Bharat Rakshak

Pardon my intrusion.. but all this discussion about the individuals and the Devas deal relevant to the topic of the thread “Indian Space Program Discussion” ?

It is not a political/commercial/bureaucratic matter than something related to the space program itself ? JMT

Isro had set up its deep space network (DSN) to track lunar probe Chandrayaan-I at Byalalu, a remote hamlet 35 km from its headquarters in Bangalore. The lunar probe was launched in 2008, but the space agency has not yet paid the Rs 84 lakh compensation to the man whose three-acre plot was acquired for the DSN.

^ I do not think the usual profit/loss formula is at work here; the central issue imho is the process involved in selling the said spectrum. See if you calculate the price at which 2G spectrum was auctioned the GoI made a huge profit then too however the argument is how much more could have been made if the auction was carried out in an open and fair manner.

I for one haven't followed the ISRO's case so as of now haven't taken a side, yet.

^ I do not think the usual profit/loss formula is at work here; the central issue imho is the process involved in selling the said spectrum. See if you calculate the price at which 2G spectrum was auctioned the GoI made a huge profit then too however the argument is how much more could have been made if the auction was carried out in an open and fair manner.

I for one haven't followed the ISRO's case so as of now haven't taken a side, yet.

Two life science laboratories of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) will be providing food and clothing for the vyomanauts (Indian astronauts will be called so) during the country’s first human space mission — estimated to be a Rs10,000 crore mission — that is awaiting green signal from the Centre.

While the Mysore-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) will dish out ready-to-eat food in space, the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (Debel) (both under DRDO) will design and produce the space suits for the first vyomanauts of India.

“DFRL already has the experience of providing food for space-bound men when it readied a menu for cosmonaut Wg Cdr Rakesh Sharma for the Indo-Soviet Manned space flight in 1984. This time too we would be working with Isro,” DRDO, chief controller, Research and Development (Life Sciences and International Corporation), Dr W Selvamurthy told DNA. He said Bangalore-based Debel, which has already developed Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection suits, flight clothing and protective equipment for air crew, has been assigned to develop the highly complex space suits.

“This will be the first time that space suits will be developed in India and Debel has already started work on it,” he said. The suits are worn both inside and outside the spacecraft. During the mission, the spacecraft would go around Earth 16 times and the astronauts would be exposed to varying temperatures from sub-zero to 60-plus degrees Celsius.The suits will have to protect the astronauts from the harsh space weather, especially the intense radiation which cut short India’sfirst unmanned mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-1, when it fried the satellite’s electronic equipment.

India’s first human space mission, expected to be launched in 2015-16, envisages the development of a fully autonomous orbital vehicle carrying two members to about 300-km low earth orbit and return to earth after a week.

The human space flight mission is looking at three options: one, to send an Indian crew onboard a foreign module; two, to have an Indian crew module with a launcher from abroad; and three, to develop a fully autonomous orbital vehicle which can carry the Indian crew members.

An Indian scientific mission to Venus is being considered by the space community. This was announced by M S Anurup of Isro at the 17th National Space Science Symposium which has been jointly organised by Isro and Sri Venkateshwara University.

According to Anurup, a preliminary study had indicated that if this mission gets the go ahead and depending upon the orbital parameters, it could be launched on May 20, 2015 arriving in Venus in October 2015. There could be about five scientific instruments on board the Venus-bound spacecraft. The rocket could either be the advanced version of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) or the Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) or the newer version of the GSLV designated as GSLV Mark3.The preliminary study states that the main role of the Indian mission to Venus would be to study its atmosphere. It will also help to examine the origin and evolution of terrestrial planets.

The report has expressed confidence that based on the success of the Chandrayaan-1 mission, India has the capability to launch a mission to Venus. In addition, with the launch of Risat-1 satellite next month, India will possess a radar imaging capability which will be necessary for the Venus mission. In another recent development, scientists of the Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) have reported the existence of a cavity on Mars for the first time measuring 500 metres by 100 metres.

Q. Do you think you are being wrongly targeted?

A. We have done nothing wrong. Let the Government conduct a proper inquiry. But what has happened is that a director at the ministry, who is not even in charge of projects like these, issued a secret circular tarnishing us even before we were told what wrong we have done. The correct procedure should have been to submit a report to a competent authority, who is the Prime Minister in this case. And if he finds that there are lapses, a proper chargesheet should be prepared. What has been done is a blatant violation of procedures.

