Indian Space Capabilities

[Kinetic]

Personally i feel India must concentrate on unmanned programs rather than manned flights.India can apprach the soviets to send their astronauts(called gaganauts)to space.Or else India can rope in other countries like Brazil,south Africa etc and jointly develop shuttles.

Indian shuttle programme is unmanned. It will put satellites in space not human. Brazil and South Africa are way behind in space technology to help India.

 

[peacekeeper]

Personally i feel India must concentrate on unmanned programs rather than manned flights.India can apprach the soviets to send their astronauts(called gaganauts)to space.Or else India can rope in other countries like Brazil,south Africa etc and jointly develop shuttles.

well i respect your feelings,But i think that manned flights would be a lucrative business in the near future and with just few players in the arena ISRO could get a large chunk of pie with its cost effectiveness.

 

[peacekeeper]

Well done ISRO we are proud of u.........

 

[liteon]

Don't post BS here. Name one from ISRO....

India's giant leap over China in moon race - dnaindia.com

"SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is confident of sending the first Indian to the moon by 2015. If successful, it would beat the Chinese in the moon race as that country plans to send its first astronaut by 2017."

another "IF".

can't wait. just 5 more years..haha

 

[Kinetic]

India's giant leap over China in moon race - dnaindia.com

"SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is confident of sending the first Indian to the moon by 2015. If successful, it would beat the Chinese in the moon race as that country plans to send its first astronaut by 2017."

another "IF".

can't wait. just 5 more years..haha

You are really funny! This is 2010 not 2015! lol

 

[zeus]

2015 is first space flight and 2020 for moon flight Desi Media messed upped dates

 

[Justin Joseph]

26th anniversary of first Indian in space Monday






April 3rd, 2010 - 6:00 pm ICT by IANS Tell a Friend -
ISRO New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) India will Monday celebrate the 26th anniversary of its first astronaut Rakesh Sharma’s trip to space.
The Russian Centre of Science and Culture in the capital will organise an interaction with Sharma, where he will share his experiences.

Sharma, then a squadron leader in the Indian Air Force (IAF), embarked on the historic mission on April 3, 1984, as part of a joint space programme between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Soviet Intercosmos space programme. He spent seven days, 21 hours and 40 minutes in space.

26th anniversary of first Indian in space Monday

Rakesh Sharma at present>>>



Rakesh Sharma was born in Patiala, Punjab to Tripta and Devendranath Sharma. He underwent schooling at Hyderabad. He graduated from Nizam College[3] in Hyderabad.

Sharma joined the Indian Air Force and progressed rapidly through the ranks. Sharma, then squadron leader and pilot with the Indian Air Force embarked on the historic mission in 1984 as part of a joint space program between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Soviet Intercosmos space program and spent eight days in space aboard the Salyut 7 space station. Launched along with two other Soviet cosmonauts aboard Soyuz T-11 on the 2 April 1984, was 35-year-old Sharma. During the flight, Sharma conducted multi-spectral photography of northern India in anticipation of the construction of hydroelectric power stations in the Himalayas. In a famous conversation, he was asked by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi how India looked from the space and he replied, Saare Jahan Se Achcha, (better than the whole world).

He was conferred with the honour of Hero of Soviet Union upon his return from space. The Government of India conferred its highest gallantry award (during peace time), the Ashoka Chakra on him and the other two Russian members of his mission.

Sharma and his backup, Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra, also prepared an elaborate series of zero-gravity Yoga exercises which the former had practised aboard the Salyut 7. Retired with the rank of Wing Commander, Rakesh Sharma joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as a test pilot at Nashik Division. He was based at the National Flight Test Center (NFTC) in Bangalore and worked on the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft program.

Sharma has now retired from active employment and is currently the Chairman of The Board for Automated Workflow Pvt Ltd. The Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi displays the original Soyuz T-10 capsule which, along with his space suit and mission journal. His conversation with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi can be heard there as well.

In November 2006 he took part in India's top scientists gathering organized by ISRO which gave the green light to an Indian manned space mission.

