Indian Space Program Discussion

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 20 Feb 2009 23:27

Not really. Apart from the two additional GSATs, all have been mentioned in newspaper reports, some for years.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 21 Feb 2009 05:21

To me, scramjet makes sense for TSTO, and maybe SSTO.

But why would you create a scramjet system for 3STO?
How could you expect to achieve any cost reductions or other improvements with that approach?

At this point it is just a technology demonstrator. An SSTO cannot be achieve unless scramjet technology is realized. May be some gurus with the exact amount of fuel that would be carried on an RLV, amount of oxygen extracted from atmosphere can provide the benefits of having a scramjet upper stage.

Why is RLV more useful than just having a larger booster rocket connected to the orbital stage?
What's the point of having RLV and calling it reusable, if you need this expendable booster rocket to launch it in the first place?

Again the idea here is that at some point the RLV would be a SSTO craft with horizontal (turbojet/scramjet assisted) takeoff and landing facility, till which point it just a costly experiment. But as per the article

Unlike NASA's Space Shuttle, which powers itself into orbit around the earth and subsequently de-orbits and re-enters the atmosphere to glide back to a landing, ISRO's RLV is not designed to enter orbit. It is a pure launcher. Not a spacecraft cum launcher.

if this stage is not going to reach orbit, it does not make sense. Looking at the shape of the RLV, any payload must be the third stage components + the actual payload. "not designed to enter orbit" probably means a sustained orbit, otherwise it doesnt make much sense..

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 21 Feb 2009 11:15

Sometimes I find some of these articles authored by uninformed Indian media to be unreliable.

My understanding is that a scramjet-powered RLV is really either supposed to be SSTO, or else serve as a reusable flyback booster.

This latest BBC article on the Skylon shows something comparable:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7898434.stm

Personally, I feel India needs to go in for joint development with someone else like Russia, or else it won't be able to do it. I understand that Israel is helping out with the RLV, but even they don't have the depth of experience for such a major system.

disha · Post by **disha** » 21 Feb 2009 12:54

Sanjay M wrote:I'm not talking about joint development of a Soyuz type capsule, I'm talking about joint development of a scramjet launcher vehicle. I think that both India and Russia would benefit from jointly developing a hypersonic transport type of vehicle. This technology could eventually be adapted to space launches.

Why, so that they can steal our crown jewels? Russia is falling behind - waaay behind. In ten years or so, in their blogs, they will be asking question on why they are not partnering with ISRO on scramjet technology.

disha · Post by **disha** » 21 Feb 2009 12:55

Sanjay M wrote: Personally, I feel India needs to go in for joint development with someone else like Russia, or else it won't be able to do it. I understand that Israel is helping out with the RLV, but even they don't have the depth of experience for such a major system.

Did the possibility occur that the above is DDMitis?

disha · Post by **disha** » 21 Feb 2009 13:11

sanjaykumar wrote:2010? yeah sure mac. Why bother giving dates? meaningless.

Needless R&Dh [Rona & Dhona TM]. They are a public sector company and are called rightly so to give their estimates. At the same time they are working on cutting edge technologies which have several points of failure and hence the delays. So it behooves us that we do not behave like DDM!

disha · Post by **disha** » 21 Feb 2009 13:15

sanjaykumar wrote:It's not really dead weight in the meantime, since it too has the momentum imparted from the launch vehicle.

Yes should have said 'dead drag'.

Good website on rocket equations, thanks.

Dead drag? Check out the equations again, the drag is accounted. In fact when I design my model rockets, I discount drag. Makes equations very simple.

disha · Post by **disha** » 21 Feb 2009 13:23

ajay_ijn wrote: behenji, are u saying that rocket will lose acquired velocity if booster is seperated during max velocity?, still cannot understand why booster should be there while rocket is coasting?

Bhaiji, your pelvic thrusts are useless here. They seem to be without seed.