Q. Who are the people working against you?

A. There could be people from both inside and outside the country.

Q. Outside the country?

A. Maybe. You know about vested global interests who had cooked up the isro espionage scandal and set back our space programme by several years. Scrapping this project will mean India will be deprived of a much advanced technology in mobile communications. Devas would have brought it to India at a reduced cost and much faster than what would have been possible without them. The technology would have revolutionised the applicability of hand-held communication devices by making them more accessible to people even in remote areas.

Q. You have admitted to certain procedural lapses in the deal.

A. Well, we did not formally inform the Union Cabinet in writing about the finalisation of the deal. But Antrix has not been mandated to do so as the Space Commission and the Government are duly represented on the governing board. Antrix is an autonomous body which has entered into such deals before too. For instance, the deal with Tata Sky. The Government was aware of the deal right from the beginning.

Q. Why do you say that the CAG's estimate of the loss is exaggerated?

A. The CAG seems to have wrongly extrapolated the potential revenue arising from the terrestrial application of S-band frequencies. The S-band spectrum was intended for space-based applications and hence would have brought in one-fifth of possible revenue. Besides, ISRO is responsible only for fixing lease charges. Department of Telecom should have decided the licensing fees. When the deal was made there were hardly any users for the S-band. The only user was Doordarshan, which also migrated to other bands.

Q. Minister V. Narayanasamy has said that the inquiry committee had recommended action against you.

A. I don't think he even understands the issue. Both the B.N. Suresh Committee and the committee headed by B.K. Chaturvedi, former cabinet secretary, had found there was nothing wrong in the deal except minor procedural lapses. Then, another committee was appointed, which did not even care to meet us. They just sent us some questionnaires. We responded but we did not get any reply. Most members of the committee attended only the first and last meeting.

Q. You've attacked ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan for what has happened.

A. He seems to have a personal agenda in tarnishing us. We feel he has cooked up stories. I think as a non-performer, he is jealous of some of us.

Q. Would you accuse the Prime Minister's Office for the controversy?

A. I request the Prime Minister to intervene and conduct a proper inquiry.

Q. What in your opinion would be the effect of the controversy on ISRO's image globally?

A. Terrible. Devas has many prominent foreign partners and they have approached the International Court of Arbitration. ISRO's or Antrix's image of being incapable of carrying out contracts is not good for our space programme. Even the satellite that was ready to be launched in 2009 has been kept idle.

Q. What are your plans now?

A. I think the country's scientific community knows how the development has demoralised us. This is the first such experience of my life. I am deeply hurt. My initial reaction was emotional. But now, I am waiting for copies of the inquiry committee reports through rti. I will decide my future course of action later.

I may be wrong, but i get the feeling this Govt is trying to take off the corruption heat on politicians by tarnishing career professionals like Gen Singh and Dr Nair. Both belong to the middle class that rallies against politicians. The feeling amongst the ruling elite is that everything is about wheeling/dealing..and professionals are a dime and dozen and there is nothing special in being one. Sibal also is completely finishing for example the JEE and the fairest entrance exam in the country. Institutions are being killed in India..massacred one by one. I don't know whether to feel sad or angry, but the anger against the bureaucrats and politicians is certainly mounting in the professional classes i can see.

Q. Outside the country?

A. Maybe. You know about vested global interests who had cooked up the isro espionage scandal and set back our space programme by several years. Scrapping this project will mean India will be deprived of a much advanced technology in mobile communications.

Q. What in your opinion would be the effect of the controversy on ISRO's image globally?

A. Terrible. Devas has many prominent foreign partners and they have approached the International Court of Arbitration. ISRO's or Antrix's image of being incapable of carrying out contracts is not good for our space programme. Even the satellite that was ready to be launched in 2009 has been kept idle.

2 GSLV missions are on anvil -one is chandrayan 2 with russian rover this will use russian cryo accleration block and other is gslv mk 2 with indian cryogenic engine .After monsoon earliest .GSLV mk 3 with dummy 3rd stage is also due for launch since c 25 is still some distance away .

