Indian Space Program: News & Discussions

[Gautam]

India’s space station likely to have space for three

By Chethan Kumar
TNN | Updated: Oct 31, 2019, 5:05 IST

Highlights :

1. Isro chairman K Sivan in June this year had said: “We don’t want to be part of ISS. Our station, which will be set up in five to seven years, won’t be very big”.

2. Much of this, however, will depend on the success of Gaganyaan, which envisages sending three Indian astronauts to space and bringing them back in the same crew module in 2022.

BENGALURU : The Indian Space Station, which the Indian Space Research Organisation plans to put in place in five to seven years, will have space for three astronauts, sources told TOI.

The space station will be an extension of the human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan. TOI has learned that the initial designs for the space station – still in a nascent stage – suggest a 20-tonne modular abode in the low earth orbit (LEO), at an altitude of 120km to 140km.

The International Space Station (ISS), jointly managed by the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada, orbits at an average altitude of 400km. Announcing the project in June this year, Isro chairman K Sivan had said: “We don’t want to be part of ISS. Our station, which will be set up in five to seven years, won’t be very big.”

A space station, with its zero-gravity environment and exposure to space, provides a unique laboratory for scientific research that is difficult to be replicated on Earth. That cells and chemicals behave in a different way in space enables scientists to study variant behaviours and their applications. Some of the major experiments being conducted at ISS include those on Parkinson’s disease and resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Research in space have applications also in material development, disaster relief, food and water conservation and waste management.

Much of this, however, will depend on the success of Gaganyaan, which envisages sending three Indian astronauts to space and bringing them back in the same crew module in 2022. Isro plans to use technologies from Gaganyaan for the space station. These include orbital module, life-support system and human-rated launch vehicles for space station programme.

Isro has been working on space docking technology, which is key to manned space missions, for three years. The technology, for which the department of space has earmarked Rs 10crore, will allow transfer of humans from one vehicle or spacecraft to another and refuel spacecraft. Isro is likely to conduct a docking experiment next year.

Isro officials said private firms will be part of the space station programme. “They will make significant contributions,” said a scientist. Sivan had earlier said that Gaganyaan will include participation from about 650 industries.

India’s space station likely to have space for three | India News - Times of India

 

[Gautam]

IIT Delhi to set up space technology cell in collaboration with ISRO

 

[Gautam]

ISRO to attempt second soft landing soon, says chief K Sivan

2 min read. Updated: 02 Nov 2019, 01:00 PM IST Srishti Choudhary

• Sivan said ISRO was putting its best efforts to process valuable data from Chandrayaan-2's Orbiter
• Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to the moon was launched on July 22

New Delhi: Chandrayaan-2 is not the end of India’s attempts to conquer the moon and the country’s space agency will demonstrate a successful soft landing in the near future, said Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief Dr K Sivan.

The noted aerospace scientist was in the national capital as the chief guest at the 50th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

"We have to demonstrate the technology (soft landing). We are working out the plan, but haven't finalized when," said Dr Sivan responding to a query regarding the proposed second landing.

Sivan said ISRO was putting its best efforts to process valuable data from Chandrayaan-2's Orbiter which continues to revolve around the moon.

Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to the moon was launched on July 22, but failed to manage a soft landing on the moon, which would have been the country’s first.

While the Orbiter continues to revolve around the moon, Lander Vikram and Rover Pragyan were rendered non-functional after a hard-landing on the lunar surface on 7 September.

"On technology side, we could not succeed in completing a soft landing, but all systems of the mission, functioned well till about 300 metres from the moon surface. Despite failures, ISRO has the desire to succeed. Chandrayaan-2 is not the end of story," said the ISRO Chief.

Highlighting ISRO’s future projects, Sivan said scientists were working on some advanced satellite missions. "Our projects on solar mission and historic human spaceflight mission are on track. The Small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) is ready to make its maiden flight early next year," he said.

The space agency is also working on connecting Navik Signals to cellphones to develop several related applications needs. The testing of 200 tonne semi-cryogenic engine, to power ISRO's Reusable Launch Vehicle, is also expected to begin soon.

Urging students to take risks, he said, though ISRO faced failures while developing its own launch vehicles, it has managed to reach Mars and the Moon.