I never said that rocket will loose acquired velocity if booster is separated during max velocity. I am saying that the second stage is best ignited at first stage's max altitude for efficient performance in a simple two stage rocket.

ajay_ijn wrote: Arun saar also says that mismatched burn time for boosters in case of GSLV does not give efficient performance.
from BRs GSLV article.
The mismatched burn time of the S125 core (100 sec) and the L40 strap-on (160 sec) does not give efficient booster performance (because the expended stage cannot be ejected and the deadweight must be wastefully accelerated) and also requires higher cost of close performance matching of the strap-ons

How come two rights make one wrong? The above is right and there are reasons for that. GSLV is *not* a model rocket and it has to adhere to other parameters including safety of vehicle and safety of debris.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 21 Feb 2009 13:59

disha wrote:
Sanjay M wrote:I'm not talking about joint development of a Soyuz type capsule, I'm talking about joint development of a scramjet launcher vehicle. I think that both India and Russia would benefit from jointly developing a hypersonic transport type of vehicle. This technology could eventually be adapted to space launches.
Why, so that they can steal our crown jewels? Russia is falling behind - waaay behind. In ten years or so, in their blogs, they will be asking question on why they are not partnering with ISRO on scramjet technology.

Nah, that I can't believe. There's no way that Russia is falling behind India on aerospace technology. They've been making jets and rockets for 50 years, and we've yet to even come out with an obsolete LCA.

I realize we Indians like to start our victory dances even during the first inning, before the match is even seriously underway, as per our tradition. But the reality is that we won't even be in the top 5 for quite a long time.

Scramjets were first made to work in the lab over a half-century ago, but the leap beyond the lab has been a formidable challenge. No one country has the resources to pull off such a leap alone; it will take the combined effort of 2 or 3 major countries at least.

But such a collaboration will be worth it, to gain a leg up in the intercontinental transport and space launch markets.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 21 Feb 2009 21:57

Sanjay M wrote:I realize we Indians like to start our victory dances even during the first inning, before the match is even seriously underway, as per our tradition. But the reality is that we won't even be in the top 5 for quite a long time.

And if I may also add. There are also many Indians start funeral procession and rona-dhona even during the first inning, before the match is even seriously underway, as per their tradition.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 21 Feb 2009 22:05

Hiten wrote:PTI news tend to dissapear from the URLs after a few days, so posting whole

After moon mission, ISRO now lines up twin launch
Anna University Microsatellite [ANUSAT]

ISRO MkIII budget saw a cut. Is it because expenditure related to designing it is no longer being considered and only manufacturing it remains?

I belive its the latter. They are part the investment hump whereby ISRO has already sunk in large capital required for critical technological and construction equpt required for development and fabrication in the last couple of years.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 21 Feb 2009 22:14

disha wrote:
Sanjay M wrote:I'm not talking about joint development of a Soyuz type capsule, I'm talking about joint development of a scramjet launcher vehicle. I think that both India and Russia would benefit from jointly developing a hypersonic transport type of vehicle. This technology could eventually be adapted to space launches.
Why, so that they can steal our crown jewels? Russia is falling behind - waaay behind. In ten years or so, in their blogs, they will be asking question on why they are not partnering with ISRO on scramjet technology.

I agree. India is far ahead of many erstwhile countries in realizing scramjet craft (not just propulsion). Vaman Avatar is just the first stop.

disha wrote:
ajay_ijn wrote: behenji, are u saying that rocket will lose acquired velocity if booster is seperated during max velocity?, still cannot understand why booster should be there while rocket is coasting?
Bhaiji, your pelvic thrusts are useless here. They seem to be without seed.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 21 Feb 2009 22:56

I'm simply going by the facts. The fact is that getting a scramjet to work in the lab does not put oneself at the top of the international pack, as scramjets were made to work in the lab about 50 years ago. There is no way that India's knowledge in supersonics or hypersonics exceeds that of the Russians or the Americans. That's simply fiction. Even BrahMos was largely just Indian funding of Russian engineering.

