Indian Space Programme Discussion

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 27 Feb 2015 20:43

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ ... 689302.ece

ISRO Plans to Test-fly Reusable Launch Vehicle by Mid-2015
By Tiki Rajwi Published: 27th February 2015 06:17 AM Last Updated: 27th February 2015 06:17 AM
KOVALAM: Taking India’s ‘space shuttle’ dreams a notch closer to reality, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to test-fly the Re-usable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) by the middle of 2015.

“The test-flight will take place either by the end of the first half of this year or the beginning of the second half. Work is progressing satisfactorily,” ISRO’s new chief A S Kiran Kumar told Express on the sidelines of the three-day International Conference on Climate Change and Disaster Management which began here on Thursday. “This first test is one of a segment. Work on the RLV is progressing in steps,” he said.

A S Kiran Kumar
The unmanned, sub-orbital mission will lift off from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. In simple terms, the two-stage technology demonstrator is a ‘space plane’ rigged atop a rocket. “The first stage burns on solid fuel. Atop it is the space plane which will return to earth after the flight,” Kiran Kumar said.
At present, for placing satellites in orbit, ISRO uses the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), both expendable vehicles. A Re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV) - think NASA’s space shuttles - will bring down expenses phenomenally and is the next big leap in ISRO’s launch vehicle programme.

Kiran Kumar, who took over as ISRO chairman in January this year, also listed his other priorities for the space agency. Increasing the number of missions, completing India’s navigational satellite constellation and the big cryogenic engine for the Mk-III version of GSLV are a few.

“We have to streamline the whole process. We are actually behind schedule in many programmes,” he said. An important project underway is the development of the semi-cryogenic engine, which, again slashes launch costs remarkably. Whereas a cryogenic engine uses Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) as propellants, a semi-cryogenic system replaces LH2 with cheaper and easier-to-handle kerosene.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 27 Feb 2015 21:34

Thank you ISRO, you did not dissapoint, in January the launch was to be in March. Now it is by mid 2015.

I am sure only a fool would be that hopeful.

Picklu · Post by **Picklu** » 27 Feb 2015 21:58

^^ Let us ask DRDO (GTRE to be specific) to take over ISRO

sarang · Post by **sarang** » 28 Feb 2015 06:00

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 28 Feb 2015 16:27

http://odishasamaya.com/news/s-k-shivak ... lites-2015

Mysuru: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Satellite Centre Bangalore, director S.K. Shivakumar on Friday has announced ISRO has launched 10 satellites centre in 2015 over the development of Indian Space organizations.

He has decided to set up an ambitious vision to launch about 10 satellites this year.

“Currently, we are launching four or five satellites every year. The idea is to expand our space programmes and set off launch of at least 10 satellites per year from 2015 onwards,” he said.

Dr. Shivakumar, one of the scientists behind the country’s successful ‘Mangalyan’ mission or Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), was speaking on the topic “Indian satellites and success of MOM” at the National Science Day lecture at the All-India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) here.

He said India had launched 72 satellites on its own from 1975 till date in 45 launch vehicle missions and two satellites had been launched with the support of foreign agencies.

The launch of the 73rd satellite for navigation had been scheduled in March. Forty-one countries had taken ISRO’s help to launch their satellites, he explained.

He said it was a big challenge to launch 10 satellites for various applications every year and added that infrastructure for supporting the vision was being created to boost the satellite production system.

About 2,500 people were presently working on the satellite production system at the ISRO’s satellite centre in Bangalore and played a key role in realizing the idea of enhancing the launch of more satellites.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 02 Mar 2015 19:27

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/science/news/in ... h-9-666312

India to Launch Fourth Navigation Satellite on March 9Indo-Asian News Service, 2 March 2015
isro_rocket_liftoff_sc.jpg
India will move closer to its own satellite navigation system with the launch of its fourth satellite tentatively slated for March 9, a senior official of the Indian space agency said on Monday.
"The launch is tentatively planned for March 9 evening around 6.35pm IST. However final green signal for the launch will be given days ahead of the satellite launch," M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, part of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

He said the satellite has been tested and mated with the rocket and the heat shield will be closed Monday.

"Full test will be done again Tuesday and the rocket will be moved to the second launch pad on March 4," Prasad said.

According to him, the space agency's Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) has to give the final nod for the rocket's flight.