"Certain space programmes in 1960s were crazy ideas but Vikram Sarabhai saw India's potential. When the whole world was using space technology for military domination, Sarabhai thought that for a country like India, this technology is only suitable for fast-tracking development," said the noted scientist.

ISRO signed a Member of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Delhi to set up ISRO Space Technology Cell at the campus and work on focussed research projects in space technology. A commemorative stamp was also launched to mark the occasion.

ISRO to attempt second soft landing soon, says chief K Sivan

 

[Ashutosh]

There is a maximum set value of downward force that can be applied to each of the floors. Once the value of applied force goes past that limit we would have a failure of material. That's what needs to be tested before commissioning any VAB. But in this case it seems the failure wasn't in materials but the hydraulic systems holding the floors in place. The oil leak reduced the hydraulic force causing a collapse of the 2 floors. Assuming whatever broke was a LRU the fix should be simple. After all, if they are going for failure tests they would have spares ready for the systems that are likely to fail. But if it isn't an LRU, we've got bigger problems. It will then take years to fix what was broken.

Its difficult to draw conclusions now. An investigation has been ordered. Let's hope for the best and see what comes of it.

That's why I think the way vehicles are mostly assembled by Russia and Spacex to be the safest way...

 

[Gautam]

ISRO’s NavIC set to be commercialised by Antrix

 

[Gautam]

Expression of Interest for manufacturing of ablative nozzles of ISRO's operational launch vehicles.

https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/tenders/eoi_0.pdf

The following are the products identified for manufacturing by industry :​

1. PS1 nozzle for 1st stage of PSLV (10 nozzles/year)
2. PS0-XL nozzle for strap-on stage of PSLV (60 nozzles/year)
3. HPS3 nozzle for 3rd stage of PSLV (10 nozzles/year)
4. GS1 nozzle for 1st stage of GSLV (2 nozzles/year)
5. S200 nozzle for strap-on stage of GSLV-Mk3 (8 nozzles/year)
6. Liquid engine throat for Vikas engines of PSLV, GSLV & GSLV Mk3 (28 throats/year)

Above amounts 10 PSLV, 2 GSLV and 4 GSLV Mk III flights per year. A little hard to believe, me thinks.

 

[Gautam]

PSLV C47/Cartosat-3 launch might've slipped to 27 November 2019

27న పీఎస్‌ఎల్‌వీ-సీ47 ప్రయోగం - EENADU

Regional media report suggests PSLV C47 launch has slipped to 27 November and NOTAM supports it. Cartosat-3 satellite is yet to arrive for integration with launcher. PSLV C48 launch campaign has also apparently begun on 7 November 2019.

A new NOTAM enforced between 25 to 27 November 2019

 

[Gautam]

Some old photos :

Getting ready to launch an American Nike-Apache Sounding Rocket from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, in Kerala, India.

When An Indian Rocket Shot Up Into The Norwegian Sky

To a positively mixed outcome.

In 1997, 4 Scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation [ISRO] travelled to the Svalbard Rocket Range, in Norway, for a unique mission. The, then, still fledgling Antrix Corporation Ltd. had recently bagged one of its earliest export orders. Setup in 1992, to commercialise ISRO's portfolio of services, it had signed an agreement with the Norwegian Space Centre for the sale of a Rohini RH-300 Mk.II Sounding Rocket. As far as I can tell, it was Antrix's first hardware sale.

Designed to launch a 70 kg payload to an altitude of 120 km, the RH-300 would carry a Langmuir Probe on-board, to undertake Polar Ionospheric studies. The launch was also the first from the newly setup Svalbard range, signalling its inauguration. A big deal it, thus, was for all involved. More used to the tropical climes of Thumba, in Kerala, the Rocket had, therefore, to be qualified afresh for a launch from the Svalbard's perpetually ice-covered surroundings. Thus, after ensuring critical systems like its solid-fuelled Engine, Igniter, Spin Rocket & Pyros were up to the task, the Rocket was shipped off to the range, the northernmost in the world.

