Isro to launch German, French, British, Canadian satellites

[FOX80]

SOURCE: TNN

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), that got global recognition for its successful launch of a mission to Mars, will now launch German, French, British and Canadaian satellites, a top official said.

“We will be launching EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Programme) satellitebelonging to Germany. The satellite will weigh around 800 kg,” Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan told IANS in an interview.

The EnMAP is a hyperspectral satellite that would provide images of the Earth at regular intervals. This apart, ISRO will be launching French satellite SPOT-7 during the first quarter of 2014, Radhakrishnan said.

“There will be four more small foreign satellites that would go along with SPOT-7,” he added.

ISRO had launched the SPOT-6 satellite in 2012.

Radhakrishnan said discussions were held with British agencies for launching three satellites each weighing around 300 kg and also to launch a set of Canadian satellites. The idea is to have at least one commercial launch every year using the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Isro chairman said.

According to him, the PSLV rocket’s reliability has been underlined once again with the launch of Mars Orbiter in a precise manner despite the challenges.

Queried about the status of Mars Orbiter, he said: “The Orbiter has been raised to around 193,000 km apogee (farthest point from Earth). We are all gearing up for the dawn of Dec 1 when the Orbiter will be injected in trans-Martian orbit.”

ISRO has been switching on the various systems and payloads of the Orbiter to check their functionalities and health.

“All the instruments are working normal. The satellite’s health is good,” Radhakrishnan said.

India launched on November 5 its first inter-planetary mission to Mars with a two-fold objective – technological and scientific. The project outlay was around Rs 450 crore.

The technological objectives include design and realisation of Mars orbiter with a capability to survive and perform Earth-bound manoeuvres, cruise phase of 300 days, Mars orbit insertion/capture, and on-orbit phase around Mars.

It will also enable deep space communication, navigation, mission planning and management and incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency situations.

The scientific mission will be to explore the Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments.

Radhakrishnan said the Orbiter will be using around 365 kg on board fuel in the orbit raising activities out of around 850 kg fuel on board.

Comparing the latest Mars mission MAVEN of the US, Radhakrishnan said the American Atlas V rocket has a payload capacity of 13 tonnes to GTO (geo-transfer orbit) while the PSLV-XL capacity is only around 1,300 kg.

“The American satellite, weighing around 2,500 kg, carries payload weighing around 65 kg and around 1,600 kg fuel. Our Orbiter weighing 1,350 kg carries a payload of just 15 kg and fuel of around 850 kg,” he added.

What he did not compare is the cost incurred in the both the missions. While India will be spending around $72 million the US mission is budgeted at $671 million.

Radhakrishnan reiterated that the Mars mission proves India’s capability to undertake such complex tasks.

 

[Brahmos_2]

Great news...

 

[Parul]

Congratulation and keep it up ISRO, getting global recognition for successful launch of a mission to Mars. Hope for the best for launching German, French, British and Canadian satellites, Scientists hard work paid the dividend.

 

[IndoCarib]

Years ago ISRO used to rely on French Arianne to lauch its satellites. Now the French are coming to ISRO to launch their satellites. Economics and tech both playing a role here.

 

[AnnoyingOrange]

Now this is the fcuking reason we should have a strong space program in India...
It gets you fcuking dollars which can then be used for development ... but these so called poverty industry would not understand that.

SOURCE: TNN

View attachment 10861

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), that got global recognition for its successful launch of a mission to Mars, will now launch German, French, British and Canadaian satellites, a top official said.

“We will be launching EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Programme) satellitebelonging to Germany. The satellite will weigh around 800 kg,” Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan told IANS in an interview.

The EnMAP is a hyperspectral satellite that would provide images of the Earth at regular intervals. This apart, ISRO will be launching French satellite SPOT-7 during the first quarter of 2014, Radhakrishnan said.

“There will be four more small foreign satellites that would go along with SPOT-7,” he added.

ISRO had launched the SPOT-6 satellite in 2012.

Radhakrishnan said discussions were held with British agencies for launching three satellites each weighing around 300 kg and also to launch a set of Canadian satellites. The idea is to have at least one commercial launch every year using the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Isro chairman said.

According to him, the PSLV rocket’s reliability has been underlined once again with the launch of Mars Orbiter in a precise manner despite the challenges.

Queried about the status of Mars Orbiter, he said: “The Orbiter has been raised to around 193,000 km apogee (farthest point from Earth). We are all gearing up for the dawn of Dec 1 when the Orbiter will be injected in trans-Martian orbit.”

ISRO has been switching on the various systems and payloads of the Orbiter to check their functionalities and health.

“All the instruments are working normal. The satellite’s health is good,” Radhakrishnan said.

India launched on November 5 its first inter-planetary mission to Mars with a two-fold objective – technological and scientific. The project outlay was around Rs 450 crore.

The technological objectives include design and realisation of Mars orbiter with a capability to survive and perform Earth-bound manoeuvres, cruise phase of 300 days, Mars orbit insertion/capture, and on-orbit phase around Mars.

It will also enable deep space communication, navigation, mission planning and management and incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency situations.

