Indian Space Capabilities

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : Is there water-ice on the Moon?

Is there water-ice on the Moon?

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Do the permanently shadowed polar regions of the Moon contain water-ice?

This is one of the many questions that a group of 70 scientists — from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) — aim to resolve at a two-day meeting that began here on Thursday.

The meeting, which was held at the ISRO Satellite Centre, marks the 100 days since the launch of Chandrayaan-I and will unravel the data that the lunar craft has gathered during its space voyage.

Scientists will now focus their attention on identifying “areas of interest” on the lunar terrain for further exploration — including exploring the possibility of finding water-ice, said ISRO Chairman, G. Madhavan Nair.

“We will now identify areas on the Moon which need to be looked at closer for substances like water-ice. These areas will then be studied with a range instruments such as the Moon Mineralogy Mapper, Mini Synthetic Aperture Radar and Hyper-spectral Imager,” he said.

Assessment

The ISRO chief added: “We had an assessment of all the 10 instruments on board the space craft [one of the instruments — the Moon Impact Probe — was designed to crash-land on the lunar terrain] and it was confirmed that their performance has been excellent so far.” The quality of the images was high, he said.

The meeting was successful, with a good representation of scientists, he said. Around 20 scientists participated from around the world — from the United States, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Japan and the Netherlands.

It has been an eventful 100 days for Chandrayaan-I: the lunar craft has captured the first-ever images of the dark side of the Moon, confirmed the presence of iron and picked up X-ray signals from its cratered terrain. Chandrayaan-I was launched on October 22 from Sriharikota, carrying on board 11 scientific instruments. Of these, five were indigenously developed and the others developed by agencies including NASA and ESA.

 

[A-D]

One Hundred Days Of Chandrayaan-1

Hundred days after it was launched from Sriharikota on October 22, 60 scientists, including about 50 from the US and Europe, will conduct Chandrayaan-1's first high-level review on January 29.
The scientists will compare notes on data their respective instruments have gathered and generated on Chandrayaan-1. European Space Agency, Bulgarian experts, Nasa and perhaps the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Chandrayaan-1 team, would represent Europe, the US and India respectively.

An air of expectation hovers around the meeting as scientists are expected to announce new findings on the Moon. Some findings could also be of the nature of confirmation of findings from earlier Moon missions. Either way there is tremendous credit attached to the flawless operation of Chandrayaan-1 and expertise ISRO has demonstrated in its stability.

There is tremendous anticipation whether Chandrayaan-1 can reveal and confirm traces of water which would make feasible ideas of building colonies on Moon. Traces of iron have been confirmed and extensive imageries of Moon's surface characteristics have been beamed by India's TMC camera on board Chandrayaan-1.

Chandrayaan-1 project director M Annadurai told TOI: "We can't now say what data has been generated. Presentations by scientists on all instruments and their operation will tell us what the initial findings are and their implications. We're meeting on the completion of 100 days of Chandrayaan-1. We'll make clear what emerges from the findings so far.''

The mission has a life-term of two years and there is plenty of time left for new data to be generated. Nasa has in fact stated it has already got the first look into cold and dark craters through their instrument on Chandrayaan-1. Nasa was also the first to declare traces of iron on Moon. Its Jet Propulsion Laboratory has gone on record about Chandrayaan-1's confirmation of mineral traces and access it has lent to unexplored craters via Nasa instruments.


Source: One Hundred Days Of Chandrayaan-1

 

[nitesh]

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/14D2B2CE59AF4E5C6525754F001D44F9?OpenDocument

Russia successfully orbits spacecraft with Indian payload



Moscow, Jan 30 (PTI) Russia today successfully launched its CORONAS-Photon spacecraft with Indian payload to study the Solar activity and its impact on the upper atmosphere of our planet.
'Cyclone-3' space launch vehicle lifted off with CORONAS-Photon spacecraft at 1840 IST today from Russia's northern Plesetsk cosmodrome and about two hour later it was placed on its designated orbit, Space Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Alexei Zolotukhin told 'Zvezda' TV channel of the Defence Ministry.