So I'm saying that India would benefit in going in with the Russians for a joint venture in developing a supersonic/hypersonic transport, as not only would the technology-sharing benefit us, but even more importantly the spin-offs in advancing globalization itself would be of great benefit to us.

shynee · Post by **shynee** » 21 Feb 2009 23:11

India should review its space programme: US expert

NEW DELHI: India should take strategic, comprehensive review of its space programme given the "military character" of China's space initiatives, a US expert said.

Initiating a discussion on "Chinese military modernization" at Observer Research Foundation here, he said China's space and satellite programmes have military character and military functions.

"We have to look forward to China performing military activities from moon," Fischer said.

He pointed out that China's space agency official had said its Moon missions would carry telescope and laser.

Fischer said the Chinese moon programme has even forced the US to take a re-look at this moon programme and give it high priority with necessary budget even at this time of economic meltdown.

Arunkumar · Post by **Arunkumar** » 21 Feb 2009 23:47

shynee wrote:India should review its space programme: US expert

NEW DELHI: India should take strategic, comprehensive review of its space programme given the "military character" of China's space initiatives, a US expert said.

Initiating a discussion on "Chinese military modernization" at Observer Research Foundation here, he said China's space and satellite programmes have military character and military functions.

"We have to look forward to China performing military activities from moon," Fischer said.

He pointed out that China's space agency official had said its Moon missions would carry telescope and laser.

Fischer said the Chinese moon programme has even forced the US to take a re-look at this moon programme and give it high priority with necessary budget even at this time of economic meltdown.

OT
The US moon project is in a strange position. Ares-1 vehicle is still ridden with problems and the first launch is not before 2015. Hope they meet the 2020 deadline. Chinese on the contrary have a working shenzou that can do a lunar mission.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 22 Feb 2009 01:26

Sanjay M wrote:I'm simply going by the facts. The fact is that getting a scramjet to work in the lab does not put oneself at the top of the international pack, as scramjets were made to work in the lab about 50 years ago..

Fact as discerned by an observer is largely depended on:

the field of view (similar to height of a radar mast gives it a longer Line of Sight perspective)
expertise in the domain subject matter

Each one on the forum has his own measure of fact depending on where he/she has been.

It will be strange to hear from "Koop Mandoop" (a frog that lives in confines of a well) that there is no word ouside the walls of the well, that there does not exists an entity called pond, lake, river or an ocean; these are figment of imaginations of poets.

Who can argue with "Koop Mandoop" to change its world view?
And why bother changing his word view?

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 22 Feb 2009 01:40

Arun, please tell me where I can go to find more evidence that India is about to overtake Russia in supersonic/hypersonic technology.

I am not interested in always being bogged down in national pride on every single issue. Because, as they say, Pride Comes Before a Fall -- ie. overconfidence is bad for success, and makes one rest on the laurels.

I am all in favour of India becoming more successful in these technologies, but it can only be done by taking a harder look at ourselves, not by premature self-congratulation.

Anyway, I would like to see India look at a joint development venture in hypersonic travel, because it would help entrench the process of globalization, just as the internet has done. Hypersonic travel is too expensive an undertaking for one nation to attempt alone. Such projects always get launched with fanfare, and end up being canceled due to resource constraints.

I would also like to find out more about this Unified Modular Launch Vehicle.
What are the specs on it?
I take it that the premise is to have various stages, boosters, and modules that can be mixed and matched for mission flexibility and customization. This sounds like a nice idea, like the aforementioned Angara. How come the West hasn't gone this route?

kobe · Post by **kobe** » 22 Feb 2009 02:38

Sanjay_M,

Arun Saar is resident expert on rockety things with many articles and calculations that have been proven correct. It is disrespectful to continue the back and forth. It is like asking your physics teacher to prove Newton's 1st love of motion, and the teacher will tell you, its not love, its law. Then you keep insisting that its love.

Please let go and contribute something technical on new topic.

Xie xie

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 22 Feb 2009 04:27

There is nothing "disrespectful" in Sanjay M's discourse. Such a questioning attitude is quite useful in the forum.

prao · Post by **prao** » 22 Feb 2009 07:06

Gerard wrote:There is nothing "disrespectful" in Sanjay M's discourse. Such a questioning attitude is quite useful in the forum.

