remilla told PTI at the Geospatial World Forum-2011.

Replying to queries on revenues, Remilla said this year also they are likely to touch Rs 1,000 crore turnover mark.

"We have six operational satellites providing different services to various customers. Currently revenues from remote sensing market are at $20 million (about Rs 90 crore) and thus account for 10 per cent of Antrix revenue. With the launch of Resource sat-2, we are hopeful of increasing the market share," he added.

Speaking about the cost effectiveness of remote sensing products, he said the Antrix products are 20 to 50 per cent cheaper.

Currently Antrix has four satellites serving its customers in both domestic and international markets. The services of Resources sat-1 which is working beyond its term are being used by various international agencies like United States Department of Agriculture.

Antrix to boost market share in remote sensing data products

 

[trident2010]

We need to sort out the indigenous cryogenic engine as our top priority. Also ISRO should perfect the gslv design. It seems to have few problems without sorting it we cannot progress to manned mission. It was so heart breaking to see two gslv's failed back to back.

 

[DV RULES]

US eases some high-tech export curbs on India

WASHINGTON: The US Commerce Department said on Monday it was easing restrictions of exports of high-technology goods to India in recognition of the two countries' stronger economic and national security ties.

"Today's action marks a significant milestone in reinforcing the US-India strategic partnership and moving forward with export control reforms that will facilitate high-technology trade and cooperation," Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said in a statement.

It follows President Barack Obama's meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November in New Delhi, where they announced plans to expand cooperation in civil space, defense and other high technology sectors.

It also contrasts with remarks made by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner before Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit last week to the United States.

Geithner tied the possibility of increased US high-technology exports to China to movement by Beijing on currency and a number of trade reforms.

As a first step in implementing Obama and Singh's commitment, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said it would publish a new rule changing how India was treated under Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

A key measure removes several Indian space and defense-related organizations from the US Entity List, which imposes extra export licensing requirements on foreign groups or individuals whose activities have aroused concern about the possible diversion of US high-technology products that could be used to build weapons of mass destruction.

Those removed from the Entity List include Bharat Dynamics Limited, four subordinates of India's Defense Research and Development Organization and four subordinates of the All Indian Space Research Organization.

The reforms also "realign" India's standing in the US export control regime by removing it from several country groups associated with proliferation concerns. It adds India to a more favorable category consisting of members of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

"These changes reaffirm the US commitment to work with India on our mutual goal of strengthening the global nonproliferation framework," Under Secretary of Commerce Eric Hirschhorn said in a statement.

Locke will lead 24 US businesses on a high-tech trade mission to India in February.

The group includes Boeing, Exelon Nuclear Partners, Lockheed Martin and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.

The delegation, which also includes senior officials from the US Export-Import Bank and the Trade Development Agency, will make stops in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

An administration official, who briefed reporters on condition he not be identified, said less than 1 percent of current US-India trade was affected by export controls.

However, "the perception of onerous export controls certainly has been a hindrance to high-technology trade over the years," the official said.

"The goal here is to make sure we are in the best possible place to ensure trade in defense, civil space and high-tech can proceed in an expeditious and ultimately prosperous fashion," the official said.

Even with the reforms announced on Monday, there will still to be licensing requirements on many sensitive US technologies that go to India, as there on some technologies to all countries, the administration official said.

US eases some high-tech export curbs on India


More opportunities in development of Indian space program.

 

[trident2010]

US to provide detailed monsoon data this year


WASHINGTON: Removal of Indian scientific and defense institutions such as ISRO and DRDO from the US Entity list this week could result in some unexpected riches raining on India. The immediate fall-out of the thaw between the non-proliferation establishments of the two countries is that the United States will begin to transmit from this year itself detailed estimates from an enhanced monsoon forecasting model developed by its experts.

The two countries, which already have exchanges in India's Chandrayaan program, will also enhance collaboration on future lunar missions, the international space station, human space flight, and data sharing, a key US official announced on Monday. "No longer will we treat India's space program as a target; rather, we hope that it will become a close partner," Robert Blake, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said in an address at Syracuse University, adding, "The possibilities of cooperation between the United States and India in space, to advance scientific knowledge and human welfare, are without boundaries and limits."