According to experts of MEFI Institute of Astrophysics, which will be coordinating the research and analysis of the Solar mission, low-energy Gamma radiation telescope RT-2 developed by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is a major payload along with the NATALYA sensor developed by several Moscow institutes.

The scientific payloads allow to register with high time resolution the electro-magnetic radiation of Solar Fluxes in the energy range to examine the process of transformation of accumulated magnetic field energy into accelerated particles energy at the time of Solar Fluxes.

They would provide data for the detailed study of the mechanism of acceleration, distribution and inter-action of energetic particles in solar atmosphere to examine co-relation between solar activity and physical and mechanical processes in the earth's upper atmosphere.

India and Russia had signed the CORONAS-Photon agreement during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Moscow visit in December 2005.

Initially the launch of the Cyclone-3 rocket had been scheduled for Thursday, but was delayed by a day for technical reasons. PTI

 

[nitesh]

NDTV.com: IIT students keen to be a part of ISRO

IIT students keen to be a part of ISRO
Sonia Sarkar
Friday, February 06, 2009, (New Delhi)

Students at IIT Delhi graduating this year are all starry-eyed about a new career option - being a scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

One of them is Anshul Sirohi, who is soon going to graduate from IIT. He wants the job at ISRO badly. In a few days he will be interviewing with the ISRO for the position of a scientist.

"A lot of my friends were looking for IT jobs abroad. A couple of them are also joining the corporate world, but I am keen to be a part of ISRO. I feel there is an endless opportunity for us in ISRO and everyday is a new day. There is lot of excitement and challenge," said Anshul Sirohi, M Tech (Thermal Engineering), IIT-Delhi.

It was the historic launch of Chandrayaan-1 that has young IIT students wanting to reach out to the moon.

The number of students wanting to join ISRO has gone up by 30% this year. With the space organization introducing more projects like Chandrayaan -II, Aditya and Manned Moon Mission, more and more young technocrats are excited to be a part of this research institute.

What's also helping is higher starting salaries at ISRO than ever before.

"After the sixth Pay Commission, even the pay packages are the same like the corporate world. So why don't I rather work for ISRO and do something worth," said Pawan Kumar Panth, M Tech (Thermal Engineering), IIT-Delhi.

That's what inspired Anupam Roy to work with ISRO for 18 months after he got his bachelor's degree from IIT. Now he's back in school for his master's and his memories are not all happy.

"They don't give the space to work and they don't show the confidence in you at all," said Anupam Roy, M Tech (Mechanical), IIT-Delhi.

However, that is changing, promises the government.

"We are restructuring our organizations. We are also introducing all kinds of measures, which will create more space for these young professionals in research organizations," said Kapil Sibal, Minister of Science and Technology.

So move over corporate, there's a new dream in town for the IIT-Delhi campus.

 

[nitesh]

India Works With University Of Leicester On First National Astronomy Satellite

India Works With University Of Leicester On First National Astronomy Satellite

Astrosat will carry five instruments to observe exotic objects such as black holes, neutron stars, and active galaxies at a number of different wavelengths simultaneously, from the ultraviolet band to energetic x-rays.


Leicester, UK (SPX) Feb 05, 2009
India's first national Astronomy satellite - Astrosat - is to have key components assembled by the University of Leicester.

A team of engineers from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, has arrived at the University of Leicester's Space Research Centre to progress work on the satellite which is due for launch in 2009.

The team, who will be in Leicester until Friday 6th February, will work on the next phase of the mission, when hardware manufactured in India arrives in Leicester for inspection, testing and assembly into a space qualified X-ray camera.

Guy Peters, Astrosat SXT Project Manager UK, said: "In several months, when the camera has been assembled and the Leicester built detector assembly and control electronics installed, it will be tested to space qualified standards and shipped back to India for integration into the spacecraft."

Mr Sangam Sinha from the Tata Institute added: "Astrosat is critical to the Indian space programme as it is the first satellite entirely dedicated to the pursuit of science. Astrosat also forms the beginning of a long term collaboration between TIFR and the University of Leicester through which it is hoped that many more missions will be undertaken jointly by the Indian and UK teams."

Astrosat will carry five instruments to observe exotic objects such as black holes, neutron stars, and active galaxies at a number of different wavelengths simultaneously, from the ultraviolet band to energetic x-rays.

