Our very own SAR Satellite.
ISRO develops radar for joint earth observation satellite mission with NASA
“NISAR” is a joint collaboration for a dual-frequency L and S-band SAR for earth observation.www.thehindu.com
RISATs are already there.
Indian Space Program: News & Discussions
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RISATs are already there.
Isro ships SAR payload to Jet Propulsion Lab in California
It will be integrated with the L-Band SAR Payload of JPL for the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) mission
Isro's commercial arm NSIL bags 4 more contracts, eyes satellite-building deals | India News - Times of India
India News: NSIL launched its first dedicated commercial mission on February 28, orbiting Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 from Sriharikota spaceport of the Indian
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Shooting for the Stars: ISRO's Commercial Arm Bags Contracts to Launch 4 Foreign Satellites
The commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Friday that it is all set to own and operate space assets such as satellites and launch vehicles on a pecuniary basis. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise, is in advance discussions with the department of space to take ownership of two communication satellites and has also bagged four contracts to provide launch vehicles in the near future.Speaking to CNN-News18, G Narayanan, chairman and managing director of NSIL, said that the new mandate by the government of India through its space sector reforms has made it easier for the organisation to establish itself as a major space service provider. “We expect that before the end of the coming financial year, we will have two satellites in our control and we will be able to put them in space and start operating. Currently, one of the satellites we are working on is a DTH, 24 Ku band transponder satellite, and another for broadband services,” he said.
NSIL, which was set up in March 2019 with a paid capital of Rs 10 crore, is also betting big on providing launch vehicles for satellites and rockets, not just for ISRO but also for private players. “Of the dedicated launches that we have bagged, those are not from ISRO; they are all from foreign international customers. Once international customers come then we see no reason why Indian companies will not come,” Narayanan added.
Even though it is in a nascent stage, the company is looking at a revenue target of Rs 400 crore for the year 2021 and is expecting investment to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore every year for the next five years. The idea of opening up the space sector to private companies will help NSIL become a key player in space-based services, not just in India but in global markets as well, experts say.
As far as timelines are concerned, NSIL plans to launch two of the satellites in 2022 and another two in 2023. Of the four launches, three will be on the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) and another on a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV). There is no disclosure yet on which countries these satellites belong to.
NSIL also announced that it is looking at manufacturing the entire PSLV by itself and is also reaching out to Indian industries to partner with for this. A request for proposal (RFP) for identifying an industry partner has already been issued.
“The high cost and capital intensive facilities for testing and qualifying for space research were a deterrent for private players, but now with the opening up of facilities at ISRO at a reasonable cost and discussions on the interim mechanism till the launch of IN-SPACe will help the participation of private players in the space sector, so several rocket motors and launchers by smaller companies are being tested at ISRO,” Narayanan said about the entry of private players’ participation in the space sector.
Shooting for the Stars: ISRO's Commercial Arm Bags Contracts to Launch 4 Foreign Satellites - News18
NewSpace India Limited has announced that it is all set to own and operate space assets such as satellites and launch vehicles on a commercial basis.
www.news18.com
India, France working on third joint space mission: K Sivan, ISRO Chairman - The Economic Times
"France is the biggest partner of India in space", he said at the DST (Department of Science and Technology) Golden Jubilee Discourse on 'unlocking India's space potential - geospatial data & mapping', an event presented on virtual mode by the National Council for Science and Technology...
Till now the signal send for communication used to be in digital form(0,1), but now quantum units are used to communicate (Qubit, which works on quantum machenics), which is hackproof and even it tell the users if anyone else tries to access the data...basically it will follow Heisenberg uncertainty principle and only person with authentic key will be able to access the content.
Please verify as in this report
His interview was on 21st August 2020.
Ivan Guba about firing test stands – Production Association Yuzhny Mashinbuilding Plant (yuzhmash.com)
So most probably it is not SCE 200. It can be RD-861K engine.
He also says
"Many countries are trying to abandon amyl-heptyl and want to switch to oxygen-kerosene as more ecological components. But today, not all countries can develop such an engine or afford to buy it. A large and experienced team of specialists is needed to create such products. As the example India, which has concluded an agreement with us. Indian experts assumed that they would quickly assemble the engine on their own and send it to us for testing, but they have been assembling it for about two or three years. At the same time, they consulted with us on how to properly weld, how to prepare the engine, how to select the material and perform its machining. It is not so easy. YUZHMASH still has this potential and precious heads, which can do all this, can transfer experience, they are still working. But if it goes on like this, it will be hard."
It seems the engine is not assembled.
According to Yuzhmash head of testing
- With what countries is YUZHMASH working on tests now? Are there any third-party test orders or orders from the government only?
His interview was on 21st August 2020.