The scientific mission will be to explore the Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments.

Radhakrishnan said the Orbiter will be using around 365 kg on board fuel in the orbit raising activities out of around 850 kg fuel on board.

Comparing the latest Mars mission MAVEN of the US, Radhakrishnan said the American Atlas V rocket has a payload capacity of 13 tonnes to GTO (geo-transfer orbit) while the PSLV-XL capacity is only around 1,300 kg.

“The American satellite, weighing around 2,500 kg, carries payload weighing around 65 kg and around 1,600 kg fuel. Our Orbiter weighing 1,350 kg carries a payload of just 15 kg and fuel of around 850 kg,” he added.

What he did not compare is the cost incurred in the both the missions. While India will be spending around $72 million the US mission is budgeted at $671 million.

Radhakrishnan reiterated that the Mars mission proves India’s capability to undertake such complex tasks.

 

[oFFbEAT]

Years ago ISRO used to rely on French Arianne to lauch its satellites. Now the French are coming to ISRO to launch their satellites. Economics and tech both playing a role here.

We still rely on French for heavy lift........
GSLV can make us truly independent......hope GSLV succeeds like PSLV.

 

[KRAIT]

Hope ISRO make huge profits and shuts the mouths of those who were criticizing its MARS mission.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I wonder if the Brit satellite gets launched with a serious discount, after all, we in the UK are paying for ISRO through our aid- right guys?

God, this has got to hurt for such Western media outlets who were attacking India for having "misplaced priorities" a few weeks back.


Expect these launches to receive VERY little coverage in the West........

 

[faithfulguy]

Hope ISRO make huge profits and shuts the mouths of those who were criticizing its MARS mission.

The Mars mission is irrelevant to satellite launch ability. This author is making unnecessary connection.

And most people are going along with this unnecessary connection. How pathetic.

 

[sancho]

The Mars mission is irrelevant to satellite launch ability. This author is making unnecessary connection.

And most people are going along with this unnecessary connection. How pathetic.

At least once you are saying something that makes senss.
The mars mission has no cost benfits in return, while the capability to launch sats far cheaper than western competitors is a huge advantage for India and results in a profitable business and that's nothing new either, we are doing this for quiet some time now. We had some setbacks, but the cost-benefits still makes ISRO very attractive in this field. So while the one is a project that only costs India money, the other is far more beneficiary and that's what the Indian space program should be focused on. Benefits for Indian people and Indian industrial capabilities, not on prestige projects.

 

[faithfulguy]

At least once you are saying something that makes senss.
The mars mission has no cost benfits in return, while the capability to launch sats far cheaper than western competitors is a huge advantage for India and results in a profitable business and that's nothing new either, we are doing this for quiet some time now. We had some setbacks, but the cost-benefits still makes ISRO very attractive in this field. So while the one is a project that only costs India money, the other is far more beneficiary and that's what the Indian space program should be focused on. Benefits for Indian people and Indian industrial capabilities, not on prestige projects.

Actually, you finally accept the obvious about all I post. Also, thanks for accepting the India's Mars mission is a prestige project. A project that cost India money and create all the bragging posts but accomplish not much.

 

[sancho]

Actually, you finally accept the obvious about all I post.

Not really, because you basically troll around with your US bias and without seeing things from Indian point of view. This time your post was also written to provoke as well, but at least the core of your statement is true and that's what I agreed too.

 

[faithfulguy]

Not really, because you basically troll around with your US bias and without seeing things from Indian point of view. This time your post was also written to provoke as well, but at least the core of your statement is true and that's what I agreed too.

I just state the truth. And truth could be hurtful and sometimes provoking. But its best to accept the truth then to deny it , attack it, or attack the messenger.

Finally, I speak the truth from neutral perspective.

 

[Roybot]

At least once you are saying something that makes senss.
The mars mission has no cost benfits in return, while the capability to launch sats far cheaper than western competitors is a huge advantage for India and results in a profitable business and that's nothing new either, we are doing this for quiet some time now. We had some setbacks, but the cost-benefits still makes ISRO very attractive in this field. So while the one is a project that only costs India money, the other is far more beneficiary and that's what the Indian space program should be focused on. Benefits for Indian people and Indian industrial capabilities, not on prestige projects.

That depends, do you think the capital a company invests into R&D has cost benefits?

Think of the the Mars mission as a R&D project. The lessons learned from the project can be and will be applied towards the more "commercially oriented" ISRO projects. Look at the bigger picture. Being a one trick pony will only take you so far.

 

[manojb]

I just state the truth. And truth could be hurtful and sometimes provoking. But its best to accept the truth then to deny it , attack it, or attack the messenger.

Finally, I speak the truth from neutral perspective.

and we believe it every criminal says he is innocent!

@Topic this will shut doubter especially UK! Mars project has inspred interest in science. The instrumentation on the SLV and satellite can be used in future projects.
One of the project may be:
If there's comet that hurling towards earth for destruction of humanity and US russia chinese satellite fail to intercept the comet , ISRO can use same predictability of Mars mission to intercept comet with Nuclear payload. hmm!