The camera was designed by the University of Leicester and the manufacture of the hardware components was undertaken by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

In addition to the manufacture of the camera hardware, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research has built the main telescope body and mirror. The University of Leicester is to assemble the camera, support the project through consultancy and calibrate the camera at the Space Research Centre.

The University of Leicester Space Research Centre was asked to undertake the SXT camera development because of its track record in spacecraft design, in missions such as Swift and XMM-Newton and the experience gained from its CCD laboratory programmes.

The delegation from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research currently visiting Leicester includes:

Mr. Sangam Sinha - Chief Engineer - Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

Mr. Harshit Shah - Astrosat Mechanical Engineer - Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

 

[nitesh]

ISRO 2009 Exhibition Kicks Off

ISRO 2009 Exhibition Kicks Off

by Staff Writers
Davanagere (PTI)Feb 06, 2009
ISRO's public relations officer B R Guruprasad demonstrated the prototype component models that were used in Chandrayaan-I to Sri Taralabalu pontiff Shivamurthy Shivacharya maha swamiji, at BIET college in Davanagere on Tuesday evening.

The Sanehalli mutt pontiff Sri Panditharadhya swamiji, along with a team of ISRO scientists including Chandrayaan-I project director Annadurai, S K Shivakumar, scientist at ISTRAC (ISRO), C D Sridhar, were present while the exhibition was inaugurated by Sri Taralabalu pontiff, as part of the nine-day festival of Taralabalu Hunnime.

Several models of the Chandrayaan-I was displayed, which will continue to be open to the public till February 9.

Meanwhile, the ISRO scientists were honoured by the pontiff for their success in the Chandrayaan-I project. A film on Chandrayaan-I was also screened on the occasion.

The chief patron of Sri Taralabalu Hunnime S Shivashankarappa, reception committee secretary S S Mallikarjun, treasurer A C Jayanna, along with other members of the Bapuji Educational Association, BIET principal B T Achyutha, director Y Vrushabhendrappa, program coordinator B E Rangaswamy were also present.

Later, the students and staff of the college interacted with ISRO scientists.

 

[LCA]

C1XS Catches First Glimpse of X-rays from the Moon

C1XS Catches First Glimpse of X-rays from the Moon

January 23, 2009
The Imaging X-ray Spectrometer, one of the 11 payloads onboard Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and UK’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, has successfully detected the first X-ray signature from the Moon. This is the first step in its mission to reveal the origin and evolution of the Moon by mapping its surface composition. It may be recalled that Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on October 22, 2008 and entered the lunar orbit on November 8, 2008.

In orbit around the Moon, Chandrayaan-1 Imaging X ray Spectrometer (C1XS) detected the X-ray signal from a region near the Apollo landing sites on ? December 12, 2008 at 02:36 UT. The solar flare that caused the X-ray fluorescence was exceedingly weak, approximately 20 times smaller than the minimum C1XS was designed to detect. The X-ray camera collected 3 minutes of data from the Moon just as the flare started and the camera finished its observation. C1XS depends on radiation from the Sun to activate the detection of X rays. Though, the minimum in solar activity was expected to end in early 2008, however solar activity is yet to reach the anticipated increase. With the highly sensitive C1XS instrument, it has been possible to detect the X rays.

The camera - C1XS (pronounced “kicks”) – was designed and built at Space Science and Technology Department at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is an X-Ray Spectrometer that uses X-rays to map the surface composition of the Moon and will help scientists to understand its origin and evolution, as well as quantifying the mineral resources that exist there.

Chandrayaan-1 is the first lunar mission of ISRO and also the first mission with international partners. It is designed to orbit the Moon at an altitude of 100 km and carries 11 scientific instruments including radar and particle detectors as well as instruments that will make observations in the visible, near infrared and soft and hard X-rays.

Dr G Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO said that the joint development and operationalisation of C1XS in Chandrayaan-1 between ISRO and RAL, UK is a major achievement. First signatures obtained from C1XS are highly encouraging.