 

[Choppers]

Rakesh Sharma message from Space

 

[DMLA]

It should be noted that this is the RLV-TD (technology demonstrator) which is going to be smaller scaled design of the actual bird.

With all this discussion seemingly going nowhere, I would like to say that though I agree that many dates seem to slip, it does not really matter as the programs are all on track and new programs are being added from time to time by ISRO. So the fact remains that ISRO "WILL" launch RLV someday (it is going to be used only for LEO launches and not moon..... scramjet needs airflow for operation!).

It is also highly likely that the dates for the moon mission and even the manned mission may slip. This has more to do with the intricate technologies involved in the said processes rather than any problem specific to ISRO . People here who are familiar with the first manned space programs and apollo program will know how dates slip despite tens of billions of dollars in funding!

I would say all the best to ISRO and India.

Note: The following has already been posted before but I am putting it here as it is complimentary to the discussion here:

link: Welcome To ISRO :: Press Release :: March 03, 2010

 

[Choppers]

ISRO exploring low-cost access to space​

STAFF REPORTER
BANGALORE, April 4, 2010

ON THE ANVIL: K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman of ISRO, with V.K. Aatre (left), former Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, at the Indian Institute of Science Alumni Association Science Forum, in Bangalore on Saturday. Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Human space flight is the next logical step for India: K. Radhakrishnan

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is exploring low-cost access to space and has begun taking various measures, ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan has said.

He was delivering the inaugural lecture under the Popular Lecture Series organised by the Indian Institute of Science Alumni Association Science Forum here on Saturday.

Dr. Radhakrishnan said that by 2012, low-cost access to space would be made possible by ISRO's GSLV Mk3 with indigenous cryogenic technology. “Right now, the cost per kg is $20,000. With GSLV Mk3, the cost can be reduced by half,” he added.

India had been applauded for its shoestring budget for space programmes, which was three per cent of NASA's budget, 12 per cent of Europe and one-third of China's, he said. He stressed the need to develop innovative technologies for low-cost access to space. Dr. Radhakrishnan said that the human space flight was the next logical step for India. “We have a human space flight programme and ISRO is going to put two Indians in an orbit around the Earth,” he said.

STUDIES ON

“There is a pre-project which is going on to study some critical technologies. A project report regarding the same has been sent to the government for approval.”

The manned mission programme envisaged development of a fully autonomous orbital vehicle carrying two or three crewmembers to over 300 km in the Earth's orbit. Dr. Radhakrishnan said that ISRO was getting ready to launch GSLV-D3 with indigenous cryogenic technology this month. “Preparations are on. The final reviews are also taking place.”

The Hindu : News / States : ISRO exploring low-cost access to space

 

[Choppers]

Some snippets & numbers shared by someone who attended Radhakrishnan's talk yesterday.

1) Clarity on CY2 - It'll be a moon lander mission with a rover. The confusion on who is doing what has been cleared up. ISRO will develop the spacecraft. Russia will provide the lander, and another Indian group (IIT-D?) will develop the rover that will explore the moon's surface.

2) Similar Popular science lectures will be held on the second saturday of each month from hereon. All are welcome.

3) ISRO has estimated that its fishing information saves fishermen Rs 6 lakhs/vessel/annum in costs, through saved time & fuel.

4) currently they are trying to surmount technological gaps with sensors & imaging systems for us on imaging & remote sensing satellites.

5) The recent sounding rocket test that was announced was a test of the RLV, where the winged body & passive scramjet modules were aerodynamically tested. Which explains the media attention, since other sounding rocket tests aren't mentioned.

courtesy:BRF

 

[hembo]

India to cut satellite launch cost by half
Sun, Apr 4 12:52 PM

Bangalore, Apr 4 (PTI) India plans to cut satellite launch cost by half with the heavy-lift rocket that it is developing, a senior space department official said. The country is also aiming a two-to-three fold increase in the number of spacecraft launches from this year, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation K Radhakrishnan said.

