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Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engine would certainly provide higher thrust than nuclear-electric ion/plasma propulsion.
January 5, 2024
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)/ISRO has qualified 10 Ah Silicone–Graphite anode based high energy density Li-ion cells as a low weight and low cost alternative to present cells being used. The flight demonstration of the cells as a battery was successfully completed by powering a resistive load on-board the POEM-3 platform of PSLV-C58. The on-orbit voltage, current and temperature values of the battery were acquired through telemetry and found to match well with the predictions.
Compared to conventional Li-ion cells which use pure graphite as anode material, this cell uses Si-Graphite composite as anode material. This helps in accommodating more Lithium ions for a given unit mass of anode material and thus improves the energy density of the cell. In addition to the material change, this cell also employs cost effective hardware which are readily available and a crimped sealing based design which reduces the hardware cost and fabrication cost significantly. The energy density of the Silicon High energy Li-ion cells is 190 Wh/kg with an operating voltage of 4.2 to 2.8 V, against Lithium-ion cells (157 Wh/kg). During flight the battery system worked for 21 hours in 15 orbits delivering a capacity of 8.9 Ah with final drained voltage of 0.4 V.
Before inducting any new systems in operational vehicles &missions, VSSC subjects the system to rigorous qualification and flight demonstration as piggy back payloads. Same approach is followed for these cells also. The capability of the cells to survive and perform in harsh space environment was also successfully demonstrated through the POEM experiment.
Based on the confidence gained through this performance, these cells are poised to be used in upcoming operational missions where 35-40% battery mass saving is expected. The system find application both in space and ground use.
January 5, 2024
ISRO has successfully tested a 100 W class Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell based Power System (FCPS) in its orbital platform, POEM3, launched onboard PSLV-C58 on January 1, 2024. The objective of the experiment was to assess Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cell operation in space and to collect data to facilitate the design of systems for future missions. During the short duration test onboard POEM, 180 W power was generated from Hydrogen and Oxygen gases stored on onboard in high pressure vessels. It provided a wealth of data on performance of various static and dynamic systems that formed part of the power system and the physics at play.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells produce electricity directly from Hydrogen and Oxygen gases, along with pure water and heat. It is an electric generator which works on electrochemical principles, as in batteries, as against the combustion reactions employed in conventional generators. The ability to produce electricity directly from fuels without any intermediate step renders them very efficient. With water as the only byproduct, they are totally emission free. These features make them ideal candidates for space missions involving humans where electric power, water and heat are essential since a single systems can meet multiple requirements in the mission.
Fuel Cells also possess significant societal application potential. They are also considered to be the most appropriate solution to replace the engines of various types vehicles in use today and to power standby power systems. Fuel Cells can provide range and fuel recharge time equaling that of today’s conventional engine, which gives them a distinct advantage over batteries, and are expected to facilitate emission free transportation. Fuel cell is ideal power source for Space Station as it provides both power and pure water.
Speaking of nuclear propulsion, in a related development China has achieved a breakthrough with its new thermoacoustic converter, which achieved 102kW of electrical power output, converting heat into electricity at 28% efficiency.
The Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) on the Chandrayaan-3 lander has begun serving as a fiducial point points (precisely located markers for reference) on the moon. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) achieved a laser range measurement using the LRA by successfully detecting signals reflected by it on December 12, 2023. The ranging utilized the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) on the LRO. The observation occurred during lunar night time, with the LRO ascending to the east of Chandrayaan-3.
NASA’s LRA was accommodated on the Vikram lander under international collaboration. It comprises eight corner-cube retroreflectors on a hemispherical support structure. This array facilitates laser ranging from various directions by any orbiting spacecraft with suitable instrument. The passive optical instrument, weighing about 20 grams, is designed to last for decades on the lunar surface. Landed near the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023, Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander has been accessible for LOLA measurements since then.