The LAB meeting is slated for March 6.

The 59-hour countdown is expected to begin on March 7 morning.

Weighing 1,425kgs, the fourth of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellite-IRNSS-1D would be flown into space in an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL.

After its successful launch and commissioning IRNSS-ID is expected to make India among select group of countries having its own satellite navigation system.

The satellite has a life span of around 10 years.

Currently India is knocking at the door step of an exclusive space club - navigation satellite system owing club - that has the US, Russia, China and Japan as members.

Though the full system comprises of nine satellites - seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by - the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said earlier.

Each satellite costs around Rs. 150 crores and the PSLV-XL version rocket would cost around Rs. 130 crores. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs. 910 crores.

The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed by 2015.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third one in October 16, 2014.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on others.

The IRNSS will provide two types of services - standard positioning service and restricted service. The former is provided to all users and the latter is an encrypted service for authorised users.

The IRNSS system comprises of two segments - the space and the ground. The space segment consists of seven satellites of which three will be in geostationary orbit and four in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

The ground segment consists of infrastructure for controlling, tracking and other facilities.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 02 Mar 2015 19:28

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/ ... 693939.ece

Semi-cryogenic Engine: ISRO Charting a Revised Plan
By Tiki Rajwi Published: 02nd March 2015 06:05 AM Last Updated: 02nd March 2015 06:05 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hit by delays, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) efforts to create a rocket engine which uses kerosene as propellant is getting a revised plan.

The new ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar has asked the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) to prepare a brand new-schedule for the semi-cryogenic engine project as it is running behind schedule. As per the original plan, the semi-cryogenic engine should have been ready by 2014, but delays in setting up test facilities at the LPSC unit in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, had dragged the project.

Kiran Kumar, who took over as chairman in January, reviewed the progress during a recent visit to the LPSC HQ in Valiyamala, Thiruvananthapuram, and recommended a revised plan.

The new schedule for the semi-cryo engine will be readied on the basis of the report prepared by the LPSC, LPSC director Dr K Sivan said. ‘’We are making all efforts to speed up the project. The ISRO chairman has recommended a revised plan and we are working on it,’’ Sivan said.

Unlike a cryogenic rocket engine which uses liquid hydrogen as propellant and liquid oxygen as oxidiser, a semi-cryo engine substitutes the liquid hydrogen with a refined form of kerosene (RP-1).

Compared to liquid hydrogen, kerosene is cheaper, stable at room temperature and safer to handle. On a positive note, this project which will help slash launch costs by a considerable margin received a fresh shot in the arm on Saturday. The Union Budget 2015-16 has earmarked Rs 150 crore for the development of the semi-cryogenic engine.

The Cold Flow test facility required for the project is ready at the Mahendragiri unit. At a later stage in the engine’s development, an integrated engine test facility also will be set up there.

Spacefaring nations like Russia and the US have been using the semi-cryo for decades. The Union Cabinet approved ISRO’s plan in 2008, with an estimated cost of Rs 1798 crore. Then, the idea was to have the engine ready by 2014.

‘’The semi-cryogenic engine will facilitate applications for future space missions such as the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV) and vehicles for interplanetary missions,’’ the government had said in 2008.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 04 Mar 2015 18:37

Launch of PSLV-C27 with IRNSS-1D postponed
The launch of India’s fourth Navigation Satellite IRNSS-1D onboard PSLV-C27 was originally scheduled for March 09, 2015 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. During the integrated electrical checks of Launch Vehicle along with Satellite after the closure of heat shield on March 03, 2015, an anomaly was observed in one of the telemetry transmitters of the Satellite. In order to resolve the technical anomaly through further test, simulation and analysis, the launch of PSLV-C27 with IRNSS-1D has been postponed.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 05 Mar 2015 06:43

Isro to flight-test reusable launch vehicle technology.

ndian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is working on developing the technology for a winged rocket that can be used repeatedly and the first test flight of reusable launch vehicle - technology demonstrator (RLV-TD) - is likely by the second quarter of 2015.

Reusable vehicles will bring down the cost of satellite launches by doing away with expensive rockets, which disintegrate in phases en route to space.

The technology demonstrator, a winged body vehicle weighing 1.5 tonnes, will be lofted to a height of 70 km using solid booster, thus attaining 5 times the speed of sound. Thereafter it will descend by gliding and splashing down into the sea.