The US and India had extensive cooperation in space before it tailed off in the 1990s and collapsed in the aftermath of the Indian nuclear test in 1998. It has resumed in fits and starts but was bedeviled by the Entity List which placed four ISRO subsidiaries on partial sanctions. The offer to provide monsoon data, details of which was not revealed, is a little ironic since Washington denied India supercomputers to be used in weather forecasting in 1988, fearing it will be used for other purposes.

But in a sign that most of US proliferation concerns have eased given the geo-strategic changes, US commerce secretary Gary Locke will visit the ISRO headquarters in Bangalore during his visit to India next month to explore what the two governments can do to encourage greater cooperation in the space area. Among the items New Delhi would be interested is the cryogenic engine technology, crucial to India's advanced space missions.

For now though, Blake said as an immediate consequence of changes in the Entity List, "Indian farmers will see the fruits of our collaboration" as US and Indian space scientists work together on climate and weather forecasting for agriculture, navigation, resource mapping, research and development, and capacity building.

The exchange will not all be one-way. India, which is an emerging leader in earth observation with the second highest number of earth observation satellites in orbit, would also provide data for American fishing fleets to increase their catch thanks to the collection of tidal data as part of this initiative.

Beyond the immediate practical benefits, Blake said the United States has sought to ramp up high technology trade and collaboration by supporting India's full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes viz., Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Australia Group, and Wassenaar Arrangement. All this, coming on top of the US endorsement of an Indian seat on a reformed US Security Council as a permanent member, "reflects our confidence that it is a country with which we will be working ever more closely to advance global security and prosperity," Blake, the top US official for the South Asia region, said.

Offering a military and security perspective of the relationship, the US official said the Indian government had also positioned itself to take on a leading role in enhancing global stability by finalizing a $4.1 billion sale for ten C-17 Globemaster III heavy lift transport aircraft. Once all the aircraft have been delivered, India will have the second largest C-17 fleet in the world behind the United States, which he called "a highly visible manifestation of the US-India defense partnership." The purchase of six C-130J transport aircraft in 2008 had provided the Indian Air Force a strategic airlift and humanitarian response capability that is "unique to the region and emblematic of India's ambitions to play an increasingly global role."


US to provide detailed monsoon data this year - The Times of India

 

[truthseeker2010]

ISRO, SGL JV to develop third version of IGIS

After a successful launch of the second version of IGiS, India's first indigenous integrated GIS image processing software, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), alongwith its joint venture partner ScanPoint Geomatics Limited (SGL) is now planning to tap the need for microwave data processing. With the country set to witness the launch of a synthetic aperture radar satellite in the second half of 2011, the ISRO-SGL JV intends to develop the third version of IGiS to process microwave data emerging out of the satellite.

"Not many packages combine tools of image processing with GIS like IGiS does. With the synthetic aperture radar satellite to be launched in second half of this year, there will be a need for reading and processing the microwave data that will be generated from the satellite. The current version can only processing optical images and data and not microwave data. The next version of IGiS can focus on that need and create a fresh demand," said RR Navalgund, director, Space Application Centre (SAC), ISRO.


The recently launched second version of IGiS has more than 300 applications including advanced GIS analysis, terrain analysis, 3D modelling, hydrology modelling, raster GIS analysis, GPS tools, zonal tools, tracking analyst, decision support and uncertainty management. The IGiS 1.1 version offers multi-criteria and multi-objective evaluation techniques with decision alternatives. The product also includes image processing tools for automated feature extraction, object segmentation, change detection and time series analysis.

The JV between ISRO and Ahmedabad-based SGL began last year when the former floated a tender for development of an indigenous GIS image processing software which eventually SGL won. While the first version IGiS 1.0 was launched last year, the second version IGiS 1.1 was unveiled on Thursday.

On its part, SGL is also looking at providing software solutions for specific sectors like defence, mining, urban planning, land records and power line management. "We are looking at specific sectors for spatial planning solutions. We intend to provide total software development and support solutions to these sectors," said Arup Dasgupta, director, SGL.