While several LRAs have been deployed on the Moon since the beginning of lunar exploration, the LRA on Chandrayaan-3 is a miniature version and is the only one available near south pole currently. NASA’s LRA on Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander will continue to serve as a long-term geodetic station and a location marker on the lunar surface, benefitting current and future lunar missions. These measurements, apart from helping in precise determination of spacecraft’s orbital position, will help refine the lunar geodetic frame, revealing insights into the Moon's dynamics, internal structure, and gravitational anomalies.
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s latest meteorological satellite, INSAT-3DS, has been flagged off to Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, for launch aboard the Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F14) on January 25.
The satellite was developed at the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru for the Ministry of Earth Science (MoES).
"The satellite is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning," Isro said in a statement.
The GSLV-F14 is scheduled to take off in the first week of February, according to senior officials from Isro.
The INSAT-3DS mission is a collaboration between the Isro and the India Meteorological Department. It is part of a series of climate observatory satellites aimed at enhancing climate services, comprising three dedicated Earth observation satellites, including INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR, which are already in orbit.
The spacecraft is likely to launch on February 17, 2024 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota aboard the GSLV-F14 rocket, marking a significant milestone in India's space endeavours.
The launch window for the GSLV-F14 mission extends from February 17 to March 17, as per the latest Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) issued by the space agency.
The launch of the GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS mission is set for Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 17:30 Hrs. IST from SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota. In its 16th mission, the GSLV aims at deploying the INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Subsequent orbit-raising maneuvers will ensure that the satellite is positioned in a Geo-stationary Orbit.
Cartosat-2: ISRO's storied Cartosat-2 satellite has reached the end of its flight path after it was brought down from space to the earth's atmosphere, the agency said on February 16.
Cartosat-2, launched 17 years ago, was ISRO's first satellite in the second generation of high-resolution imaging satellites.
According to an ISRO official quoted by news agencies, the satellite entered the earth's atmosphere at 3.48 pm IST on February 14 over the Indian ocean. The remnants would have either been burnt out of fallen into the sea, so tracing them may not be possible, the official said.
The space agency had launched the satellite on January 10, 2007. At the time of launch, it weighed 680 kg. The satellite operated in a sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 635 km, ISRO data shows.
An ISRO statement said that Cartosat-2 provided high-resolution imagery for urban planning.
ISRO had expected the satellite to take about 30 years to de-orbit naturally, it said. The agency, however, chose to lower the satellite's perigee using leftover fuel in view of new guidelines on space debris.
"This exercise involved reducing collision risks and ensuring safe end-of-life disposal, following recommendations from organisations like the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPOUS) and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)," ISRO said.
ISRO said its System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations (IS4OM) team at ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) predicted Cartosat-2's atmospheric re-entry for February 14.
"Electrical passivation was completed on February 14th, and tracking continued until re-entry. The final telemetry frames confirmed successful passivation, with the satellite reaching about 130 km altitude," ISRO said. This exercise provided an opportunity to assess indigenous tracking capabilities, with the multi-object tracking radar at the spaceport of Sriharikota utilised for tracking.
"The final prediction placed Cartosat-2's re-entry over the Indian Ocean at 10:18 UTC/3:48 pm IST on February 14, 2024. Analysis indicated that all major spacecraft components would demise (sic) during atmospheric re-entry," ISRO said.
"Cartosat-2's successful de-orbiting at its end-of-life represents a significant step for ISRO in ensuring the long-term sustainability of outer space activities." it said.
It is very obvious that increasing space demands need larger launch vehicles, something we have been struggling with for some time now. The SCE200 looks like will take some time. With our upcoming space station ambitions, heavier lift vehicles need to mature quickly.ISRO was holding discussions 'internally' on its plan for the launch of Chandrayaan-4 mission and was involved in developing a 'novel design' and 'high-end technology' in this connection, a top official said on Saturday. After successfully launching the Chandrayaan-3 rocket on the south pole of the Moon in August 2023, ISRO has drawn up a more "complex" mission of bringing back the soil from the surface of the Moon to the Earth.
On Saturday, after the successful launch of GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS satellite, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency wanted to send Chandrayaan 4, 5, 6 and 7 missions, in future, following the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission.