This test flight would demonstrate the vehicle's hypersonic aerodynamic characteristics, avionics system, thermal protection system, control system and mission management.

For a reusable launch vehicle, the weight of the structure that makes a rocket has to be contained at a mere two per cent of the overall weight with the propellant accounting for 98 per cent.

Currently available technology does not allow launch vehicles to go below 5 to 10 per cent mass of the structure and around 90 per cent propellant weight, according to S Somanath, associate director of Isro's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

''Development of reusable launch vehicles is a technical challenge and it involves development of many cutting edge technologies. The magnitude of cost reduction depends on development and realisation of fully reusable launch vehicle and its degree of reusability,'' an official release from the Department of Space said.

Simultaneously, Isro has also taken steps to develop next generation launch vehicle GSLV Mk III, capable of launching 4 tonne class communication satellites to geo-synchronous transfer orbit, which would bring down the cost of satellite launches, the release quoted minister of state for personnel, public grievances and pensions in the PMO, Jitendra Singh as saying in the Lok Sabha today.

a_bharat · Post by **a_bharat** » 05 Mar 2015 17:12

Came across the following. Don't know how credible or significant this is.

India's Mars Orbiter Mission makes big breakthrough - See more at: http://sen.com/news/india-s-mars-orbiter-mission-makes-big-breakthrough#sthash.Ak4VEoya.dpuf

Sen—India’s $71 million Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) to the Red Planet, which entered Martian orbit on Sept. 24, 2014, has made an important breakthrough. For the first time an instrument on board the spacecraft, the Methane Sensor For Mars, has recorded radiation on the surface of Mars which in turn reflected the Sun’s radiation back into space. The process is known as albedo, and it is the measure of the reflectivity of Mars’ surface. The announcement was made by the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Facebook. MOM was launched on November 5, 2013, and “hit a century”, to use a cricketing term, by observing the radiation from orbit on Jan. 1, 2015.

According to ISRO officials, this detection is significant because it marks an important step towards the sensor, designed and fabricated at ISRO’s Space Application Centre in Ahmedabad, possibly sniffing methane in the months ahead. The hunt for methane is one of the major roles of MOM as it would suggest whether there is life on Mars or not.

Officials said that the space agency will declare the scientific results of the payloads only after a thorough peer review. With regards to any announcement relating to methane, they said they will exercise considerable caution as the subject is somewhat sensitive and can become controversial. They cite the example of NASA’s Curiosity mission which touched down on the Red Planet on Aug. 6, 2012. Months after it landed there was an annoucement by NASA that the nearly one-tonne rover did not find methane. However, in December 2014 the space agency said that Curiosity had detected methane. They said that any discovery by Curiosity was localised—meaning that it focused on a particular area of Mars. “MOM on the other hand is executing a global mapping,’’ an official explained.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 05 Mar 2015 17:14

a_bharat wrote:Came across the following. Don't know how credible or significant this is.

India's Mars Orbiter Mission makes big breakthrough - See more at: http://sen.com/news/india-s-mars-orbiter-mission-makes-big-breakthrough#sthash.Ak4VEoya.dpuf
Sen—India’s $71 million Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) to the Red Planet, which entered Martian orbit on Sept. 24, 2014, has made an important breakthrough. For the first time an instrument on board the spacecraft, the Methane Sensor For Mars, has recorded radiation on the surface of Mars which in turn reflected the Sun’s radiation back into space. The process is known as albedo, and it is the measure of the reflectivity of Mars’ surface. The announcement was made by the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Facebook. MOM was launched on November 5, 2013, and “hit a century”, to use a cricketing term, by observing the radiation from orbit on Jan. 1, 2015.

According to ISRO officials, this detection is significant because it marks an important step towards the sensor, designed and fabricated at ISRO’s Space Application Centre in Ahmedabad, possibly sniffing methane in the months ahead. The hunt for methane is one of the major roles of MOM as it would suggest whether there is life on Mars or not.

Officials said that the space agency will declare the scientific results of the payloads only after a thorough peer review. With regards to any announcement relating to methane, they said they will exercise considerable caution as the subject is somewhat sensitive and can become controversial. They cite the example of NASA’s Curiosity mission which touched down on the Red Planet on Aug. 6, 2012. Months after it landed there was an annoucement by NASA that the nearly one-tonne rover did not find methane. However, in December 2014 the space agency said that Curiosity had detected methane. They said that any discovery by Curiosity was localised—meaning that it focused on a particular area of Mars. “MOM on the other hand is executing a global mapping,’’ an official explained.

