Indian Space Programme Discussion

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 15 Nov 2015 11:57

I think this is a "Reapproval" as they have increased the mass of the satellite with more sophisticated payloads and will place it at L1 point rather than the original 800 Km orbit.

Nick_S · Post by **Nick_S** » 18 Nov 2015 07:40

Large no. of ISRO videos here (click on the relevant pics to start the vids):

http://shiksha.isro.gov.in/videos.aspx
http://shiksha.isro.gov.in/marsvideos.aspx

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 19 Nov 2015 18:12

^

Sorry, almost all the videos are PDF descriptions of books!

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 19 Nov 2015 18:21

Prof UR Rao came to my college today and delivered a very inspiring talk. It was good to see him in person.

One thing stuck out in his talk which no one else in the audience noticed....He spoke highly of Indira Gandhi and how she listened to ISRO scientists patiently and helped in solving problem She gave go ahead for building remote sensing satellites after seeing camera shots of coconut groves having diseases appearing in a dark pink color while healthy trees had a light pink color. Devaraj Urs released funding for ISRO to build centers in Peenya after seeing pictues of ISRO building satellites in sheds, while Morarji Desai in a meeting referred to Hanuman as the first Human in space (sort of disparagingly) and left Americans from NASA confused asking who Hanuman was.

Listening to him, I realized why CongI can count on support of Bureaucrats and scientists like Seshan and others. It is this bank of trust built over the decades that is helping the dynasty in it's fight with Modi Govt

member_23694 · Post by **member_23694** » 19 Nov 2015 20:22

Nick_S wrote:Large no. of ISRO videos here (click on the relevant pics to start the vids):

http://shiksha.isro.gov.in/videos.aspx
http://shiksha.isro.gov.in/marsvideos.aspx

Thanks a lot .
Still searching for ISRO camera based detail video for SLV/ASLV launches

symontk · Post by **symontk** » 19 Nov 2015 21:21

Paul wrote:She gave go ahead for building remote sensing satellites after seeing camera shots of coconut groves having diseases appearing in a dark pink color while healthy trees had a light pink color.

As an aside, those shots were taken around Trivandrum from helicopter in 1980's, if I correctly remember using IAF's Aloutte2's. It was first time in the world that coconut tress were "remote sensed". That particular disease was very harmful for trees and the disease identified ones (based on the photographs) were burned immediately by village officials. It contained the disease spread greatly and that was the success of the mission

Nick_S · Post by **Nick_S** » 20 Nov 2015 04:46

Varoon Shekhar wrote:^

Sorry, almost all the videos are PDF descriptions of books!

Click on the pics, not on the text below! The vids load up fine on the same page.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 20 Nov 2015 07:13

Nick_S wrote:Large no. of ISRO videos here (click on the relevant pics to start the vids):

http://shiksha.isro.gov.in/videos.aspx
http://shiksha.isro.gov.in/marsvideos.aspx

Nick_S, excellent find. Thanks.

Nick_S · Post by **Nick_S** » 22 Nov 2015 09:36

Yw.

ISRO Scores Big With This ASTROSAT Instrument
http://thewire.in/2015/11/21/isro-score ... ent-16033/

ISRO release:
http://astrosat.iucaa.in/
http://astrosat.iucaa.in/czti/documents/CZTI_GRB.pdf

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 22 Nov 2015 17:10

http://issdc.gov.in/docs/as1/Astrosat_H ... ec2014.pdf

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 23 Nov 2015 05:12

http://thewire.in/2015/11/21/isro-score ... ent-16033/

zimbly zooberb!

astro-wealth in this link! guru loks, please discuss and educate us.

SKrishna · Post by **SKrishna** » 25 Nov 2015 15:36

India Positions For Growth In Global Launch Market - From Aviation Week

India is striving to get a bigger share of the global space business with plans for its first solar mission and a second foray to the Moon by 2020, besides continuing operations of its much-touted Mars mission.

As part of that, India is planning to more than double its annual satellite launches to 12 next year, up from four or five per year now, to ramp up its tally in the global launch market. The proposed plan “will require launching at least one satellite every month,” says A.S. Kiran Kumar, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

The space agency will eventually work toward pushing the number of satellite launches to 18 every year, he adds.

India recently launched the GSAT-6 satellite into orbit aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. Credit: Indian Space Research Organization

There are currently 29 Indian satellites in orbit, including four Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System spacecraft out of a total planned constellation of seven. “This constellation will be completed by March next year when three more satellites of this category will be launched,” Kumar says.

The space agency carried out three successive launches in September, October and earlier in November.