Not only is it "useful" but it is absolutely necessary for the integrity of the forum. There can be no restrictions or rules, either written or unwritten, on what can be discussed or questioned or who can be asked to provide evidence to support their statements. The only thing required is common courtesy in the postings - and I don't see that lacking here.

P

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 22 Feb 2009 10:53

Arun_S wrote:
Sanjay M wrote:I'm simply going by the facts. The fact is that getting a scramjet to work in the lab does not put oneself at the top of the international pack, as scramjets were made to work in the lab about 50 years ago..
Fact as discerned by an observer is largely depended on:
the field of view (similar to height of a radar mast gives it a longer Line of Sight perspective)
expertise in the domain subject matter
Each one on the forum has his own measure of fact depending on where he/she has been.

Sanjay M: Many decades ago, amongst the the trio of IBM, DEC and HP (this was when HP was a mere US$ 4.5 billion company {lead by IIRC J.Young}, DEC was US$ 12 billion and IBM US$ 50 billion), the CEO of IBM mentioned that in a race it is not enough to only watch the guy ahead of you and try to beat him, because at the end the race you may very well beat the guy ahead of you, but still lose the race the to guy behind you !

It so happened that with in 6 years DEC was in shambles and bought over by a nobody shitty-bitty PC company called Compaq, while HP become a behemoth it is today, having digested Compaq many years ago.

Moral of the story:

got to watch the guy ahead of you and the guy behind you.
and Past is not the measure of future performance. IOW also look at the closing speed of the the guy behind you.

Sanjay M wrote:Arun, please tell me where I can go to find more evidence that India is about to overtake Russia in supersonic/hypersonic technology.

Pls read NAL's papers in hypersonic combustion (there are quite a few in free public domain). Also pls try to Google and see if you can find much Russian work on scramjet. Or Google to check if Russia has any active work/plan for scramjet test flight. Indian scramjet R&D is in public, but it has been best kept secret (intentionally or not does not matter; but countries have been watching it for long and were in awe of it). Per me India and US have the leading edge on scramjet. At least that is my conclusion based on what I have read and studied; yet I admit my limited faculties and knowledge, and will welcome gyan from any and all quarters.

I am not interested in always being bogged down in national pride on every single issue. Because, as they say, Pride Comes Before a Fall -- ie. overconfidence is bad for success, and makes one rest on the laurels.

You are one the dot. It will be grand tragedy to believe and lap up our own psyop that we dish out for others. OK to serve halahal to others, not to consume it. One has to be grounded in reality.

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 22 Feb 2009 10:58

Sanjay M wrote: I would also like to find out more about this Unified Modular Launch Vehicle.
What are the specs on it?
I take it that the premise is to have various stages, boosters, and modules that can be mixed and matched for mission flexibility and customization. This sounds like a nice idea, like the aforementioned Angara. How come the West hasn't gone this route?

US has Delta Launch vehicle family. It was designed for US military needs.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 22 Feb 2009 11:20

ajay_ijn wrote:
Sanjay M wrote: I would also like to find out more about this Unified Modular Launch Vehicle.
What are the specs on it?
I take it that the premise is to have various stages, boosters, and modules that can be mixed and matched for mission flexibility and customization. This sounds like a nice idea, like the aforementioned Angara. How come the West hasn't gone this route?
US has Delta Launch vehicle family. It was designed for US military needs.

There must be some reason why US concluded (some 4 years ago) that US commercial rocket launching cost will not not stand chance to compete with rocket launching cost of India and China in future, and removed the subsidies it has been giving to corporate commercial enterprise of Amri-khan companies.

But later to maintain secrecy of its military space payload USA agreed to give subsidy to (lo and behold) a merged space launch entity from Boeing and Lockheed Martin; so much for free enterprise and government money to publicly listed companies. Do I "see, smell or hear" US practicing the evil of Soviet Russi'a State Industry?

Sanjay M wrote:How come the West hasn't gone this route?

So much for "White skinned (Gwed) would have already lead in this correct way" litmus test / benchmark to credulity of any worthwhile indigenous path.