The albedo pictures have been posted on the MOM thread

SSSalvi · Post by **SSSalvi** » 06 Mar 2015 06:10

MOM image showing Reflectance recorded at 1.65 Microns ( Transparent to Methane ).

Comparison of this reflectance with other instrument recording Methane sensitive Reflectance will reveal Methane characterization on Mars.

===========
Added later:

The data is obtained in several strips.
The MOM orbit around Mars is highly elliptical . Spacecraft distance from Mars Surface varies from 360 to few thousnd Kms. Orbit ti orbit time is over 3 days.
Data that is seen is Oct to Mid Dec 2014 .. so there is spread of time between swath to swath. This spread also results in varying Sun illumination.
Therefore a large data set is necessary for calibration.
This may be the reason for the variation in albedo seen from track to track .. still under calibration.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 06 Mar 2015 07:23

Why is there so much striping in the released imagery. Was it not calibrated fully ?

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 06 Mar 2015 07:53

Detecting a planetary albedo is a breakthrough??

SSSalvi · Post by **SSSalvi** » 07 Mar 2015 08:44

^^^
Detecting albedo surely is not!!
Any lens and optical detector will do that.

But designing a frequency differentiating, sensitive detector ( using your own guess of quantum of light range possible with some of the dynamics indicated above ), fabricating it yourself, mounting on own satellite, make that satellite orbit in the required orbit after several ORMs, Hohemann Transfer, Insertion in required orbit around a planet and operating it on a regular basis to download data, and calibrating it surely is an achievement if not a breakthrough.
This calibration will help in observing traces of Methane in summer which is the season for Methane formation ( if at all it happens ). It is suspected ( based on NASA observations about a decade ago ) that in Summer Methane is formed in Mars North Pole but gets destroyed quickly.
Remember that MOM has a good resolution global view of Mars which currently no mission operating around Mars has.

member_28663 · Post by **member_28663** » 07 Mar 2015 10:08

In view of changes in the Russian space programme on Moon, its agreement with Isro was further being delayed. "It means virtually we won't get a lander from Russia till 2017. So, we are planning to a develop a lander ourselves,"

I wonder if it would be feasible for ISRO to outsource the lander development to the guys at Team Indus, who already seem to have made good progress in a lunar lander development (they won the GXLP milestone prize recently).

csaurabh · Post by **csaurabh** » 08 Mar 2015 08:24

Isro is already developing a lander ( for Chandrayaan 2 mission ).

symontk · Post by **symontk** » 10 Mar 2015 13:59

It seems MOM found some thing interesting

http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2015/03/m ... s-orbiter/

member_23658 · Post by **member_23658** » 10 Mar 2015 18:01

symontk wrote:It seems MOM found some thing interesting

http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2015/03/m ... s-orbiter/

From the site

Is it a nuclear cloud? Dr. John Brandenburg writes in his recent book, “Death on Mars: The Discovery of a Planetary Nuclear Massacre,” that the “high concentration” of Xenon-129 in the Martian atmosphere and uranium and thorium on the surface are remnants of a nuclear explosion by an alien invader that wiped out two ancient Martian civilizations. Have they come back? Was the explosion from an old leftover bomb? Is there a war on Mars we don’t know about?

so... the usual crackpots

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 10 Mar 2015 18:43

Vipul wrote:Isro to flight-test reusable launch vehicle technology.
..........................
Reusable vehicles will bring down the cost of satellite launches by doing away with expensive rockets, which disintegrate in phases en route to space.

The technology demonstrator, a winged body vehicle weighing 1.5 tonnes, will be lofted to a height of 70 km using solid booster, thus attaining 5 times the speed of sound. Thereafter it will descend by gliding and splashing down into the sea.
................

Not clear on this report.

When the actual launch vehicle (solid fueled booster), is expandable then how is this a RLV? There was an early concept by ISRO of winged or parachute assisted rocket boosters that will actually make vehicle's components reusable. But not this one.