In September, the country’s first dedicated multiwavelength space observatory, Astrosat, was launched into orbit along with six foreign satellites. This was followed by the launch of the GSAT-6 advanced multimedia communication satellite, which is designed to provide application-based services at high data speeds to mobile devices. On Nov. 11, India’s newest telecom satellite, GSAT-15, was launched aboard a European Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou in French Guiana, in an effort to provide better telecommunications and specialized navigation services to Indian customers.

ISRO has plans to launch one satellite each month from December through March, moving ahead to make India more of a global space power. On Dec. 16, India will launch six Singaporean satellites, including an Earth-observation satellite to be lifted by India’s indigenous Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The Indian space agency is also in the process of developing the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk. 3, which will be able to carry up to 4 tons into geosynchronous orbit.

India’s second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, is slated to be launched between 2017 and 2018. It will deploy a rover that will operate on the Moon’s surface for 14 days. “It will function only for 14 days because its instruments are solar-powered and the Moon will have 14 days of sunlight,” Kumar says.

Aditya, the country’s first mission dedicated to the study of the solar corona, is expected to be launched by 2019. “The spacecraft will be positioned 1.5 million kilometers [932,000 mi.] from the Earth at a point called Lagrangian-1 and will make a detailed study of the Sun 24/7,” he explains.

Finally, a proposed communication and meteorology satellite for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation region, developed by ISRO, is awaiting clearances from member countries. “Sri Lanka is the only country which has approved and signed [onto] the project. The launch will take place by the end of next year, provided other countries cooperate,” Kumar adds.

Nick_S · Post by **Nick_S** » 25 Nov 2015 15:43

India’s RISAT-1 High Resolution SpotLight (HRS)Polarimetric Image

Namma Metro Station, Peenya, Bengaluru
(Date of Pass:20-May-2014, Look Angle:41.970)
http://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/fi ... 611153.jpg

More info & pics here -
http://isro.org/pslv-c19-risat-1-missio ... tric-image

http://isro.org/pslv-c19-risat-1-missio ... -indonesia

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 26 Nov 2015 07:14

ISRO ‏@isro
Station acquisition maneuvers for GSAT-15 were completed and s/c is successfully collocated at 93.5 deg E during night of Nov 20, 2015.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 26 Nov 2015 21:35

http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c25-mars-or ... rs-orbiter

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 26 Nov 2015 21:36

http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c25-mars-or ... rs-orbiter

Sharonov crater-Image from Mars Orbiter
Sharonov crater is an impact crater of size 100 km located in Lunae Palus Quadrangle of Mars. Sharonov is located within the outflow channel system Kasei valles (Kasei mean Mars in Japanese language), a giant system of canyons is Mare Acidalium and Lunae Palus Quadrangle. This huge system is 300 miles wide in some places. In contrast, Earth's Grand Canyon is only 18 miles wide. This image is taken by Mars colour camera on 13th November at an altitude of 24023 km with a resolution of 1.2 km

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 26 Nov 2015 22:16

prasannasimha wrote:ISRO ‏@isro
Station acquisition maneuvers for GSAT-15 were completed and s/c is successfully collocated at 93.5 deg E during night of Nov 20, 2015.

Great! Congratulations to ISRO team.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2015 06:25

SHAR set to launch 2 satellites in March 2016 - The Hindu

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre, ISRO’s rocket launching centre at Sriharikota, is set for a landmark event in March 2016 when two satellites will be launched in one month for the first time.

The last two of the seven-satellite constellation, comprising the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), were scheduled to be launched from the SHAR by PSLV rockets in March, VSSC Director K. Sivan said here on Friday. The fifth satellite would be placed in orbit in January, he said.

Once all the seven satellites are in place, the constellation will be subjected to orbit tests before being released for public use.

With a long line-up of launches ahead, 2016 promises to be the busiest year at the SHAR.

member_23694 · Post by **member_23694** » 28 Nov 2015 09:42

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thi ... 926217.ece

scramjet engine would be strapped to a two-stage Rohini sounding rocket for the experimental flight lasting seven seconds. It will be released at a height of 70 km and ignited during the coasting phase.

Meanwhile, ISRO is preparing for the first experimental flight of the RLV-TD (Technology Demonstrator). The vehicle is undergoing flight integration at the VSSC before being moved to Bengaluru for acoustic testing and later to Sriharikotta for the launch expected to take place in January.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 29 Nov 2015 08:56

Sure, Mac.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 30 Nov 2015 08:51

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ ... 153565.ece

ISRO to Test Electric Propulsion on Satellites

By Tiki Rajwi | ENS Published: 30th November 2015 05:37 AM Last Updated: 30th November 2015 05:47 AM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to try out electric propulsion on its satellites. The project, if successful, will increase the life and payload capability of satellites.

The technology, being developed by various ISRO units, will soon be tested first in a GSAT communication satellite, ISRO officials said.