Arunkumar · Post by **Arunkumar** » 22 Feb 2009 15:45

SAR RADAR SATELLITE DATABASE

The excel sheet contains most SAR satellite launched from 1995
and those to be launched till 2012. Detailed info given
regarding resolution and swath. Good info regarding RISAT but little info regarding techsar.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 23 Feb 2009 01:15

Performance Audit of National Aerospace Laboratories
http://www.cag.gov.in/html/reports/civi ... chap_1.pdf

Performance Audit on Procurement of Stores and Inventory Control in the Department of Space
http://www.cag.gov.in/html/reports/civi ... chap_2.pdf

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 23 Feb 2009 12:52

Plan panel okays ISRO manned space flight

New Delhi: The Planning Commission has shown the green light to the Rs 12,400-crore manned space mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scheduled for launch by 2015.

“We had a good meeting. The general inference is that ISRO has done an expert job and it needs to be supported. The Planning Commission will support it,” said Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia who had a two-hour meeting last Friday with top ISRO scientists and officials of the Department of Space.

Ahluwalia said the Human Space Flight project would be executed in two phases. In the first phase, an unmanned flight would be launched in 2013-14 and the second stage in 2014-15 would be a two-man mission.

K Radhakrishnan, Space Commission member and Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said ISRO wanted to secure formal approval of the plan panel for the project to take off. The Rs 12,400-crore expenditure would include setting up long-term facilities and inputs needed for the space vehicle and its entire get-up.

“We intend to put two persons in the vehicle and launch them into space for seven days in an orbit of 275 km,” Radhakrishnan said. Though he did not elaborate, it is learnt that the manned mission would use the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

Although ISRO would be the lead agency in executing the project, Radhakrishnan said other agencies were also expected to lend support.

India plans a manned mission to moon by 2020.

Professor Yash Pal, who served as the first Director of the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad from 1973 to 1981, said Indians are already in space and have the capability to deliver on a manned space flight. “We are already in space. We are better placed than what the Americans did earlier.” Yash Pal also attended the meeting last Friday.

Late last year, ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair had announced that India expected to accomplish a manned space mission in 7-8 years and would undertake its manned moon mission by 2020.

And in January this year, M Annadurai, project director of Chandrayaan-I, said the successful launch of Chandrayaan-I last October had given space scientists the confidence to undertake a manned mission to the moon.

He said the Chandrayaan-II mission was expected to be undertaken within a couple of years and would be followed by Chandrayaan-III. The Chandrayaan-I mission, he said, was sending considerable amount of data and scientists were busy analysing it.

According to Annadurai, several countries have approached India to set up a common lunar research centre for conducting studies.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/plan ... t/426945/2

I'm so so so so so happy! Finally the 'babus' have sanctioned 12k!

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 23 Feb 2009 17:34

more details
url

The Cabinet must still sign off on the plan, but that is expected to be a formality now that the Planning Commission has approved it, S. Satish, a spokesman for ISRO, told The Times.

ISRO's ambitious plans were given a significant boost last week when the government increased its budget for this year by 27 per cent to 44.6 billion rupees (£613m).

Of that, 1.75 billion rupees (£24m) is to be spent on training astronauts and other space science personnel - representing a 73 percent increase over last year.

K Radhakrishnan, a member of India's Space Commission and Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said the budget approved last Friday would cover development of a new space vehicle.

Arunkumar · Post by **Arunkumar** » 23 Feb 2009 19:13

Watch the ndtv video below for the MIP images taken during descent(from 0.25 - 0.40).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f5qLMPIfe4

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 23 Feb 2009 21:34

India approves £1.7bn plan to launch astronauts as Asian space race hots up

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 23 Feb 2009 21:49

My dream is to put an Indian into space: Madhavan Nair

Pallava Bagla: You are hoping to have Indians orbiting the earth in low earth orbits. Can we talk a little bit about that sir?

Madhavan Nair: Well, I think the first step is we should develop the capability to have the human going in the earth orbit. So now we have cast a project report, which envisages the development of a capsule that can carry two to three passengers on board the Geo Synchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV). We plan to be in space for about a week or so and then safe return back to earth.