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

Chandrayaan a wake up call, says Annadurai

Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: After 2010 there will be many moon missions undertaken by other countries. Anticipating this, we wanted to complete ours before they began. When we step into the moon tomorrow, we should be leaders among the other countries, Project Director of Chandrayaan – 1 M. Annadurai said here on Saturday. Responding to a felicitation given by Avinashilingam University for Women, he said the mission that was slated to be completed in seven years was accomplished in a record time of four years without any hitch.

“The Rs. 355 crore that was spent for the mission is not too high a cost for this kind of achievement. This is to show that we can achieve anything if we can work as a team. You need not have a background. Opportunities do not always knock at our doors. But, when they knock, we should be able to respond to them as a team. That will yield the best results,” Mr. Annadurai said.

Asking students to hold on to opportunities offered by the country, he said, “It is not a pride to go abroad and earn. India is throwing a red carpet of opportunities for you to grab. When India has given me the opportunity, it can give each one of you also”.

Terming the moon mission a “wake up” call not only for the U.S., but also for India, he said it was something the youth could look up to for doing more for the country. Since India could boast of a large youth population, it should serve as a productive human resource. He asked the students to be environmentally conscious. “Women have a more important role in this duty because they have to take on the role of teachers to their children at home. The role of a mother as a teacher is more significant than any other,” Mr. Annadurai said.

T.K. Shanmuganandam, Chancellor, Saroja Prabhakaran, Vice-Chancellor, and Lakshmi Santa Rajagopal, former Vice-Chancellor, of the university were among those who offered felicitations.

 

[nitesh]

Moon mystery unravelled -Ahmedabad-Cities-The Times of India

Moon mystery unravelled
8 Feb 2009, 2332 hrs IST, TNN


Ahmedabad : Images of moon's surface, rare footage of small and large craters from a close range left audience at ISRO spellbound!

This was part of the lecture on India's first moon mission, Chandrayaan-1' delivered by AS Kiran Kumar, deputy director, Sensors Development Area, SAC, ISRO on Saturday.

The clip from the 1,500 seconds of video footage from Moon Impactor Probe (MIP), indigenously developed payload under supervision of Space Application Centre(SAC), ISRO, Ahmedabad wowed many.

The lecture was organised by Broadcast Engineering Society, India (BES). It is active in promoting advancement, dissemination of knowledge and practice in the field of broadcasting and related sciences.

Kumar played a key role in designing and development of payloads of Chandrayaan-1. "MIP's landing on lunar surface was a historic moment for the country. With this, India has become the fourth country in world to have their flag on lunar surface," he said. According to Kumar, MIP has provided high resolution pictures of moon surface. "It was just 700 m away from lunar surface before it crashed on moon," he added.

 

[nitesh]

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/9E63F8AAC13FE1F265257558004D3EC0?OpenDocument

India to develop spacecraft which can carry 3 astronauts

Bangalore, Feb 9 (PTI) India plans to develop a space vehicle that can carry up to three astronauts in the seven-day manned mission to space, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair said today.

"Concept is getting evolved", Nair, also Secretary in the Department of Space, said while addressing an international seminar here.

ISRO is looking at developing a capsule (spacecraft) with service module which can accommodate three astronauts and take it to lower earth orbit using the indigenous GSLV (Geo-Synchronous Launch Vehicle) in the year 2015, he said.

Mission duration is seven days. There would also be emergency mission abort and crew rescue provisions in case of necessity. Crew module would be designed for re-entry and service module for mission management, Nair said.

He said the GSLV-Mk III, which can launch four tonne class satellites, would bring down the launch cost by half. The maiden flight of GSLV-Mk III is slated for next year.

On the recent Chandrayaan-1 moon mission, Nair said instruments on board have thrown up voluminous data which would take a few years for scientists to analyse and come out with concrete results.

Entire mapping of the lunar surface is expected to be carried out in a year's time, he said, adding, there is no trace of water on moon so far.

 

[proud_indian]

Designs for India's First Manned Spaceship Revealed

BANGALORE, India -The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with help from Russia, hopes to join the ranks of nations capable of independently launching astronauts into space around 2015 and has revealed the designs for its first orbiting crew capsule.

complete story here

SPACE.com -- Designs for India's First Manned Spaceship Revealed

i just can not believe this

 

[nitesh]

buddy it could have been good if you could have posted the pic
any way here it is

 

[lincdean]

Indian Rocks!
I like your article.