GSLV-Mk III that ISRO is developing now would bring down the satellite launch cost at least by half, at present, the launch cost is pegged at around USD 20,000 per kilogram, he said. GSLV-Mk III, which would have the capability to launch satellites of four tonne class, nearly twice the mass that ISRO can currently carry to space, is expected to be operational in next two-three years.

Delivering the inaugural lecture of IIScAA (Indian Institute of Science Alumni Association) here last evening, he said India currently has 211 communication transponders, including 195 operational. "We need to go up to 500 (transponders) by 2014," Radhakrishan, also Secretary in the Department of Space and Space Commission Chairman, said.

 

[Choppers]

The down to earth Rakesh Sharma​

PANKAJA SRINIVASAN
April 4, 2010

The first Indian to fly into space, Rakesh Sharma at his home in Coonoor. Photo: K.Ananthan

Wing commander Rakesh Sharma takes a walk down memory lane to the day he blasted off to space, becoming the first Indian to do so. Pankaja Srinivasan reports

Wing Commander (Retd) Rakesh Sharma, recipient of the Ashoka Chakra, fobs off any attempt to glorify him. When I tell him that my family and friends were beside themselves with excitement about my interview with him, he just smiles and says a polite ‘thank you'.

Perhaps I look disappointed, so he relents and says, “I don't mean to burst your bubble. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have gone into space. But, it could have been anyone. It is like a lottery, meri lag gayi (I got lucky).”

A place in history

Of course, the wing commander is being modest. The first Indian to go to space is a sobriquet not many enjoy. “I am the 128th person to have done that,” he says.

“But, the first Indian,” I insist, and he smiles again. Ace test-pilots of the Indian Air Force were put through a rigorous selection and training process, both in the country and in the erstwhile Soviet Union before he was chosen.

Twenty six years ago in 1984, on this day the then Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma took off from a remote place called Baikonur, now in Kazakhstan, from the world's first and largest operational space launch facility.

He was on Soyuz T 11 spacecraft along with two other Soviet cosmonauts as part of a joint programme between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and the Soviet Intercosmos space programme. He spent the next seven days, 21 hours and 40 minutes, on board the space station, Salyut 7. Sharma laughs about how he often has to break the disappointing news to people who think he went to the moon! Obviously, they were very young when he went into space. "It just proves my point that it makes more sense to move on rather than dwell on something that happened so many years ago," he smiles.

Trained for the job

“So much had already been done in space before that, it had all been documented and there were no real surprises in store for us,” says Sharma, when probed about what his feelings were. Wasn't there anxiety, fear of the unknown…? “As pilots in the Indian Air Force, we have faced far more dangerous situations and lived to tell the tale,” he states.

Incidentally, Rakesh Sharma always wanted to be a pilot. “Since I was six years old, and a cousin in the Air Force took me around and showed me aeroplanes, their cockpits, etc. If you end up doing what you are passionate about, the journey is so easy,” he says.

And, the space trip was the cherry on top. Of course, jokes Sharma, he wishes he had more time to peer out of the window into space. “Every minute in space was accounted for,” he says and adds that he would love to return there, but this time as a passenger not a crew member!

When Rakesh Sharma returned to earth, it was to celebrity status. Tours, lectures, talks and interviews awaited him. Being a public figure was not something he enjoyed too much. He longed for the anonymity of a squadron pilot. “But, I did what anyone else representing their country would do— I put my best foot forward,” he says. He put on his flying boots once again when he was posted to an operational fighter squadron. He was later absorbed by HAL in Bangalore, where he served as a chief test pilot. He was associated with the evolution of the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) now called Tejas.

Asked if he was in anyway involved in the Indian space programme, he answers, “Only in an advisory capacity”. There are many milestones to be reached before we can go ahead, he says, and hopes the programme will evolve into a sound and successful one.

Peace unto space

With so much happening in deep space exploration and the talk of colonising the moon, and so on, Rakesh Sharma has one underlying concern.

“I hope we don't export conflict from this planet into the others. None of the paradigms that define us here on earth— the borders, the parochialism, the divide, should mar our presence in space”.