“Our plan is to experiment it on the GSAT-9 communication satellite during March-April 2017. Initially, electric propulsion will be used only for the station-keeping of the satellite, which include adjusting the satellite’s orbit,” Dr K Sivan, director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), which is one of the ISRO centres involved in the project, said.

At present, satellites carry on board liquid fuel and oxidiser to power their thrusters for adjusting the orbits and other station-keeping purposes. This fuel accounts for 40-50 per cent of the mass of a satellite. The idea is to develop a satellite which fully replaces liquid fuel with electric propulsion.

“This will enable us to increase the life of the satellite by at least four years and to have more applications aboard a satellite. At present, the life of a 2,000-2,500 kg communication satellite of the GSAT class is 10-12 years,” Sivan said.

ISRO units ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and VSSC are mainly involved in the project. The 75 mN thrusters needed for the project have been designed. The satellite which will use electric propulsion for station-keeping will, in future, be followed by an all-electric propulsion one.

A satellite becomes defunct when the on-board fuel runs out and it starts drifting away from its orbit.

Then it is classified as ‘space junk’, becoming a potential threat to other satellites. GSAT-9 is slated to be put in orbit by a Mk-II version of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

member_29268 · Post by **member_29268** » 30 Nov 2015 13:40

I hope ISRO is providing the same level of attention to more powerful EPS devices as to GSLV Mk3. It will take a lot less in terms of financial and human resources for maturing EPS technology to produce all-EPS satellites than a whole launch vehicle.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 03 Dec 2015 19:38

I wish ISRO and/or the government would be more forthright in informing the public what satellites are beaming how many channels. GSAT-16 was launched last December, a year ago, and it's hard to find clear, direct information as to what TV channels are using the satellite. Similarly with GSAT 6 launched on August 27th of this year. By now, it would be operational, after 3 months. What are its uses/applications that the general public can notice?

GSAT-15 would be nearing operationality, and it would be nice to know, the extent of its application for TV and radio.

There are certain satellites like GSAT-7(Rukmini) which appear to have an exclusive security or military employment, it's understandable that details are not available. But what about the others? What's going on?

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 03 Dec 2015 20:18

GSAT 6 is more of an experimental satellite and a reconnaissance satellite.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 03 Dec 2015 21:17

Weather satellite startup will launch on Indian rocket.

A Maryland-based startup developing a satellite network to predict weather using radio signals will launch its first two spacecraft on an Indian rocket, the company said on Thursday. Privately owned PlanetiQ signed a contract with Antrix Corp Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization, to launch the pair of satellites in late 2016.

shravanp · Post by **shravanp** » 04 Dec 2015 00:44

That's great news. Hopefully this will trigger another wave of outsourcing to India

. ISRO is quite well positioned to cater this demand. It's workhorse launcher PSLV has been battle-hardened for low-orbit launches.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Dec 2015 10:36

PSLV bags two more U.S. launch orders - Madhumitha D.S, The Hindu

Two more U.S. satellite launch contracts have come the way of ISRO’s PSLV rocket, this time from commercial weather satellite company PlanetiQ.

A couple of space industry observers noted this as an inevitable trickle of business, if not a flow yet, from a top space market such as the U.S. to the now proven Indian player.

PlanetiQ, the Maryland-based commercial weather satellites operator, recently signed a deal with Antrix Corporation, ISRO’s marketing arm, for launching its first two weather satellites. Its final fleet totally will have 12 to 18 satellites.

Secondary passengers

The two spacecraft, just 10 kg each and carrying a special sensor to glean weather data globally, are planned to be put in space in the last quarter of 2016 as secondary passengers of a PSLV, according to the company.

PlanetiQ quoted its Chairman and CEO Chris McCormick mentioning “the stellar track record of the PSLV” in its Thursday night’s announcement of the contract.

The global launch market scene for small satellites and PlanetiQ’s keenness for the Indian launcher may well bring its remaining weather fleet also to the PSLV, said ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar on Friday.

Antrix has bagged nine such U.S. launch orders for 2015-16.

The PlanetiQ satellites are small bites for the PSLV, which can launch up to 1,200 kg to medium distances (36,000 km) and 1800-kg satellites to low-Earth (below 2,000 km) orbits.

Until about a year ago, U.S. satellite operators could not conceive of launching from India because of a longstanding U.S. policy bar. In recent years, established U.S. launch companies have moved on to lifting far heavier satellites [ten tonnes and beyond], leaving a demand for launchers that can put smaller satellites in space.

In September, US operator Spire Global became the PSLV’s first US customer by getting four 4-kg-each Lemur satellites from Sriharikota. Antrix, which has won around 55 foreign launch orders to date, a bulk of them small ones, prefers to get bigger foreign satellites to launch from here.