M.C. Dathan, M Raveendran, C. Subbaiah & A. Narayanankutty accompanied the Rocket to provide guidance for the mission. Madhavan Chandradathan, later, rose to become the Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre [VSSC]. He, currently, is the Scientific Adviser to the Chief Minister of Kerala. At site, the Norwegians christened it Isbjørn-1, meaning Polar Bear 1. Prior to launch, the Rocket, positioned on the launcher, was covered with a Velostat, to protect it from the harsh Polar weather, where temperatures ranged from -5 to -20 degrees Celsius. At launch it was to tear through the Velostat's fabric, soaring upwards. Quite a sight, I'd imagine.

On November 20, 1997, the Isbjorn-1 took to the skies, reaching, however, an altitude of only 71 km. Its range, too, fell short of the designed 129 km, by 35 km. Post-launch analysis revealed that, instead of launching the Rocket at an angle of 84 degrees, it was incorrectly aligned at 75. In addition, the Spin Rockets too failed to ignite, as electric supply to its igniter got disconnected, likely while covering the Rocket with the Velostat, they concluded.

All wasn't lost, though, it appears, as it provided some unexpected benefits. Thanks to the Rocket's longer dwell time in the lower apogee, the payload was able to gather a lot of data from that region. From those days, when India offered relatively low-tech Sounding Rocket, today, it engages in undertaking record-breaking services. Come a long way. A long way to go.

@Fafnir you might be interested in this.

 

[Gautam]

Remember ISRO's Space Docking Experiment(SPADEX) ? Well here are some not-so-recent updates :

They are testing robotic arms :

Testing rig set up on a model based on the low-impact International Berthing and Docking Mechanism(IBDM) :

All this is at least a year or more old. Expect some positive news on this soon.

 

[Gautam]

@Ashwin @BMD @_Anonymous_ @vstol Jockey @Falcon @Sathya et al.

Space-based radar suggests North Korean nuke equivalent to '17 Hiroshimas'.



North Korea withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2003. It subsequently developed nuclear weapons, with five underground nuclear tests culminating in a suspected thermonuclear explosion (a hydrogen bomb) on 3 September 2017. Now a team of scientists, led by Dr K. M. Sreejith of the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), have used satellite data to augment measurements of tests on the ground. The researchers find that the most recent test shifted the ground by a few metres, and estimate it to be equivalent to 17 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The new work appears in a paper in Geophysical Journal International, a publication of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Conventional detection of nuclear tests relies on seismic measurements using the networks deployed to monitor earthquakes. But there are no openly available seismic data from stations near this particular test site, meaning that there are big uncertainties in pinpointing the location and size of nuclear explosions taking place there.

Dr Sreejith and his team turned to space for a solution. Using data from the ALOS-2 satellite and a technique called Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR), the scientists measured the changes on the surface above the test chamber resulting from the September 2017 explosion, sited at Mount Mantap in the northeast of North Korea. InSAR uses multiple radar images to create maps of deformation over time, and allows direct study of the sub-surface processes from space.

The new data suggest that the explosion was powerful enough to shift the surface of the mountain above the detonation point by a few metres, and the flank of the peak moved by up to half a metre. Analysing the InSAR readings in detail reveals that the explosion took place about 540 metres below the summit, about 2.5 kilometres north of the entrance of the tunnel used to access the test chamber.

Based on the deformation of the ground, the ISRO team predict that the explosion created a cavity with a radius of 66 metres. It had a yield of between 245 and 271 kilotonnes, compared with the 15 kilotonnes of the ‘Little Boy’ bomb used in the attack on Hiroshima in 1945.

Lead author of the study, Dr Sreejith, commented, “Satellite based radars are very powerful tools to gauge changes in earth surface, and allow us to estimate the location and yield of underground nuclear tests. In conventional seismology by contrast, the estimations are indirect and depend on the availability of seismic monitoring stations.”

The present study demonstrates the value of space-borne InSAR data for measurement of the characteristics of underground nuclear tests, with greater precision than conventional seismic methods. At the moment though nuclear explosions are rarely monitored from space due to a lack of data. The team argue that currently operating satellites such as Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 along with the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, due to launch in 2022, could be used for this purpose.

Digital rendering of the earth observation satellite Sentinel-1. Satellites such as Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 carry advanced synthetic aperture radars that can provide data to map changing land cover, ground deformation, ice shelves and glaciers, and can be used to help emergency response when disasters such as floods strike, and to support humanitarian relief efforts at times of crisis.