"We are working on what Chandrayaan-4 spacecraft should contain. The first question is what Chandrayaan-4 should be having (as the payload).; this is the question we are asking," Somanath said.
Observing that the plan was to do something different, he said, "first thing we decided is atleast Chandrayaan-4 should have a sample of Moon's soil which is to be brought back to Earth. We want to do this in a robotic way. So, this is the discussion going on internally."
"All of us are involved in this discussion on how to do this work with available rockets. You know going to the Moon, bringing back a sample is a very complex work. Not landing there (like Chandrayaan-3 mission). Again another rocket has to take off from the Moon, come back to the Earth and land on Earth which is double the work of what we have done last time," Somanath said.
"So, our rockets today are not fully capable. So, because of this we are trying a novel design, which I will not tell you now, it will be secret," he said.
The Secretary, Department of Space said, the scientists would develop a high-end technology for the Chandrayaan-4 mission.
"There is going to be high-end technology which we are developing to do this mission. We will soon come back after the government approvals. We have to tell the government that this is the way (to do the mission), this is the money required and then they have to sanction. Only then I can tell outside world. Until then please wait," he said.
To a query on today's successful launch of GSLV-F14 INSAT-3DS satellite, he said gradually the scientists would "decommission" INSAT-3D satellite launched in 2013 as its functions were 'deteriorating'.
"We will use it (INSAT-3D) satellite for a different purpose and we will inform you later, " he said without divulging further details.
The first spy satellite in India to be made by a local private player is set to be launched in a SpaceX rocket by April and will be used by the armed forces to get discreet information, The Economic Times (ET) reported on Monday.
The satellite that has been built by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) is being sent to Florida for its launch, the report added.
Earlier, the armed forces had to acquire the required exact coordinates and timings from foreign vendors. But now, this satellite will allow them to be monitored by India and also provide it with full ground control.
The ground control centre, which will be set up in Bengaluru, is also being worked on and is expected to be operational soon. This will be used for guidance and processing the imagery sent by the satellite. The centre is being built in partnership with Satellogic, a Latin-American company, the report added.
The imagery sent by the TASL satellite will also be allowed to be shared with friendly nations.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) also has satellites that can help share the imagery but their application, given the vast coverage required, is only limited. India currently uses US companies to get the necessary spy data. The need has increased after the skirmishes with China at the Line of Actual Control.
On February 17, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the GSLV-F14 mission. It was the tenth flight of ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with an indigenous cryogenic upper stage and the seventh operational flight of GSLV with such a stage. This launch placed India’s INSAT-3DS satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit.
INSAT-3DS is a 2274-kilogram satellite launched for meteorological purposes. There is an additional element of data relay and satellite-aided search-and-rescue service. According to ISRO, there are four main payloads. The Imager Payload is for generating images of the Earth and its environment in six wavelength bands. The Sounder payload has one visible channel and 18 narrow spectral channels. It would provide information on the vertical profiles of the atmosphere like temperature and humidity. The third payload is a Data Relay Transponder (DRT) for receiving global meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic data from automatic data collection platforms and Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), and would relay the information back to the user terminal. The only non-meteorological payload is a satellite-aided search-and-rescue (SA&SR) transponder meant for relaying a distress signal for search-and-rescue purposes with global receive coverage in UHF band.
The geographical landscape of India is fascinating. India is a peninsular state and has the mountain ranges of the Himalayas to its north. The Thar Desert (the Great Indian Desert) is in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, including parts of India and Pakistan, and around 85% portion of this desert is in India. From Thar to Siachen in the Himalayas, within a distance of around 1,000 kilometers, the variation in temperature is more than 100 degrees Celsius (–50 deg C at Siachen to +50 deg C in the desert region.) By contrast, the northeastern part of India has the most extensive forest cover.
The Indian state experiences the vagaries of weather frequently. India receives the major portion of the rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon period, which on many occasions floods the Northeast parts of the country. Over the years, the state has experienced some drought years too. Peninsular India gets impacted by cyclonic storms and hurricanes mainly during the months of April and November. Weather systems like Western Disturbances are mainly responsible for rain and snowfall over the northern parts of the country. Most parts of India lie in the subtropical region, while the northern parts experience extra-tropical weather patterns. India is an agricultural economy and Indian farmers depend on weather forecasts.