When he talks to young people, he reiterates the fragility of our planet. He says how it looks less blue and greyer than it should from space. Forests are disappearing, water sources are drying up. Of course, he adds, “You don't have to go into space to know that. It is visible to us right here on earth.”

Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma now lives a quiet life with his wife Madhu in Coonoor, not too far from where another hero Field Marshal Manekshaw lived.

Just before I leave I ask him about his famous line to Mrs Indira Gandhi when she asked him how India looked from up there and he said ‘saare jahan se achcha'.

“That is not my line, it is Iqbal's” he laughs. And, he shares another bit of personal information. “There is one person who sends me three cards every year. One on New Year's, one for my birthday and the third that marks the anniversary of my flight into space. He is a paan wallah in Ahmedabad.”

The Hindu : Life & Style / Metroplus : The down to earth Rakesh Sharma

 

[Choppers]

Climbing into space​

Huma Siddiqui
Posted: Monday, Apr 05, 2010 at 2046 hrs IST
Updated: Monday, Apr 05, 2010 at 2046 hrs IST

Baghdad: Until now, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has used Russian-made cryogenic engines for putting its satellite launch vehicles into space. The polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) is used for launching remote sensing satellites into polar orbits and geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) for launching communication and meteorological satellites into geo-synchronous transfer orbit.

But later this month, if the Indian space agency’s attempt to launch its largest rocket, the GSLV-D3 with an indigenous cryogenic engine succeeds, then India will join the elite club of five nations in the world to have successfully developed such technology. For the country’s rocket scientists, the yet-to-be-achieved breakthrough is significant on two fronts—one, they will achieve self reliance and confidence in space technology. Two, India will emerge as a serious player in the $4 billion global satellite launch market.

Isro spokesperson S Satish says, “An indigenous cryogenic engine will power the GSLV for the first time. This is the maiden flight of a launch vehicle and it will give capability to the country of mastering advanced launch vehicle technology which very few countries have at present.”

Till date, the US, France, Japan, Russia and China have developed their own engines for satellite launch vehicles. Confidence levels of ISRO scientists are high as earlier this year, they successfully tested the indigenous cryogenic technology when the engine was tested for the full flight duration of 720 seconds at the liquid propulsion test facility at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. Hour of reckoning is round the corner as the indigenous cryogenic engine now remains to be tested in actual flight.

Isro’s previous GSLV flights carried Russian cryogenic engines procured earlier. In total, seven cryogenic stages were procured from Russia of which five stages have been utilised. The space agency had taken up the indigenous cryogenic engine development programme in 1996 following the technology denial regime in the 1990s. The US had then forced Russia to stop giving India the engine technology.

While the GSLVs with Russian cryogenic engines have been designated as operational rockets after two developmental flights, the one that will go up now is called ‘developmental flight 3’ (GSLV D3) as it will be fired by the ISRO-developed cryogenic engine. The 49-metre-tall rocket will have a lift-off weight of 414 tonne and carry the country’s advanced communication satellite GSAT-4. It will carry the communications satellite into the geo-stationary orbit about 36,000 km above the earth. 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.

The cryogenic stage is technically a very complex system compared to solid or earth-storable liquid propellant stages due to the use of propellants at extremely low temperatures and the associated thermal and structural problems. According to Isro officials, the development of the cryogenic engine involves mastering materials technology, which can work at cryogenic temperature. Such a development takes about 10-15 years, so India initially purchased these from Russia, which were used in the previous flights. Key technological challenges faced during the development stage included development of new materials, composite thermal insulation, new fabrication techniques, handling of cryogenic fluids at cryogenic temperatures, realisation of facilities for assembly, integration and testing and associated safety systems.

Today the country has developed this technology, which will be tried out for the first time for the GSLV. The mission will make the country totally self-reliant in all aspects of launch vehicle technology. At a technical level, a cryogenic stage is the upper stage of a rocket that houses a cryogenic engine within it. Cryogenic technology involves the use of super-cooled liquid fuel to launch heavy rockets like the GSLV with the fuel being a mix of liquid hydrogen and oxygen. If the fuel mix is not in the exact proportions, the rocket could explode in geo-synchronous orbit.