Pallava Bagla: Which Indian rocket can you use for a manned mission?

Madhavan Nair: GSLV, Mark II and Mark III. Of course Mark II can take just two passengers, but Mark III will be more comfortable when we want to carry three passengers. For this capsule, the basic configuration design, what are the technologies required, and what facilities we need, all these have been defined in a project report. By about 2015, we should be able to have such a capability.

Pallava Bagla: So you can hope to have an Indian in space from an Indian rocket from Indian soil in 2015?

Madhavan Nair: Yes. It will cost money, about Rs 12,000 crore. If we are able to spend that kind of money, yes it is possible.

Pallava Bagla: Do you think we should be spending that kind of money?

Madhavan Nair: I think this is nothing compared to the overall expenditure that we are making in the science and technology area, and it not only gives you that additional technology capability, but also opens up a vast avenue of research related to the human body, human psychology. Then the technology spin off from this could also be of tremendous value. So comparing all this, Rs 12,000 crore for investing over the next six years is peanuts.

Pallava Bagla: But for a poor country like India that is a lot of money.

Madhavan Nair: Who said we are a poor country? Our economy is growing very fast, we have sufficient resources, and this will translate into merely something like 16 per cent of the budget of the space program.

Pallava Bagla: Are you excited?

Madhavan Nair: Certainly, naturally at ISRO that could be the path-breaking event.

Pallava Bagla: When are you hoping to talk to the government about this funding?

Madhavan Nair: Soon, the seed money is already there.

Pallava Bagla: Seed money is there, so there is a hope that they will clear it.

Madhavan Nair: But you know, we have to share the concerns of the economic situation, what you call, downturn we are facing. We'll have to wait. I am optimistic that we will be able to get our sanctions soon.

Pallava Bagla: But are politicians ready to say yes?

Madhavan Nair: No, actually we have presented this at various forums, like you know the Parliamentary Committee, the Space Commission and the expert committee of the Planning Commission and so on. The response has been quite positive and encouraging. Now I think we should be able to present this to the government and seek the approval.

Pallava Bagla: But why are they taking so long?

Madhavan Nair: See, the thing is, as you yourself asked the question, is it relevant, and can we spend this kind of money? So this has to be debated at a national level also. So this debate is going on right now.

Pallava Bagla: Is there a firm date you have where you think the government would be able to make a decision?

Madhavan Nair: I think within the next few months we should be in place.

Pallava Bagla: Hoping a yes for it?

Madhavan Nair: I think, normally ISRO has got an approach of preparing the grounds, and then convincing people about the need and otherwise, so we hope we will be able to succeed in this as well.

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 24 Feb 2009 11:36

more details on manned mission.
TOI

ISRO chief spokesperson S Satish told TOI on Monday that the government has earmarked Rs 95 crore this year towards pre-project funding activity, which essentially involves initiating more studies relating to a human space flight.

"We are awaiting formal Cabinet approval. It is possible that Cabinet will seek more clarifications before we get the final go-ahead," Satish said

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director K Radhakrishnan told TOI that the mission will lift off with the three-stage Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-Mk2 version). "This rocket will be slightly reconfigured and human rated. Preliminary work has already been initiated," he said.

The flight plan envisages the manned vehicle with a two-man crew orbiting in the low earth orbit (LEO) for seven days. The LEO extends up to 2,000 km. There has been change in the flight plan as Satish said that originally it was to operate at an altitude of 400 km. "This has been lowered to 275 km because it will permit a heavier mass to fly and the crew compartment itself will be made more comfortable," he said. Some 16 minutes after lift off, the manned compartment will be injected into orbit.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 24 Feb 2009 22:22

India's cryogenic engine set for integration with rocket.

The indigenous cryogenic engine that would make India totally self-reliant in all aspects of space launch vehicle technology is set to be integrated with the indigenous Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

"Now, it is getting ready for flight and I hope by the middle of the year, we should be able to make a launch", Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), G Madhavan Nair, told PTI.