 

[truthseeker2010]

Rocket failure: ISRO awaits data from Russia

Chennai, Jan 28 (IANS) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is awaiting data analysis from Russia, who supplied the cryogenic engine, to finalise its report on the failure of the GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket's failure soon after its December launch, according to a senior official.

An 11-member expert committee was set up to study the reasons for the disintegration of the heavy rocket Dec 25, 2010, shortly after lift-off.

'We are expecting some data from the Russians who had supplied the cryogenic engine. The Russians are expected to provide the data by the end of this month,' former ISRO chief G.Madhavan Nair, who heads the committee, told IANS.

'We have scheduled another meeting of the failure analysis committee (FAC) Feb 7 at Thiruvananthapuram where we hope to come to a conclusion as to the cause of the GSLV's loss,' he said.

The 418-tonne GSLV rocket (cost Rs.175 crore) carrying advanced communication satellite GSAT-5P (weight 2,310 kg, cost Rs.150 crore) veered off its flight path and began disintegrating within one minute after lift-off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

According to the ISRO, the primary cause for the rocket's failure was the snapping of 10 connectors that carry command signals from the onboard computer to the control electronics of the four strap-on motors in the first stage.

The committee is examining why the connectors snapped. It has met once in Thiruvananthapuram early January.

The German made connectors are fixed on a metal plate. The plate, in turn, is fixed to a shroud or cylindrical cover that comes between the cryogenic engine and the lower stage (engine).

According to Nair, the shroud made of composites is part of the Russian cryogenic engine and it got deformed due to the flight load. The committee is yet to conclude why the shroud was not able to bear the load.

Experts told IANS that the first 15 kilometres of a rocket's flight is a very crucial time as it is subjected to heavy atmospheric loads. It is more so when the rocket is escaping the earth's gravitational pull at 330 metres per second.

The flow of air along the rocket will be turbulent at the transonic speed - when the rocket crosses the speed of sound. At that point the air will attach to the rocket at some places and detach at some spots in a haphazard manner, the experts said, preferring anonymity.

The deformation of the cylindrical shroud is a structural failure and the reasons for that is what FAC is looking into.

Nair said some tests are being conducted in that connection.

ISRO has set up various sub-teams to study and analyse the flight data.

Compared to the other Russian cryogenic engines that powered the earlier GSLV's, the one that was fixed to the ill-fated Dec 25 rocket was 1.3 metres longer to contain higher fuel.

According to a retired ISRO official, the GSLV broke most likely due to the instability caused by the heavy satellite it carried.

Dismissing the contention, another ISRO official said: 'The increase in the satellite GSAT-5P's weight is just 90 kg as compared to the GSLV rocket that carried the GSAT-4, weighing 2,220 kg in April. Such marginal increase in weight will make no difference.'

He also discounted the possibility of the rocket becoming unstable because of the two-tonne increase in its overall weight as compared to the April GSLV rocket that weighed 416 tonnes.

'The rocket would have burned around 100 tonnes of first stage fuel by the time the problem started. So a mere addition of two tonnes to the rocket's weight would not make it unstable,' he added.

R.V. Perumal, a retired ISRO rocket scientist, said: 'When the rocket configuration changes, necessary calibrations will be carried out in its navigational systems, control dynamics and aerodynamics to make the mission successful.'

ISRO officials say the rocket's capability will be improved continuously so as to arrive at optimum level.

The GSLV rocket that blasted off in April 2010, powered by an indigenous cryogenic engine, stood 50 metres tall and had a lift-off weight of 416 tonnes. That mission too failed as there was a problem in the cryogenic stage built by the ISRO.

The standard configuration for GSLV is a height of 49 metres and a weight of 414 tonnes at lift-off whereas the rocket that went up in flames was taller by two metres and heavier by four tonnes.

Queried about the ISRO getting GSLV technology right, Nair said that the space agency has got the technology right for individual systems and the problem seems to arise when the systems are integrated into a single rocket.

Rocket failure: ISRO awaits data from Russia