(Top) InSAR data in ascending and descending orbits depicting surface deformation associated with the 2017 nuclear test. (Bottom) Comparison of the source location of the 2017 nuclear test estimated from this study (red star) with other estimations. Topography along profile CD showing the cavity, deformation zone and probable location of tunnel. Note that the sizes of the cavity and deformation zones are exaggerated by 5 times for better visualisation.

Credit : K.M. Sreejith / Space Applications Centre / Indian Space Research Organization

Further information :

The new work appears in: “Constraints on the location, depth and yield of the 2017 September 3 North Korean nuclear test from InSAR measurements and modelling”, K.M. Sreejith, R. Agrawal and A.S. Rajawat, Geophysical Journal International (2020), 220 (1) (DOI: 10.1093/gji/ggz451).

Media : 2017 North Korean nuke test equal to '17 Hiroshimas': Isro study | India News - Times of India

 

[STEPHEN COHEN]

Gaganyaan: 12 IAF pilots shortlisted for India’s first manned space mission! Pilots with dental issues rejected – Indian Defence Research Wing

 

[BMD]

@Ashwin @BMD @_Anonymous_ @vstol Jockey @Falcon @Sathya et al.

Space-based radar suggests North Korean nuke equivalent to '17 Hiroshimas'.



North Korea withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2003. It subsequently developed nuclear weapons, with five underground nuclear tests culminating in a suspected thermonuclear explosion (a hydrogen bomb) on 3 September 2017. Now a team of scientists, led by Dr K. M. Sreejith of the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), have used satellite data to augment measurements of tests on the ground. The researchers find that the most recent test shifted the ground by a few metres, and estimate it to be equivalent to 17 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The new work appears in a paper in Geophysical Journal International, a publication of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Conventional detection of nuclear tests relies on seismic measurements using the networks deployed to monitor earthquakes. But there are no openly available seismic data from stations near this particular test site, meaning that there are big uncertainties in pinpointing the location and size of nuclear explosions taking place there.

Dr Sreejith and his team turned to space for a solution. Using data from the ALOS-2 satellite and a technique called Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR), the scientists measured the changes on the surface above the test chamber resulting from the September 2017 explosion, sited at Mount Mantap in the northeast of North Korea. InSAR uses multiple radar images to create maps of deformation over time, and allows direct study of the sub-surface processes from space.

The new data suggest that the explosion was powerful enough to shift the surface of the mountain above the detonation point by a few metres, and the flank of the peak moved by up to half a metre. Analysing the InSAR readings in detail reveals that the explosion took place about 540 metres below the summit, about 2.5 kilometres north of the entrance of the tunnel used to access the test chamber.

Based on the deformation of the ground, the ISRO team predict that the explosion created a cavity with a radius of 66 metres. It had a yield of between 245 and 271 kilotonnes, compared with the 15 kilotonnes of the ‘Little Boy’ bomb used in the attack on Hiroshima in 1945.

Lead author of the study, Dr Sreejith, commented, “Satellite based radars are very powerful tools to gauge changes in earth surface, and allow us to estimate the location and yield of underground nuclear tests. In conventional seismology by contrast, the estimations are indirect and depend on the availability of seismic monitoring stations.”

The present study demonstrates the value of space-borne InSAR data for measurement of the characteristics of underground nuclear tests, with greater precision than conventional seismic methods. At the moment though nuclear explosions are rarely monitored from space due to a lack of data. The team argue that currently operating satellites such as Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 along with the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, due to launch in 2022, could be used for this purpose.

Digital rendering of the earth observation satellite Sentinel-1. Satellites such as Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 carry advanced synthetic aperture radars that can provide data to map changing land cover, ground deformation, ice shelves and glaciers, and can be used to help emergency response when disasters such as floods strike, and to support humanitarian relief efforts at times of crisis.



(Top) InSAR data in ascending and descending orbits depicting surface deformation associated with the 2017 nuclear test. (Bottom) Comparison of the source location of the 2017 nuclear test estimated from this study (red star) with other estimations. Topography along profile CD showing the cavity, deformation zone and probable location of tunnel. Note that the sizes of the cavity and deformation zones are exaggerated by 5 times for better visualisation.