To me looks more like an unmanned X-37, more like a reusable space-plane. Something about this RLV does not adds up.

sudhan · Post by **sudhan** » 10 Mar 2015 18:46

Amol.D wrote:
From the site
Is it a nuclear cloud? Dr. John Brandenburg writes in his recent book, “Death on Mars: The Discovery of a Planetary Nuclear Massacre,” that the “high concentration” of Xenon-129 in the Martian atmosphere and uranium and thorium on the surface are remnants of a nuclear explosion by an alien invader that wiped out two ancient Martian civilizations. Have they come back? Was the explosion from an old leftover bomb? Is there a war on Mars we don’t know about?
so... the usual crackpots

^^ Wow.. Strong afghan herbs, I suspect..

Wonder how long it takes for MOMs methane sensor findings to be peer reviewed. How long did it take for the release of the water findings from Chandrayaan, any idea?

raj-senthil · Post by **raj-senthil** » 10 Mar 2015 23:29

IRNSS 1D: ISRO plans to launch navigation satellite by March-end

http://idrw.org/archives/59550#more-59550

The Indian space agency plans to launch its fourth regional navigation satellite by March-end after replacing a faulty transmitter, a senior official said on Tuesday.

“We are planning to launch the satellite by the end of March. The replacement transmitter is getting ready and will be brought from our centre in Bangalore,” MYS Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), said.

He said the faulty transmitter in the satellite will be replaced at SDSC.

The 1,425 kg satellite — Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS-1D) — was supposed to be launched on March 9 in the evening by an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL).

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on March 4, however, deferred the launch after it found one of the telemetry transmitters in the IRNSS-1D not working properly.

It is the first time in ISRO’s history that a satellite has to be dismounted from a rocket due to a problem in it.

Prior to this incident satellites have been dismounted from a rocket but due to some other problem.

India has so far launched three regional navigational satellites as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.

Though the full system comprises nine satellites – seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by – the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said.

Each satellite costs around Rs 150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket would cost around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs 910 crore.

The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed by 2015.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third on October 16, 2014.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.

adityadange · Post by **adityadange** » 11 Mar 2015 11:17

Sid wrote:
Vipul wrote:Isro to flight-test reusable launch vehicle technology.
..........................
Reusable vehicles will bring down the cost of satellite launches by doing away with expensive rockets, which disintegrate in phases en route to space.

The technology demonstrator, a winged body vehicle weighing 1.5 tonnes, will be lofted to a height of 70 km using solid booster, thus attaining 5 times the speed of sound. Thereafter it will descend by gliding and splashing down into the sea.
................
Not clear on this report.

When the actual launch vehicle (solid fueled booster), is expandable then how is this a RLV? There was an early concept by ISRO of winged or parachute assisted rocket boosters that will actually make vehicle's components reusable. But not this one.

To me looks more like an unmanned X-37, more like a reusable space-plane. Something about this RLV does not adds up.

As per my understanding, the proposed ULV will use RLV as its upper stage. it will be like space plane. with this TD test they are going to test the vehicle for upto mach 5 reentry speed.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 12 Mar 2015 19:16

ISRO to set up 'Third Launch Pad' for advanced launch vehicles

economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/scien ... 540618.cms

NEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to set up a new launch pad, referred as Third Launch Pad, at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

"The Third Launch Pad is intended to support increased launch frequency, launching requirements of future advanced launch vehicles and also serve as a redundant launch pad for the GSLV MIII class of vehicles," said a government press release.

Detailed studies on possible concepts /options and preliminar configuration have been carried out, the release added.

The possible site for the Third Launch Pad has been identified in Sriharikota taking into account the safety distances and maximal utilisation of existing launch pad facilities.

"However, further work on design of the launch pad will be taken up at an appropriate time after finalising the configuration of the advanced launch vehicle, operationalisation of GSLV MIII, programmatic requirements and resource availability," government said.

This information was provided by MoS in the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 12 Mar 2015 19:19

Sid wrote:
Vipul wrote:Isro to flight-test reusable launch vehicle technology.
..........................
Reusable vehicles will bring down the cost of satellite launches by doing away with expensive rockets, which disintegrate in phases en route to space.

The technology demonstrator, a winged body vehicle weighing 1.5 tonnes, will be lofted to a height of 70 km using solid booster, thus attaining 5 times the speed of sound. Thereafter it will descend by gliding and splashing down into the sea.
................
Not clear on this report.