Isro officials indicated that they are looking at a June-July date for the launch.

Indigenous development of cryogenic stage was taken up in 1996 for achieving self-reliance in cryogenic propulsion technology.

Technological challenges faced during the development stage include development of new materials, composite thermal insulation, new fabrication techniques, handling of cryogenic fluids at cryogenic temperatures, realisation of facilities for assembly, integration and testing, and associated safety systems.

GSLV flights launched so far by India used Russian cryogenic engine. Seven cryogenic stages were procured from Russia of which five stages have been utilised.

Forthcoming GSLV launch with indigenously developed cryogenic stage would launch GSAT-4 communication satellite.

"GSAT-4 communication satellite carries a lot of experiments. Our main interest will be to see how cryogenic engine performs. We have developed the engine using indigenous technology and indigenous fabrication capability", Isro Spokesperson S Satish said.

"We have completed all qualification tests. We are very confident. We have already conducted flight acceptance test and it has met all parameters", Satish said.

The indigenous cryogenic engine develops a thrust of 73 kilo Newtons (kN) in vacuum with a specific impulse of 454 seconds and provides a payload capability of 2200 Kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) for GSLV.

The engine works on 'Staged Combustion Cycle' with an integrated turbopump running at around 42,000 rotations per minute (rpm). It is also equipped with two steering engines developing a thrust of 2 kN each to enable three-axis control of the launch vehicle during the mission.

Another unique feature of this engine is the closed loop control of both thrust and mixture ratio, which ensures optimum propellant utilisation for the mission.

The cryogenic engine is now in the process of being integrated with propellant tanks, stage structures and associated feed lines.

The cryogenic stage is technically a very complex system compared to solid or earth-storable liquid propellant stages due to the use of propellants at extremely low temperatures and the associated thermal and structural problems.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 28 Feb 2009 05:27

IIT-K students develop nano satellite.

Pragadeesh · Post by **Pragadeesh** » 28 Feb 2009 07:30

Vipul wrote:IIT-K students develop nano satellite.

Some info on IIT-K nanosat: "Jugnu" - http://blogs.iitk.ac.in/chintal/2009/02/jugnu/

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 01 Mar 2009 13:56

ISRO rocket to carry more astronauts in space
1 Mar 2009, 1145 hrs IST, PTI

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 01 Mar 2009 14:19

2011? I thought it was originally scheduled for 2008, and then pushed back to mid-2009. So GSLV3 will first fly in 2011?

That means first manned flight will be in 2020. That means manned moon mission will be in 2035.

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 01 Mar 2009 15:20

Sanjay M wrote:2011? I thought it was originally scheduled for 2008, and then pushed back to mid-2009. So GSLV3 will first fly in 2011?

That means first manned flight will be in 2020. That means manned moon mission will be in 2035.

but manned flight is on GSLV-2.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 02 Mar 2009 05:14

BrahMos To Sign MOU With ISRO

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 03 Mar 2009 04:27

Chandrayaan likely to join U.S. spacecraft for water probe

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 03 Mar 2009 16:36

Tauvex team unhappy with the delays and ISRO schedules
http://www.business-standard.com/india/ ... 1/55843/on

Speaking to PTI, Jayant Murthy said, "We have always had a very difficult time understanding ISRO schedules and have not been kept in the loop regarding when the launch will be. The flight date was first supposed to be late 2005 and has continually slipped."

"The official date which was conveyed to us (now) was early June (this year). Further slippages are of great concern to us because the Tauvex payload is sitting in the Isro clean room where we have no control over its environment. UV payloads are very sensitive to contamination," Murthy said.

"Through this project, and others, we have an exposure to the latest scientific results and data. However, we are concerned that, at the same time, there is not a sufficient appreciation for the timeliness of scientific data. Science advances throughout the world and our delays do have serious consequences to the further relevance of our data", Murthy said.
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Is this launch scheduled for mid 2009? I guess ISRO launch schedule is under pressure due to many commercial, scientific and INSAT/IRS Satellite missions.