Credit : K.M. Sreejith / Space Applications Centre / Indian Space Research Organization

Further information :

The new work appears in: “Constraints on the location, depth and yield of the 2017 September 3 North Korean nuclear test from InSAR measurements and modelling”, K.M. Sreejith, R. Agrawal and A.S. Rajawat, Geophysical Journal International (2020), 220 (1) (DOI: 10.1093/gji/ggz451).

Media : 2017 North Korean nuke test equal to '17 Hiroshimas': Isro study | India News - Times of India

It's possible it was a fusion device but probably unlikely. 17 Hiroshimas is 255kT, which is very small for a fusion device, especially a first-time fusion device. When the UK was trying to make its first fusion device, it tested many bombs well in excess of that yield, which were considered failures, fission only. Even with Grapple X most of its yield was from fission at 1.8MT. Grapple Y was the first considered successful at 3.7MT.

First-time H-bombs tend to have much higher yields, the smaller ones are actually more advanced designs and usually come later.

 

[Sathya]

@Ashwin @BMD @_Anonymous_ @vstol Jockey @Falcon @Sathya et al.

Space-based radar suggests North Korean nuke equivalent to '17 Hiroshimas'.



North Korea withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2003. It subsequently developed nuclear weapons, with five underground nuclear tests culminating in a suspected thermonuclear explosion (a hydrogen bomb) on 3 September 2017. Now a team of scientists, led by Dr K. M. Sreejith of the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), have used satellite data to augment measurements of tests on the ground. The researchers find that the most recent test shifted the ground by a few metres, and estimate it to be equivalent to 17 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The new work appears in a paper in Geophysical Journal International, a publication of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Conventional detection of nuclear tests relies on seismic measurements using the networks deployed to monitor earthquakes. But there are no openly available seismic data from stations near this particular test site, meaning that there are big uncertainties in pinpointing the location and size of nuclear explosions taking place there.

Dr Sreejith and his team turned to space for a solution. Using data from the ALOS-2 satellite and a technique called Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR), the scientists measured the changes on the surface above the test chamber resulting from the September 2017 explosion, sited at Mount Mantap in the northeast of North Korea. InSAR uses multiple radar images to create maps of deformation over time, and allows direct study of the sub-surface processes from space.

The new data suggest that the explosion was powerful enough to shift the surface of the mountain above the detonation point by a few metres, and the flank of the peak moved by up to half a metre. Analysing the InSAR readings in detail reveals that the explosion took place about 540 metres below the summit, about 2.5 kilometres north of the entrance of the tunnel used to access the test chamber.

Based on the deformation of the ground, the ISRO team predict that the explosion created a cavity with a radius of 66 metres. It had a yield of between 245 and 271 kilotonnes, compared with the 15 kilotonnes of the ‘Little Boy’ bomb used in the attack on Hiroshima in 1945.

Lead author of the study, Dr Sreejith, commented, “Satellite based radars are very powerful tools to gauge changes in earth surface, and allow us to estimate the location and yield of underground nuclear tests. In conventional seismology by contrast, the estimations are indirect and depend on the availability of seismic monitoring stations.”

The present study demonstrates the value of space-borne InSAR data for measurement of the characteristics of underground nuclear tests, with greater precision than conventional seismic methods. At the moment though nuclear explosions are rarely monitored from space due to a lack of data. The team argue that currently operating satellites such as Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 along with the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, due to launch in 2022, could be used for this purpose.

Digital rendering of the earth observation satellite Sentinel-1. Satellites such as Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 carry advanced synthetic aperture radars that can provide data to map changing land cover, ground deformation, ice shelves and glaciers, and can be used to help emergency response when disasters such as floods strike, and to support humanitarian relief efforts at times of crisis.



(Top) InSAR data in ascending and descending orbits depicting surface deformation associated with the 2017 nuclear test. (Bottom) Comparison of the source location of the 2017 nuclear test estimated from this study (red star) with other estimations. Topography along profile CD showing the cavity, deformation zone and probable location of tunnel. Note that the sizes of the cavity and deformation zones are exaggerated by 5 times for better visualisation.