When the actual launch vehicle (solid fueled booster), is expandable then how is this a RLV? There was an early concept by ISRO of winged or parachute assisted rocket boosters that will actually make vehicle's components reusable. But not this one.

To me looks more like an unmanned X-37, more like a reusable space-plane. Something about this RLV does not adds up.

This is a part of a multiple step experiment where the first will be to test the reentry of such a space plane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RLV_Techno ... _Programme

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersonic ... Experiment

bharats · Post by **bharats** » 15 Mar 2015 09:45

Hot Test of Cryogenic Engine Successful, Says ISRO
By: Express News Service
Link: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ ... 714243.ece

TIRUNELVELI: GSLV MK-3, high power integrated cryogenic engine, was hot tested successfully at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tirunelveli district on Saturday.

IPRC Director D. Karthikesan said as part of an important milestone in developing a heavy lift launch vehicle, GSLV MK-3, for the next generation, a major milestone was achieved when the cryogenic CE-20 engine was hot tested. It was successfully tested for 20 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex(IPRC), Mahendragiri on Saturday. “It is yet another milestone achievement on the road map of developing a bigger and more powerful indigenously built high thrust cryogenic upper stage for GSLV MK3 rocket for the Indian Space Programme,” said Karthikesan.

The Cryogenic CE-20 engine was a fully indigenous engine of ISRO and delivered a thrust of 20 tonnes. All the major parameters of CE-20 engine were normal and further tests were planned in the coming months, he added. IPRC scientists said it was tested at around 3-45pm. Various subsystems of CE-20, such as injector, thrust chamber, gas generator, LOX and LH2 turbo pumps were tested earlier at IPRC, Mahendragiri.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 15 Mar 2015 17:25

CE 20 tested for 20 seconds . So now subsequent tests will ahve to progress to full burn of 595 seconds. People who know engine testing - can you elaborate how the testing plan for longer duration are carried out ? Progressively longer burns or full burns after initial short duration tests ? Obviously they will then do a high altitude testing.
One thing with this is that we have successfully managed to initiate and maintain the gas generator cycle too. Sort of a trial by fire with the more complex staged combustion engine.
I think we have hopefully crossed the critical milestone in rocket engine development so now engine development will move at a faster pace. Hope the same occurs soon for our turbine engine programes.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 19 Mar 2015 16:16

http://www.microfinancemonitor.com/2015 ... minister/#

ISRO Mars Mission to Orbit Red Planet 6 Months More Than Expected: Minister
in Editor's Pick, SCIENCE March 19, 2015

ISRO’s Mangalyaan Mission orbiting Mars is likely to operate for six more months owing to its reserve energy, said Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha.
The reserve propellant onboard the MoM is 37-kg that can energise the mission orbiting Mars since September 2014, making India proud member of the top 4 club of nations to send missions to Mars so far. The MoM was expected to orbit the Red planet till March 24, 2015, but the mission may outlive the expectations with another six months of operation.
The minister said in his reply, “It is expected that MOM will outlive its planned life span of six months. The increased duration of observation of Mars by five scientific payloads will enhance the planetary science data. It would also enable coverage of Mars in different seasons.”
India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MoM) is the most cost-effective space mission undertaken to Mars with a budget of about Rs.450 crore. This is India’s first deep space exploratory mission taht was successfully launched when other big countries like China failed to achieve in their first Mars mission.
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has significant achievements to its credit being the first interplanetary mission realized by India and first Indian spacecraft to incorporate full scale on-board autonomy to overcome the long distances and the communication gaps due to non-visibility periods, said the minister in his reply.
Also the Mangalyaan mission is the first Indian spacecraft to successfully survive Van Allen belt crossing 39 times and also the first mission to use Ship Borne Terminals to track the launch vehicle and satellite over Pacific Ocean by ISRO.
The mission has brought accolades to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) all over the world including “Space Pioneer Award” by the US based National Space Society and topped the Time Magazine 2014 Innovations. Awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for its path-breaking achievement in peaceful use of outer space.

symontk · Post by **symontk** » 19 Mar 2015 16:40

prasannasimha wrote:CE 20 tested for 20 seconds . So now subsequent tests will ahve to progress to full burn of 595 seconds. People who know engine testing - can you elaborate how the testing plan for longer duration are carried out ? Progressively longer burns or full burns after initial short duration tests ? Obviously they will then do a high altitude testing.
One thing with this is that we have successfully managed to initiate and maintain the gas generator cycle too. Sort of a trial by fire with the more complex staged combustion engine.
I think we have hopefully crossed the critical milestone in rocket engine development so now engine development will move at a faster pace. Hope the same occurs soon for our turbine engine programes.