Ivan Guba about firing test stands – Production Association Yuzhny Mashinbuilding Plant (yuzhmash.com)
So most probably it is not SCE 200. It can be RD-861K engine.
He also says
"Many countries are trying to abandon amyl-heptyl and want to switch to oxygen-kerosene as more ecological components. But today, not all countries can develop such an engine or afford to buy it. A large and experienced team of specialists is needed to create such products. As the example India, which has concluded an agreement with us. Indian experts assumed that they would quickly assemble the engine on their own and send it to us for testing, but they have been assembling it for about two or three years. At the same time, they consulted with us on how to properly weld, how to prepare the engine, how to select the material and perform its machining. It is not so easy. YUZHMASH still has this potential and precious heads, which can do all this, can transfer experience, they are still working. But if it goes on like this, it will be hard."
It seems the engine is not assembled.
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Thank you for the link. I have missed this news.
Also why did he say "cap & the engine itself" ? Has ISRO contracted Yuzhmash to make the engine themselves ?
The photos could be a different engine. It is hard to tell these engines apart just by appearance, they closely resemble each other. The translated captions in the YouTube video says the engine is for a foreign nation. If the translations are accurate then the engine isn't the RD-861K either. If I recall correctly, the RD-861K was to be used for an under-development Ukrainian launcher, not for a foreign customer. But then YouTube caption translations aren't very accurate.
A physical prototype will always be a bit different from the design, designing rocket stages without realization of a single prototype might cause problems of tolerances which can have serious consequences. Why would they do that especially when they are having materials & manufacturing troubles ?
Maybe the consultation for manufacturing practices was done in the last 2-3 years during the engine's assembly & things are sorted now. The interview was a few months before the video came out & it has been almost a year since the interview. If the engine is not yet assembled, let alone test fired, it makes little sense for the VSSC chief to say stages will be ready in a couple of years.
I am just more confused now. What's worse is that there is no official updates from ISRO, you are left scavenging for info on your own. Anyways thank you again for the link. If you find anything else please do post here.
The cap could be the main combustion chamber or one of the pre-burners used in the engine. Although ISRO is likely to have more trouble developing the combustion chamber than the pre-burners. This is the 1st time they are working on engines of this power, problems should be expected given the heat and pressures involved.
Also why did he say "cap & the engine itself" ? Has ISRO contracted Yuzhmash to make the engine themselves ?
The photos could be a different engine. It is hard to tell these engines apart just by appearance, they closely resemble each other. The translated captions in the YouTube video says the engine is for a foreign nation. If the translations are accurate then the engine isn't the RD-861K either. If I recall correctly, the RD-861K was to be used for an under-development Ukrainian launcher, not for a foreign customer. But then YouTube caption translations aren't very accurate.
Yes multiple alloys have been tried out so far along with multiple production methods. For example there is an image of the SCE-200's LPOT on the internet. That was probably the 1st major engine component to be manufactured. The material used was a Titanium alloy probably Ti-6Al-4V. The material isn't the most receptive to welding, thus the 1st prototypes of the LPOT came out with hideous weld beads. When welding didn't give them satisfactory results they tried investment casting. The investment cast components had unacceptable levels of porosity, thus ISRO eventually turned to 3D printing. 3D printing gave out better than expected results, however there are concerns of scalability & cost that comes with 3D printing. So Yuzhmash head saying welding is a problem is totally on point. How did ISRO design entire stages without assembling a single prototype though ?
A physical prototype will always be a bit different from the design, designing rocket stages without realization of a single prototype might cause problems of tolerances which can have serious consequences. Why would they do that especially when they are having materials & manufacturing troubles ?
Maybe the consultation for manufacturing practices was done in the last 2-3 years during the engine's assembly & things are sorted now. The interview was a few months before the video came out & it has been almost a year since the interview. If the engine is not yet assembled, let alone test fired, it makes little sense for the VSSC chief to say stages will be ready in a couple of years.
I am just more confused now. What's worse is that there is no official updates from ISRO, you are left scavenging for info on your own. Anyways thank you again for the link. If you find anything else please do post here.
New NASA Earth System Observatory to Help Address, Mitigate Climate Change
NASA’s new Earth System Observatory will guide efforts related to climate change, disaster mitigation, fighting forest fires, and improving real-time agricultural processes – including helping to better understand Category 4 to 5 hurricanes such as Hurricane Maria, shown here in a 2017 thermal image captured by NASA’s Terra satellite.
Credits: NASA
NASA will design a new set of Earth-focused missions to provide key information to guide efforts related to climate change, disaster mitigation, fighting forest fires, and improving real-time agricultural processes. With the Earth System Observatory, each satellite will be uniquely designed to complement the others, working in tandem to create a 3D, holistic view of Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere.