Credit : K.M. Sreejith / Space Applications Centre / Indian Space Research Organization

Further information :

The new work appears in: “Constraints on the location, depth and yield of the 2017 September 3 North Korean nuclear test from InSAR measurements and modelling”, K.M. Sreejith, R. Agrawal and A.S. Rajawat, Geophysical Journal International (2020), 220 (1) (DOI: 10.1093/gji/ggz451).

Media : 2017 North Korean nuke test equal to '17 Hiroshimas': Isro study | India News - Times of India

Pakistan s increasing effort s to steal nuclear tech from Europe. Read only few hours back.

Pakistan was able to walk free after proliferating Nuke tech.

Seems Axis of Evil have been upgraded.

Or the nuclear watchman Is waking up now.

 

[Nikhil]

Pakistan s increasing effort s to steal nuclear tech from Europe. Read only few hours back.

Pakistan was able to walk free after proliferating Nuke tech.

Seems Axis of Evil have been upgraded.

Or the nuclear watchman Is waking up now.

or nuclear Watchman knew it all along & wanted Pakistan to have Nuclear weapons cause India managed to have one...what these Watchman didn't expected was India to have capability to target Watchman if it was hit by Watchman little pawn in subcontinent.

 

[Gautam]

Pakistan s increasing effort s to steal nuclear tech from Europe. Read only few hours back.

Pakistan was able to walk free after proliferating Nuke tech.

Seems Axis of Evil have been upgraded.

Or the nuclear watchman Is waking up now.

By Europe, you mean Germany mostly. I know this isn't right but I can't help myself. I feel a degree of schadenfreude every time I hear about terrorist attacks there. The Germans with their high and mighty HR standards refuse to sell small arms to India, but have no problem selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, nuclear tech to Pakistan etc.

I know its sick to take pleasure in others pain. But they are always the first one(along with UK) to lecture us on how to deal with Islamic fundamentalism as if they have more experience than us on the matter. Well the way things are going in Europe with repeated terrorist attacks who knows, they might actually acquire some experience in it. You reap what you sow, and in the process people die.

 

[Gautam]

 

[Deathstar]

View attachment 11379

Where is our team of expert hackers????? Puny North Koreans are good in this domain. We churn out 1000s of IT engineers every year , i bet we can have world class cyber warfare team.
Israelis are current leaders in this domain , i hope we do follow in their footsteps

 

[Gautam]

Where is our team of expert hackers?????

They are there. Mostly to deal with cyber defence than offence. Defensive mindset is deeply ingrained in this country, to the point where it is the standard go-to policy everywhere. Policy is made by politicians, remember ? How about they make a change ? Quality of cyber experts isn't bad at all. Cyber defence is far more difficult than offence. Its just that offence requires a focused policy and a centralised C&C system, which we don't have at the moment. With the formation of a joint cyber agency things might get better. But without a policy we'll be back to doing cyber defence again.

Puny North Koreans are good in this domain.

North Korea is a mere facade. Behind that its the Chinese.

We churn out 1000s of IT engineers every year , i bet we can have world class cyber warfare team.

We already have some excellent teams. I remember a few years back Scotland Yard contacted Indian police(don't remember which police) to hack into some people's computers for surveillance purposes. It was reported in the British media and apparently caused a controversy there. The reason for asking the Indians was that we had interest in the people under surveillence and we had the expertise to do the job.

Israelis are current leaders in this domain , i hope we do follow in their footsteps

We already hire the Israelis for a myriad of cyber security jobs and work hand in glove with them. I am sure something will rub off. A lot of times you'll hear American, European and even Russian companies issuing cyber security alerts and putting out free advises to us. Consider those as job applications. The Israelis make hundreds of millions for their cyber security work in India & everybody wants a piece of that market. So let us be smart here, take the free advice and then hire who we want.

 

[Gautam]

PSLV-C47 / Cartosat-3 Mission

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C47 will launch Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nano-satellites into Sun Synchronous orbit from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch is tentatively scheduled at 0928 Hrs IST on November 25, 2019, subject to weather conditions.

PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors). This will be the 74th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

Cartosat-3 satellite is a third generation agile advanced satellite having high resolution imaging capability. The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degree. PSLV-C47 will also carry 13 commercial nanosatellites from United States of America as part of commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space.

Rocket assembly images :

 

[RISING SUN]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1196610209881346048