The day is not far when humans will inhabit other planets, said Mr T. Sivathanu Pillai, chief controller (research and development), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and chief executive officer, BrahMos Aerospace, here on Monday. Delivering the keynote address at the national symposium on shockwaves at Periyar Maniammai University (PMU), Mr Pillai said it was like a child moving out of the cradle. “Children live in the cradle initially. Later they move out. Similarly, man will explore space to live,” he said. There are planets like Kepler22h and Gliesen667c which have the same temperatures as earth. “Man can move to these planets to live and come back to earth on a holiday,” he said. These planets are outside the solar system and are at a distance of 122 light years. “But, the human race can go and live there. These are potentially habitable planets,” he pointed out. Mr Pillai said the next Chandrayaan mission would be to send a Rover to explore the materials on the moon. The Rover would land on the moon through a space vehicle, collect materials and bring it back for research and analysis. A manned mission to the moon from India has been scheduled for 2014. “The moon has materials like helium which can be mined. It will become a hub in the future for launching vehicles and mining,” said Mr Pillai. He added that India had become self-reliant in launching vehicles and satellites. It was self-reliant in re-entry missions too. “Re-entry from space is important. Kalpana Chawla died at the time of re-entry. India has carried out a lot of research,” he explained adding that India was a leader in cruise missiles. Agni and Prithvi are ballistic missiles while BrahMos is a cruise missile.

COIMBATORE: Within a few weeks, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is slated to launch a microwave remote sensing satellite, RISAT-1 (Radar Imaging Satellite). After the space vehicle enters its designated orbit, you can expect ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan to grin from ear to ear. Sharing the honours will be a little-known scientist, Valarmathi, who hails from Tamil Nadu. In fact, she is the project director of RISAT-1, the first woman from this State to head such a project.
<snip>
Valarmathi is the second woman scientist in India’s space history to head such a mission.
T K Anuradha was the first woman scientist to head a space mission when GSAT-12 was launched on July 15, 2011.

"ISRO is seriously behind in the GSLV timelines. And that is an understatement. I wonder how many satellite launches are stuck due to GSLV no-show."

Yes, though ISRO is a wonderful institution, this has been a major deficiency. Laymen can appreciate the difficulty of getting a cryogenic engine, with 45000+ rpm up and running, and all that implies with materials, moving parts, bearings, seals et al. Still, it is a significant disappointment.

THINGS HAVE changed at ISRO since 13 January,” says a veteran scientist who wishes to remain anonymous. That was the day G Madhavan Nair and three other senior scientists were tainted with the brush of suspicion for their roles in the Antrix-Devas deal. “All this media hype has had an adverse impact on us. We are not used to such things. Now I don’t know whom to believe and whom to curse,” says the senior scientist, due to retire within a year.

“His appointment was almost certain four months before he became chairman of ISRO. He was elevated to the post of Secretary to Department of Space before taking charge of ISRO. But we thought Nair had endorsed his elevation and that the two had good relations. Now people close to Radhakrishnan say this is not the story and that Nair tried to block his elevation to the prime post,” says a top Bengaluru scientist. But the present chairman has the right connections in New Delhi, it is said.

There are allegations against you and fellow scientists that you sold S-band spectrum for a throwaway price.
You can blame me for selling cheap to Devas only if I had another offer for a better price. In this case, there was no such bidder or proposal.

Was national security compromised in any way?
You can blame me for anything but not on this account. Devas had to get all clearances for operating the system on the ground. The control was with us and not with them.

Do you think that some vested interests played a key role in trapping you in the Devas-Antrix deal?
‘Trapping’ is a light expression to use for the whole affair. I was butchered and hanged. Now I realise it was pre-planned and scripted. They have won for now

Bhaskaranarayana Former Scientific Secretary

How do you feel after the Union government blacklisted you along with fellow scientists in the Antrix-Devas deal?
I feel humiliated, cheated; depressed and slightly demotivated. I lived my whole life with dignity, concentrating on my missions. I was only worried about failing as a scientist. I never had time to enjoy life, to mingle with the outside world. But now I find I was treated like a secondclass citizen. All kinds of stories are floating, painting me a villain who ditched the country.

Did anybody put pressure on you to clear the project in favour of Devas?
There was no pressure and no arm-twisting. Like many other proposals that came for our consideration, I objectively analysed it and found a great opportunity for India. In 2004, there was no 2G scam or spectrum auction.

Are you going to fight to restore your reputation?
At 67, I don’t have many more miles to go before I sleep. But the way in which I was dumped hurts me. I don’t deserve such treatment

very bitter.
we are losing good men in the process due to age old enimity among humans.