Only third party knowledge..so TIFWIW

For a full duration test all modules in the stage should be ready (as in ready and no doubts) incl. electronics. In the full duration test, even maneuvers will be tried out. Being a final stage, that part is critical, it needs to swivel and lot of other things. The full duration test will be done after a series of Non-destructive tests (Full duration firing will destroy the engine being a non-reusable engine)

But the toughest part is building a engine "similar" to the one which passed and then passing all Non-destructive tests and being ready for launch. Its literally a bone breaking experience

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 20 Mar 2015 00:17

prasannasimha wrote:CE 20 tested for 20 seconds . So now subsequent tests will ahve to progress to full burn of 595 seconds. People who know engine testing - can you elaborate how the testing plan for longer duration are carried out ? Progressively longer burns or full burns after initial short duration tests ? Obviously they will then do a high altitude testing.
One thing with this is that we have successfully managed to initiate and maintain the gas generator cycle too. Sort of a trial by fire with the more complex staged combustion engine.
I think we have hopefully crossed the critical milestone in rocket engine development so now engine development will move at a faster pace. Hope the same occurs soon for our turbine engine programes.

Not only the burn time. The thrust is also a variable. The initial tests may be run at somewhat constant thrust around the optimal range. Over time, they will be testing at the engine that it's full rated thrust and also varying the thrust. The rating of CE-20 IIRC is -10% - +10%. So the it is rated for a max thrust of somewhere around 220kN.

Once they are sufficiently confident with the engine performance they will move on to full stage tests. Instead of testing just the engine, the complete stage will be fabricated and will be fitted on the test stands for testing. After all this and many more things comes the flight clearance.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 23 Mar 2015 20:42

IRNSS-1d launch now more or less confirmed for Saturday March 28th, evening.

http://www.isro.gov.in/irnss-programme/ ... 1d-mission

PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D Mission

The fourth satellite of IRNSS Constellation, IRNSS-1D will be launched onboard PSLV-C27. The satellite is one among the seven of the IRNSS constellation of satellites slated to be launched to provide navigational services to the region. The satellite will be placed in geosynchronous orbit.
Satellite

The satellite will help augmenting the satellite based navigation system of India which is currently under development. The navigational system so developed will be a regional one targeted towards South Asia. The satellite will provide navigation, tracking and mapping services.

SSSalvi · Post by **SSSalvi** » 26 Mar 2015 07:25

Quoting ISRO facebook:

The 59 and half hour count-down of PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D Mission has started at 05:49 hr IST today.

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Launch seems to be at 1719 IST on 28th.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 26 Mar 2015 16:01

ISRO ‏@isro 13m13 minutes ago

Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (MON-3) oxidiser filling operation of Fourth Stage (PS4) of PSLV-C27 has commenced at 16:15 hr (IST).

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 26 Mar 2015 19:19

ISRO ‏@isro 2m2 minutes ago >>

Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (MON-3) oxidiser filling operation of Fourth Stage (PS4) of PSLV-C27 has been completed by 19:00 hr (IST)

juvva · Post by **juvva** » 28 Mar 2015 08:57

Mar 28, 2015
Propellant filling operation of second stage (PS2) of PSLV-C27 is completed by early morning today. PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D countdown operations are progressing normally.

from
http://isro.gov.in/update/28-mar-2015/p ... eted-early

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 28 Mar 2015 10:29

member_28579 · Post by **member_28579** » 28 Mar 2015 16:11

For those who are Interested ...

Now Live Webcast started from Sriharikota
http://www.isro.gov.in/irnss-programme/ ... riharikota

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 28 Mar 2015 16:31

ISRO ‏@isro 2m2 minutes ago

PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D Launch update: Stage-1 ignited. Lift off normal.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 28 Mar 2015 16:50

ISRO ‏@isro 22s23 seconds ago

PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D Launch update: PSLV-C27 successfully launches IRNSS-1D satellite.

nits · Post by **nits** » 28 Mar 2015 17:03

Here is the Video - Hindi Commentary is awesome