 

[LCA]

FOXNews.com - Designs for India's First Manned Spaceship Revealed - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News

Designs for India's First Manned Spaceship Revealed

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
By K. S. Jayaraman

BANGALORE, India — The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), with help from Russia, hopes to join the ranks of nations capable of independently launching astronauts into space around 2015 and has revealed the designs for its first orbiting crew capsule.

In its maiden manned mission, ISRO's largely autonomous 3-ton capsule will orbit the Earth at 248 miles (400 km) in altitude for up to seven days with a two-person crew on board, ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair announced Jan. 3 at the Indian Science Congress held in Shillong.

The capsule will be designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with a rendezvous and docking capability, he said.


ISRO spokesman S. Satish told Space News Jan. 10 that the program is estimated to cost about 100 billion rupees ($2 billion) over an eight-year period dating back to 2007. The manned mission was formally proposed to the government in 2006.

Although full-mission funding has yet to be approved, Satish said preliminary work has already begun using 950 million rupees ($19.4 million) allocated for the effort in ISRO's 40.7 billion rupee ($834 million) budget for 2007-2008.

The necessary mission infrastructure includes a new launch pad at ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Satish said. Another key facility is an astronaut training center to be located in Bangalore.

As a precursor to manned spaceflights, ISRO launched and recovered intact a 1,212-pound (550-kg) space capsule in January 2007, demonstrating its capability to develop heat-resistant materials necessary for atmospheric re-entry.

India also launched a landmark moon probe, Chandrayaan-1, into lunar orbit last year.

But several key capabilities have yet to be developed, including a man-rated launcher featuring safety and reliability enhancements, life support systems, rescue and recovery systems, a robotic manipulator, and new mission-management and control systems, Satish said.

Satish said the astronaut capsule would launch atop a modified version of ISRO's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark 2, currently under development.

The GSLV Mark 2 features an indigenously developed cryogenic upper-stage engine; the Mark 1 variant currently in use has a Russian-supplied upper stage engine. The first test launch of the standard GSLV Mark 2 launcher is scheduled for this year.

Satish said ISRO's human spaceflight program will benefit from assistance provided by the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos.

The cooperative arrangement was sealed in an accord signed Dec. 5 by Nair and Roskosmos Director-General Anatoly Perminov during a state visit to India by Russian President Dimitri Medvedev.

Under the accord, an Indian cosmonaut will fly aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2013 ahead of ISRO's planned 2015 mission, Satish said.

Roskosmos will also help in crew selection and training and in construction of ISRO's orbiter vehicle.

Russia and India have a long history of space-related collaboration. In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, flying to the then-Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station aboard a Soyuz capsule.

Today only Russia, the United States and China are capable of independently launching astronauts. China joined the exclusive club in 2003 using a capsule that was developed with Russian assistance.

 

[LCA]

Not looking at Arianespace as a competitor: ISRO

Not looking at Arianespace as a competitor: ISRO


Bangalore, Feb 9 (PTI) Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair today said that European space consortium Arianespace would market home-grown rocket PSLV in Europe and maintained that ISRO does not see the latter as a long-term competitor.
"ISRO does not want to be a competitor of Arianespace. ISRO is looking for cooperation and collaboration with the European space community to evolve next generation of GSLV-Mk III," he said.

"Similarly (in addition to marketing PSLV), some payloads which do not rightly suit their launcher (rocket), they (Arianespace) will deflect to us," Nair, also Secretary in the Department of Space, said on the sidelines of an international seminar here.

Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, Jean-Yves Le Gall, who was also present, added "Cooperation (with ISRO) will centre around (marketing in Europe of) PSLV (ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)".

Since 1981, Arianespace has launched 13 of ISRO's satellites. It is slated to launch INSAT-4G towards the end of this year.

Beyond that, barring one or two launches for which ISRO may have to go to Arianespace, Indian space agency is expected to have all launches from Indian soil. Its first flight of GSLV-Mk III, which can carry four tonne class satellite, is expected next year and this rocket is slated to be operational after the first two flights. PTI