The Indian establishment realized during the early phases of its space program in the 1970s that the field of meteorology would greatly benefit from satellite technologies. India’s agriculture sector was losing much during those days owing to the country’s inadequacies in weather foresting and providing timely weather inputs to the farmers. Some studies indicate that as many as 117 cyclones hit India in 50 years from 1970 through 2019, claiming more than 40,000 lives. Most of these deaths owing to weather had occurred during the 20th century. Today, thanks to the availability of satellite imagery, adequate early warning of the approach of cyclonic storms and hurricanes are given by the weather forecasters and disaster management agencies, which ensures timely evacuation from the coastal areas.
ISRO's INSAT (Indian National Satellite System) program officially began in 1976. This has been a unique project in the world where a satellite system was developed to undertake both telecommunications and meteorological tasks. In those days, owing to budgetary limitations, ISRO was developing multipurpose satellite systems. There were different stakeholders for the INASAT program like the Department of Telecommunications and TV and radio agencies. Another important stakeholder was the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The initial missions of INSAT during the early 1980s had a meteorological payload called Very High-Resolution Radiometer (VHRR).
During the early 1980s, ISRO faced problems with the INSAT-1 program. The INSAT-1A satellite had a meteorology package consisting of a scanning very-high-resolution, two-channel radiometer to provide full-frame, full-Earth coverage every 30 minutes. This satellite was launched on April 10, 1982, but started facing problems within a few months. INSAT-1B also had some issues. However, INSAT-1C and -1D were successful missions and provided IMD with imagery for many years. INSAT-2A, -2B, and -2E were multipurpose satellites with meteorological payloads, and the same is the case with INSAT-3A and -3C.
India became a spacefaring state in 1980, but only in September 2002 did it launch its first dedicated meteorological satellite called Kalpana-1, which was deactivated in September 2017. INSAT-3D (July 2013) and INSAT-3DR (August 2016) were satellites launched mainly for meteorological purposes in the INSAT series. They have data relay and satellite-aided search-and-rescue systems as well. In September 2016, ScatSat-1 (Scatterometer Satellite-1) was launched by ISRO to provide additional weather forecasting, cyclone prediction, and tracking services. This satellite lasted for around five years.
In October 2011, ISRO launched a 1,000-kilogram Indo-French weather observation satellite called Megha-Tropiques. This was India’s first major joint space project with France in the field of meteorology. The satellite was deactivated in April 2022. Another such joint mission is a satellite called SARAL with altimetric measurements designed to study ocean circulation and sea surface. This system entered into service in June 2013 and is still active.
ISRO has a series called Oceansat for the purposes of oceanography and atmospheric studies. So far, three Oceansat Earth observation satellites have been launched, starting with Oceansat-1 in May 1999. At present, Oceansat-2 and Oceansat-3 are operational.
The recent launch of INSAT-3DS was much awaited. This requirement was projected to ISRO by the Department of Earth Sciences, which includes IMD. Since its beginning, ISRO has been innovative in regard to catering to India’s metrological requirements. Looking at India’s overall space efforts, it could be possible that ISRO has had limitations in regards to investing big in the area of meteorological satellites. Today, in this era of climate change, much is expected from IMD by its stakeholders, academic institutions, and the public. The existing satellite network available to IMD needs expansion. The time has come for IMD to look beyond ISRO and be involved in more international projects and engage India’s private industry to fulfill their requirements.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is reportedly planning another ambitious mission to Mars.
As per reports, ISRO is planning to send a lander to the Red Planet. The lander after touching down on the Mars surface will deploy a rover as well as a rotocopter (helicopter), reports claimed.
As reported, the Indian space agency is planning to send a drone or rotocopter to Mars. The drone will be like that of Nasa's Ingenuity quadcopter. The Ingenuity logged 72 flights over three years at Mars. It accumulated more than two hours of flight time, travelling 18 kilometers. That's more than 14 times farther than planned, according to NASA. It soared as high as 24 metres and hit speeds of up to 36 kmph.