“I’ve seen firsthand the impact of hurricanes made more intense and destructive by climate change, like Maria and Irma. The Biden-Harris Administration’s response to climate change matches the magnitude of the threat: a whole of government, all hands-on-deck approach to meet this moment,” said NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson. “Over the past three decades, much of what we’ve learned about the Earth’s changing climate is built on NASA satellite observations and research. NASA’s new Earth System Observatory will expand that work, providing the world with an unprecedented understanding of our Earth’s climate system, arming us with next-generation data critical to mitigating climate change, and protecting our communities in the face of natural disasters.”
The observatory follows recommendations from the 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which lays out ambitious but critically necessary research and observation guidance.
Areas of focus for the observatory include:
- Aerosols: Answering the critical question of how aerosols affect the global energy balance, a key source of uncertainty in predicting climate change.
- Cloud, Convection, and Precipitation: Tackling the largest sources of uncertainty in future projections of climate change, air quality forecasting, and prediction of severe weather.
- Mass Change: Providing drought assessment and forecasting, associated planning for water use for agriculture, as well as supporting natural hazard response.
- Surface Biology and Geology: Understanding climate changes that impact food and agriculture, habitation, and natural resources, by answering open questions about the fluxes of carbon, water, nutrients, and energy within and between ecosystems and the atmosphere, the ocean, and the Earth.
- Surface Deformation and Change: Quantifying models of sea-level and landscape change driven by climate change, hazard forecasts, and disaster impact assessments, including dynamics of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, glaciers, groundwater, and Earth’s interior.
New NASA Earth System Observatory to Help Address, Mitigate Climate Change - NASA
NASA will design a new set of Earth-focused missions to provide key information to guide efforts related to climate change, disaster mitigation, fighting
www.nasa.gov
Desi SR-72 from ISRO
-Admin Blackadder
Recently an ISRO presentation on future space programs highlighted various new systems that ISRO was building for future capability expansion and it resembled a desi version of SR-72. These included the NSLV (for nano-satellite launches), LV/HRLV for heavy launch operations as well as the new SHLV that will also contain a recoverable booster (retro propulsive technology).
All about the desi SR-72 concept
An interesting project that was also showcased was the TSTO (twin stage to orbit) technology that ISRO aims to use in order to lower launch costs of satellites using since they are highly reusable and can be used to launch satellites at a moment’s notice with a higher turnover rate as compared to normal rockets that are mostly single mission usage only.
Guest Lecture Series at VJTI Technovanza 2021
The TSTO will combine multiple programmes that ISRO have already been undertaking and therefore will be contain a large proportion of indigenous content. For example, rocket engines for both the first and second stage makes use of existing ISRO tech. Scramjet and turbo-ramjet technology had already been proved by ISRO by testing dual mode ramjet (DMRJ) technology in 2016 on ISRO’s advanced technology vehicle (a sounding rocket).
A dual mode ramjet (DMRJ) is a type of jet engine where a ramjet transforms into scramjet over Mach 4-8 range, which means it can efficiently operate both in subsonic and supersonic combustor modes. ISRO had already proven critical technologies such as ignition of air breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and fuel injection systems through this experiment.
Lastly, although the RLVTD (reusable launch vehicle technology demonstrator) is used to test orbital applications of a space shuttle (which is not necessary for the TSTO which only reaches 50km altitude before deploying the second stage into orbit and therefore does not need to test re-entry technology), many lessons can still be learnt from this programme such as automated landing technology (since both programmes are unmanned). Therefore, ISRO has the individual components already successfully tested or under testing. It is just a matter of combining the technologies to finish the build of the TSTO.
The building of the TSTO is not only beneficial to the ISRO only. Although it is designed for civilian purposes, there is a possibility that multiple military applications can be derived from this technology. The TSTO has multiple similarities to the replacement programme for the SR-71 Black Bird (SR-72).
About the SR-72
The SR-72 is an optionally unmanned high-speed reconnaissance aircraft that will also feature a dual mode ramjet, allowing it to reach speeds of Mach 6. Unlike the Blackbird that was only used for reconnaissance roles, the SR-72 can be used for strike roles as well. The ISRO TSTO can not only carry a payload of 2 tonnes (which means it could possibly carry air-launched ballistic missiles, Brahmos NG or even anti-satellite weapons) but it also can travel faster than the SR-72 (Mach 9 with the scramjet and Mach 12 with rocket engines). Under a threat of a missile attack, the rocket engines could possibly help the TSTO escape from an enemy surface-to-air missile.
No photo description available.
In conclusion, this new programme can create a quantum jump in both India’s space as well as its military ambitions. With a TSTO, India can finally leap ahead of the industrialized nations in the pursuit of scientific prowess.
alphadefense.in
-Admin Blackadder
Recently an ISRO presentation on future space programs highlighted various new systems that ISRO was building for future capability expansion and it resembled a desi version of SR-72. These included the NSLV (for nano-satellite launches), LV/HRLV for heavy launch operations as well as the new SHLV that will also contain a recoverable booster (retro propulsive technology).
