Indian Space Program Discussion

skganji · Post by **skganji** » 18 Feb 2012 02:03

Austin wrote:Scientists are demoralised. I am hurt

This current ISRO Chair is involving himself in petty politics instead of focussing on the ISRO projects and mission. How did this bugger land this top position ?. Under his leadership he has failed miserably with the GSLV program too. Fully sympathy to G.M. Nair.

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 18 Feb 2012 02:35

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.

skganji · Post by **skganji** » 18 Feb 2012 04:03

harbans wrote: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.

I feel that this is very much true. People like Kapil Sibal, Chidambaram are not interested in doing anything better for the country. They are interested in keeping the Madam happy who is just interested in controlling the power without any responsibility or even thinking of welfare of the country. There are inumerable examples of this. She is absolutely misusing the power bringing in laws and changes in the government without even thinking of what is good for the country. These chamchas are just interested in keeping the Madam happy. The way the manipulate CBI is pathetic. Power should be handled with caution and responsibility. The Madam has so much power she is abusing it left and right. They haven't done anything really to stop corruption either. If they are really interested in stopping corruption and making India wealthy why don't they bring all the black money back to India. Scam after Scam . Petrol prices are rising in the country.

suryag · Post by **suryag** » 20 Feb 2012 09:07

IRNSS details on tarmak

merlin · Post by **merlin** » 20 Feb 2012 13:24

So when is the next GSLV flight with the Indian cryo upper stage?

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 20 Feb 2012 14:02

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.

How much truth should be attributed to the above statements? They sound pretty scary to say the least.

Should we just discount these as speculations/opinion from a hurt person? An effort to sideline the internal technology issues and the political scandal?

Yogi_G · Post by **Yogi_G** » 20 Feb 2012 14:21

suryag wrote:IRNSS details on tarmak

so I would need to buy a new receiver to use IRNSS or will it be compatible with the current GPS/Galileo signal set? If I am not wrong there was also talk of making GLONASS be able to support the same GPS receivers as well but it never materialized.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 20 Feb 2012 14:54

Is there any previous information on a hypersonic spacecraft for human flight?

Dr Tessy Thomas might be on to something here.. xpost from DRDO

DRDO works on hypersonic vehicle

Hypersonic vehicles can take you to US in two hours

the work on the project had already started and technology is under development. She said, “The work of the project is on, thorough testing is required for this project as it is for passenger travelling . It can also be extended to space tourism.”

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 21 Feb 2012 09:59

Mars by 2016, Chandrayaan-2 and unmanned Space mission by 2013 : ISRO

Corrected headline

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 24 Feb 2012 23:17

Dr. R. Narasimha resigns from Space Commission to protest the GOI strictures on the four scientists only.

Dr. R. Narasimha was associated with Space Commission for over two decades. Too bad for its India's loss.

Looks like selective punishment was the method adopted by MMS.

rahulm · Post by **rahulm** » 25 Feb 2012 11:18

In the linked Chandrayaan article, please correct typo-it should "Chandrayaan-II" not "Chandrayaan-11".

Shankar · Post by **Shankar** » 25 Feb 2012 17:55

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 .

merlin · Post by **merlin** » 27 Feb 2012 13:03

Shankar wrote: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 .

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. The naval comms satellite is one casualty already.

Yogi_G · Post by **Yogi_G** » 27 Feb 2012 13:21

Human rating for GSLV is even further away.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 28 Feb 2012 17:38

DRDO chief foresees home in other planets

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.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 29 Feb 2012 14:47

On GAGAN and IRNNS
ISRO bets on satellite navigation for aviation services
ISRO sets ball rolling for Indian ‘GPS' / navigation system

TN woman scientist to head ISRO mission

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.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 29 Feb 2012 19:47

"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.

kvraghavaiah · Post by **kvraghavaiah** » 29 Feb 2012 21:38

Austin wrote:DRDO chief foresees home in other planets

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.

This Mr T. Sivathanu Pillai is fit to be a cinema story writer than a scientist. I think, this guy told that AGNI-5 will be tested by year end (2011) when Agni-4 was tested successfully. Now we know that Agni-5 will be tested around April mid. He hyped many things many times. I stopped trusting these scientists after getting fooled every time. only defence products in poduction are trust worthy. All claims by these scientists cross all repeated deadlines. They do not speak like scientists?

kvraghavaiah · Post by **kvraghavaiah** » 29 Feb 2012 21:48

Varoon Shekhar wrote:"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.

Stop feeling serious or disappointed for the mistakes of our politicians, people and scientists engaged by them. Otherwise, you will rarely get chance to be happy with the successes.

When Our Cryogenic engine failed on GSLV in 2010 April, Mr Radhakrishnan boasted that ISRO will come back with in 1 year. Also, he thought of the increasing speed of the falling cryogenic stage after failure as due to running but direction lost engine; where as the slowly increasing speed of falling stage was actually due to gravity. I am afraid that Indian scientists are not efficient.

member_20617 · Post by **member_20617** » 01 Mar 2012 19:46

Mars by 2016, Chandrayaan-2 and unmanned Space mission by 2013 : ISRO

A manned mission to the moon from India has been scheduled for 2014.

I find this strange!

USA carried out several space expeditions (unmanned & manned) going around the earth before putting men on moon.

India has got to do the same. Safety of our crew must come first and that can only be gained from several unmanned and manned flights around earth, both of which will provide us valuable experience.

SSSalvi · Post by **SSSalvi** » 01 Mar 2012 21:54

^^^

First hurdle : a reliable GSLV with a proven indigenous engine.
2nd ( and more difficult ) : To gain at least some experience in putting a Man in zero gravity after overcoming heavy dynamical forces during launch
3 - Soft Landing on Moon
4 - To maintain a human for SEVERAL days on first flight itself ( as soon as you cross 24 hr time frame new needs of human life maintenance arise )
5 - Orbiting the human from Moon surface
6 - Re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and landing

And all in 2 years.