As per reports, Isro's rotorcraft is still in the conceptual stage. It is expected to have several instruments such as temperature sensor, humidity sensor, pressure sensor, wind speed sensor, electric field sensor, trace species and dust sensor.
The helicopter is expected to fly as high as 100 metres in the thin Martian air to profile the atmosphere of the Red Planet.
Welcome move! We need scale from the private industry. For once, it does not seem like screwdriver-giri.SSridhar wrote: ↑19 Feb 2024 14:44 India's first spy satellite made by domestic private player set for launch - Business Standard
Isro Wednesday said it has accomplished a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine that powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan missions, with the completion of the final round of ground qualification tests on Feb 13.
The final test was the seventh of a series of vacuum ignition tests carried out at the high-altitude test facility at Isro Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, to simulate the flight conditions.
“The ground qualification tests for the human rating of the CE20 engine involved life demonstration tests, endurance tests, and performance assessment under nominal operating conditions as well as off-nominal conditions with reference to thrust, mixture ratio, and propellant tank pressure,” Isro said.
All the ground qualification tests of the CE20 engine for the Gaganyaan programme have been successfully completed.
“In order to qualify the CE20 engine for human rating standards, four engines have undergone 39 hot firing tests under different operating conditions for a cumulative duration of 8,810 seconds against the minimum human rating qualification standard requirement of 6,350 seconds,” Isro said.
It added that it has also completed the acceptance tests of the flight engine identified for the first uncrewed Gaganyaan (G1) mission tentatively scheduled for Q2 of 2024.
“This engine will power the upper stage of the human-rated LVM3 vehicle and has a thrust capability of 19 to 22 tonnes with a specific impulse of 442.5 seconds,” Isro said.
The tech is not mature enough for volume. For that, we either need to be manufacturing rockets in volume, or else we need reusable launch vehicles.Prem Kumar wrote: ↑20 Feb 2024 15:05Welcome move! We need scale from the private industry. For once, it does not seem like screwdriver-giri.SSridhar wrote: ↑19 Feb 2024 14:44 India's first spy satellite made by domestic private player set for launch - Business Standard
ISRO has too many things on its plate and is moving too slow on the mil-sat front
As we have seen repeatedly (Kargil & Doklam), we are always caught with our pants down when it comes to surveillance. If TASL & other players (Pixxel comes to mind) can launch a constellation of spy-sats in a year or two, it can make a quantum change in our capabilities. At this point, we need volume. The tech is mature enough
This video is about a factory tour of Skyroot Aerospace, a private Indian space startup that is working on orbital-class rockets. The video is guided by Pavan Kumar, who co-founded Skyroot Aerospace in 2018.
The video starts with the host showing a painted rocket stage and explaining that the first stage for the static test is in another facility. The second stage that will be used in the first flight is yet to be painted. The third stage is also visible.
Kumar explains that the fourth stage has been redesigned to have a conical shape for better control. He also talks about the Flex Seal, which is a nozzle that can be steered to control the direction of the rocket.
The video then moves on to show the engine for the fourth stage, which is 3D printed. Kumar explains that the engine is regeneratively cooled, meaning that the fuel itself is used to cool the engine.
The video then cuts to the satellite integration area. Here, Kumar explains that the fairing, which is the cone-shaped structure that protects the satellite during launch, is made of a special material that is good for aerodynamics and acoustics.
The video then talks about the challenges of building rockets. Kumar says that one of the biggest challenges is designing the thrust curve of the solid fuel rocket engine. He also talks about the challenges of separation dynamics and the winding of the motor casings.
The video then shows the Flex Seal system, which is a new technology that Skyroot is developing. Kumar says that the Flex Seal has been more challenging to develop than they expected, but it has the potential to improve the performance of rockets.
The video ends with the host thanking Kumar for his time and encouraging viewers to subscribe to the channel.
I hope this summary is helpful!
Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla – the four Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots are the ‘astronaut designates’ who have been undergoing training for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, planned for 2025.