Lobbying works

Susmita Mohanty, co-founder and CEO of Earth2Orbit, the country’s first space start-up, who is familiar with the Indian and U.S. space industry scenes, said: “[US] companies can benefit tremendously now that PSLV has been added to their portfolio of international launch options. This has been made possible by the companies themselves lobbying for access to the PSLV, the export control reforms introduced by the Obama administration and the efforts of “NewSpace companies” such as hers.

Russia’s converted missile launcher, Dnepr, Soyuz and the newer European vehicle Vega are in the same category as the PSLV.

Space industry tracking agency Euroconsult estimated in February this year that by 2020, governments and private operators would launch a total of 510 small satellites. The biggest number of small satellites is foreseen to come from the U.S. in the next five years. That country has also launched almost half of 600-plus smallsats in the last decade, the report says.

Nick_S · Post by **Nick_S** » 06 Dec 2015 17:44

Satellite images for monitoring the recent heavy rains in Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh

Cloud Cover Over India

Master Control Facility (MCF): Managing India’s Geosynchronous Assets

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 09 Dec 2015 17:40

Any update on the upcoming ISRO launch of 6 Singapore satellites? It was scheduled for Wednesday, Dec 16th, one week from today.

Is that date holding?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 10 Dec 2015 18:45

^Looks like that, unless weather plays spoilsport.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 10 Dec 2015 20:03

^
Thanks! Not a big issue, but the number of satellites, 6, is novel. Usually, it's 2,3,4, 5 or 7. Never 6.

For some reason, ISRO's website is inaccessible for the last 2 days. I just cannot go to it. Must be some major maintenance being done on it.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 10 Dec 2015 20:30

Varoon Shekhar wrote:^
Thanks! Not a big issue, but the number of satellites, 6, is novel. Usually, it's 2,3,4, 5 or 7. Never 6.

For some reason, ISRO's website is inaccessible for the last 2 days. I just cannot go to it. Must be some major maintenance being done on it.

The site was and is working for me. may be some problem on your end/ISP/Browser.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 10 Dec 2015 22:03

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 48_1.html
ISRO Performing Post Launch Orbit Raising Manoeuvres

First orbit raising operation of GSAT-6 completes successfully
Isro launches space observatory into orbit
ISRO to launch heaviest commercial mission tomorrow
Isro successfully places 5 British satellites into Orbit
ISRO Performing Post Launch Orbit Raising Manoeuvres

As per the planned sequence of events, all the three post launch orbit raising manoeuvres for GSAT-15 spacecraft were carried out successfully during November 12-14, 2015. With this all the orbit raising manoeuvres have been completed.

The orbit raising, deployment, parking of satellite in designated orbit of 93.5 degree and three-axis stabilisation of the Ku-band satellite, GSAT-15, have been completed successfully. The payloads have been turned on and the satellite will be ready for use after the completion of the in-orbit testing.

This information was provided the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha today.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 11 Dec 2015 07:11

^
2 PSLV's, but remarkably for India, both in the same month, March 2016. First time that will be done!

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 13 Dec 2015 19:31

Mission Readiness Review (MRR) committee and Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) have cleared the 59 hr countdown of PSLV-C29/TeLEOS-1 mission for Monday, December 14, 2015 starting at 07:00hr IST and the launch of PSLV-C29/TeLEOS-1 Mission for Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 18:00 hr IST.

SSSalvi · Post by **SSSalvi** » 15 Dec 2015 05:58

Interesting...

PSLV C29 finishes its task 21 minutes after liftoff.

4th stage re-ignites for 4 seconds after 46 minutes after all the sats are released!!

THIS IS SOMETHING UNHEARD OF !!

=====

BTW .. here is the Launch Path based on NOTAMs:

Nick_S · Post by **Nick_S** » 15 Dec 2015 06:06

LAXPC Instrument onboard ASTROSAT looks at various X-ray sources

member_29268 · Post by **member_29268** » 15 Dec 2015 12:43

I think PS4 as a multi start engine can be used to inject future satellites (probably All-electric ones) to a different/higher orbit. Additional propellant loading with a multi start engine capability might give one more push to the satellite before separation. But the question is would we have the required pressure margins in the tanks after the first burn for a restart.

member_28108 · Post by **member_28108** » 15 Dec 2015 17:17

PSLV-C29/TeLEOS-1 Launch Update:
Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (MON-3) oxidiser filling operation of PS4 is completed by 15:00 hr IST

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 15 Dec 2015 19:59

SSSalvi, excuse the ignorance, but would the PSLV 4th stage engine ignite 46 minutes after the satellites have been released, with the idea of testing a future re-start capability? Is it essentially an experiment?