Sorry. there is a limit to even imagination ! Even 2014 is a election year.

But this imagination is from those who are supposed DO and not tell stories.

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 02 Mar 2012 07:07

Dogfight In ISRO

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.

Interview with Dr Nair-

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

Interview

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.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 02 Mar 2012 14:49

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

I guess he should stand up and take the people to cleaners and then sue them. The babus can take help of Govt. machinery and so can scientists. Otherwise the babus might keep this on.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 05 Mar 2012 23:49

ISRO to fund Nuclear Fuel Complex's niobium facility.

Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), the main supplier of fuel for India's nuclear power programme, will now set up an exclusive facility to produce niobium, a key material with critical applications in space and nuclear industry. The Rs 30-crore facility will be funded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

To be located in its campus in Hyderabad, the centre will have a capacity to produce a minimum of 3 tonnes a year of niobium and supply it to the ISRO, said Mr R.N. Jayaraj, Chairman and chief executive of NFC.

NFC signed a memorandum of understanding with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (part of ISRO), Thiruvananthapuram, recently. ISRO has given the financial sanction.A consultant was appointed and the detailed project report completed. Work will begin this month and the project would be ready for commissioning in the next 12-18 months, Mr Jayaraj told Business Line.

Niobium when combined with hafnium gives us niobhat. This alloy can withstand very high temperatures. It is used in the nozzles of spaceships, which need to be in space for long time. Hence, the critical nature of the product, explained Mr Jayaraj.

NFC has developed the technology to make both niobium and zirconium. The alloy of niobium and zirconium is used to fabricate coolant channels of nuclear power reactors.These coolant channels (about 306) in the core of the pressurised heavy water reactor carry the fuel rods, whose burn-up results in the generation of power.

NFC has also partnered C-Met and Midhani in getting the final product, niobhat, ready. NFC will make niobium thermite, and C-Met, Hyderabad, will produce hafnium thermite. Finally, Midhani, the defence public sector undertaking, here will manufacture the alloy.

Kakarat · Post by **Kakarat** » 06 Mar 2012 19:41

Could this be the Indian space capsule

http://tarmak007.blogspot.in/2012/03/re ... ng-up.html

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 07 Mar 2012 08:07

It seems to be larger than the three man Apollo capsule.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 07 Mar 2012 11:12

Its the GSLV shroud/fairing. Check the Missile thread.

Tarmak should have known better than to post it without clarifications.

merlin · Post by **merlin** » 07 Mar 2012 15:13

ramana wrote:Its the GSLV shroud/fairing. Check the Missile thread.

Tarmak should have known better than to post it without clarifications.

You mean a journalist must not titillate?

keshavchandra · Post by **keshavchandra** » 07 Mar 2012 15:31

ramana wrote:Its the GSLV shroud/fairing. Check the Missile thread.

Tarmak should have known better than to post it without clarifications.

But what this piece of doubt is doing in this space program forum, until we not get any clarification or exact description.

suryag · Post by **suryag** » 13 Mar 2012 08:14

So it was a payload faring and not related to warhead

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2012/03/g ... letes.html

pralay · Post by **pralay** » 13 Mar 2012 08:16

suryag wrote:So it was a payload faring and not related to warhead

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2012/03/g ... letes.html

I was about to post the same:p

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 13 Mar 2012 12:11

So they are skipping ahead to Mk-III without qualifying the basic design?

Will · Post by **Will** » 13 Mar 2012 12:24

[quote="Kailash"]So they are skipping ahead to Mk-III without qualifying the basic design?[/quote

MKIII is a completely different design with not much in common with the others.

SKrishna · Post by **SKrishna** » 13 Mar 2012 14:32

Kailash wrote:So they are skipping ahead to Mk-III without qualifying the basic design?

Just like repeated failures of ASLV did not deter ISRO to launch PSLV

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 13 Mar 2012 15:52

^^
A Mk2 launch now would not be the first, would it

It should be the Mk-III

The D3 which failed was a Mk2, if I am not totally mistaken.

**Added later From ISRO website:

The development work on Mk III is progressing as per schedule for a launch in 2012.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 13 Mar 2012 16:41

India's spy satellite to be launched in April

About Risat-1. Anyone know when Cartosat-3 is due for launch?

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 13 Mar 2012 22:38

^^^
Nice to hear about the RISAT-1 launch coming up.It's eagery awaited! Not to be nitpicking, but wasn't this supposed to be launced around March 15th? A good side note is that RISAT-2 is confirmed to be an Indian satellite with an Israeli made SAR. A couple of reports tended to suggest that the entire satellite was Israeli.

sum · Post by **sum** » 14 Mar 2012 08:22

^^ As per a chaiwallah outside ISRO campus, the SAR was the major delaying factor and the guys in that team literally put in their blood, sweat and tears to resolve all the SAR related issues.

Apparently, the worst is now behind them and the RISAT is good to go after final testing..

merlin · Post by **merlin** » 14 Mar 2012 12:04

Wonder what the huge weight difference between RISAT-2 and RISAT-1 is only due to SAR antenna or something else (a jingo would hope for extra fuel for maneuvers to increase revisit time).

Shrinivasan · Post by **Shrinivasan** » 14 Mar 2012 20:07

^^^ there are multiple differences, SAR being one... Mission payload, fuel, longer lifespan - so larger solar array, SDRE over engineering, enhanced number crunching. Packing multiple mission requirements into one satellite...