Once in flight, the indigenous cryogenic engine is expected to develop a thrust of 73 kilo Newtons (kN) in vacuum with a specific impulse of 454 seconds and provide a payload capability of 2,200 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) for GSLV. The engine works on ‘staged combustion cycle’ with an integrated turbo-pump running at around 42,000 rotations per minute (rpm). It is also equipped with two steering engines developing a thrust of 2 kN each to enable three-axis control of the launch vehicle during the mission. Another unique feature of this engine is the closed loop control of both thrust and mixture ratio, which ensures optimum propellant utilisation for the mission.

Without any doubt, the success of homegrown cryogenic engine technology will bolster the confidence levels of Indian space scientists and engineers as they brace up to launch an average of 10 satellites per year to meet the rising demand for various space applications, including communications and remote sensing. Beginning 2010-11, the Indian space agency is planning to launch 10 satellites per year and has a series of satellites and launch vehicles at various stages of preparation.

Though Isro was to launch five satellites in 2009-10, it could launch only three—Oceansat-2, Risat-2 (radar imaging satellite) in association with

Israeli Aerospace Industries, and Anusat, a micro-satellite. Oceansat-2 also carried six nano-satellites of foreign countries as additional payloads. The launch of two satellites—GSAT-4 and Cartosat-2B—got delayed due to technical complications, one of them being further flight duration tests of 800 seconds (13.3 minutes) conducted for the indigenous cryogenic engine to be used for the first time in the heavy rocket GSLV-D3 (geo-synchronous satellite launch vehicle).

Later this year, Isro plans to launch the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV-C15). This will carry Cartosat-2B, an

Algerian satellite, and two micro satellites—Youthsat from Canada and Studsat built by college students from Karnataka.

Isro uses the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) series for telecommunication, television broadcasting and meteorological services and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for resources monitoring and management. The space agency is also working on launching a Resourcesat-2, Risat-1 and Mega-Tropiques in the remote sensing area during the later part of this year. In the communications area, it has lined up three heavy satellites—GSAT-5 and GSAT-6 from Sriharikota and GSAT-8P onboard the Ariane launch vehicle from Korou in French Guayana—by this year-end or early 2011.

Given that the demand for multiple satellites in communications and remote sensing areas would increase in the coming years, Isro is currently developing an advanced version of GSLV called GSLV Mark III which is capable of putting a 4 tonne satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Towards this, Isro is developing an advanced version of cryogenic engine, which contains 25 tonne of cryogenic fuel.

Nevertheless, it is time of reckoning for India’s space scientists as they prepare for their first rendezvous with cryogenic engine technology.

Climbing into space

 

[CONNAN]

Bengaluru , April 1: In a year’s time, India will fly an indigenous version of a space shuttle.
On its first flight, the rocket-powered craft, shaped like an aircraft, will climb 60 km into the earth’s atmosphere and glide back to earth. Over subsequent flights, the journey into outer space will be of longer duration and distances in order to test its reliability and capability to carry satellites into orbit.


“There are many advantages but there are several technological challenges involved in this project as well. We have to see how it functions during the first flight and take it forward. We must also look at the critical cost-versus-benefit factor,” Dr K. Radhakris-hnan, chairman, Indian Space Research Organi-sation (Isro), told this newspaper. He said Isro would spend about Rs 30 crores on the technology demonstrator — the first flight.
His colleagues explained that the key advantage of such a re-usable rocket will be a drastic reduction in the cost of launching satellites. “With a conventional rocket like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the cost of putting a satellite in space works out to about $15,000 to $20,000 a kg. These figures will come down because the rocket can be used for many flights. We will know the exact cost of the launch after a couple of flights of the reusable rocket,” they said.
Once its reliability is proven, the rocket will be used for human space flight, Isro scientists said.
During the first flight, various cutting-edge technologies, such as autonomous landing, aerodynamics and powered cruise flight, will be evaluated. On subsequent flights those like re-entry technology will be assessed, the scientists added.