All about the desi SR-72 concept
An interesting project that was also showcased was the TSTO (twin stage to orbit) technology that ISRO aims to use in order to lower launch costs of satellites using since they are highly reusable and can be used to launch satellites at a moment’s notice with a higher turnover rate as compared to normal rockets that are mostly single mission usage only.
Guest Lecture Series at VJTI Technovanza 2021
The TSTO will combine multiple programmes that ISRO have already been undertaking and therefore will be contain a large proportion of indigenous content. For example, rocket engines for both the first and second stage makes use of existing ISRO tech. Scramjet and turbo-ramjet technology had already been proved by ISRO by testing dual mode ramjet (DMRJ) technology in 2016 on ISRO’s advanced technology vehicle (a sounding rocket).
A dual mode ramjet (DMRJ) is a type of jet engine where a ramjet transforms into scramjet over Mach 4-8 range, which means it can efficiently operate both in subsonic and supersonic combustor modes. ISRO had already proven critical technologies such as ignition of air breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and fuel injection systems through this experiment.
Lastly, although the RLVTD (reusable launch vehicle technology demonstrator) is used to test orbital applications of a space shuttle (which is not necessary for the TSTO which only reaches 50km altitude before deploying the second stage into orbit and therefore does not need to test re-entry technology), many lessons can still be learnt from this programme such as automated landing technology (since both programmes are unmanned). Therefore, ISRO has the individual components already successfully tested or under testing. It is just a matter of combining the technologies to finish the build of the TSTO.
The building of the TSTO is not only beneficial to the ISRO only. Although it is designed for civilian purposes, there is a possibility that multiple military applications can be derived from this technology. The TSTO has multiple similarities to the replacement programme for the SR-71 Black Bird (SR-72).
About the SR-72
The SR-72 is an optionally unmanned high-speed reconnaissance aircraft that will also feature a dual mode ramjet, allowing it to reach speeds of Mach 6. Unlike the Blackbird that was only used for reconnaissance roles, the SR-72 can be used for strike roles as well. The ISRO TSTO can not only carry a payload of 2 tonnes (which means it could possibly carry air-launched ballistic missiles, Brahmos NG or even anti-satellite weapons) but it also can travel faster than the SR-72 (Mach 9 with the scramjet and Mach 12 with rocket engines). Under a threat of a missile attack, the rocket engines could possibly help the TSTO escape from an enemy surface-to-air missile.
No photo description available.
In conclusion, this new programme can create a quantum jump in both India’s space as well as its military ambitions. With a TSTO, India can finally leap ahead of the industrialized nations in the pursuit of scientific prowess.
TSTO | RLVTD | Desi SR-72 from ISRO - Alpha Defense
Recently an ISRO ppt on future space programs of highlighted various new systems such as a desi SR-72 being built.
alphadefense.in
That's great I think we have mastered both cryo and semi cryo engine technology now the only limitation remain is funding.Continued from above.....
LPFT Nozzle Flange :
View attachment 20425
LPFT Casing Assembly :
View attachment 20426
Fuel Pump Assembly :
View attachment 20427
LPFT Inlet Branch :
View attachment 20428
Inlet Casing Assembly :
View attachment 20430
Casing Assembly of the Fuel Pump :
View attachment 20431
Casing of the Main Fuel Pump :
View attachment 20432
Such an incredibly complex array of pipes.
I hope that isn't commercial property.Continued from above.....
LPFT Nozzle Flange :
View attachment 20425
LPFT Casing Assembly :
View attachment 20426
Fuel Pump Assembly :
View attachment 20427
LPFT Inlet Branch :
View attachment 20428
Inlet Casing Assembly :
View attachment 20430
Casing Assembly of the Fuel Pump :
View attachment 20431
Casing of the Main Fuel Pump :
View attachment 20432
Such an incredibly complex array of pipes.
It's not that straight forward. When we talk about rocket engines in India, the conversation is mostly about engines classified by the state of the propellant. But that's not the whole story. Here is where the Indian aerospace industry stands in engine development:
Classification of Rocket Engines by propellent state
1. Solid: Where both the fuel & oxidizer is in solid state at room temperature & pressure. Eg. S200 boosters, PSLV solid stages, Skyroot's Kalam-5 etc.
2. Liquid: Where both the fuel & oxidizer is in liquid state at room temperature & pressure. Eg. Vikas engine, L40 boosters, Skyroot's Raman-1 etc.
3. Cryogenic: Where both the fuel & oxidizer is in gaseous state at room temperature & pressure. They need to be cooled & pressurized to be liquified. Eg. CE-7.5, CE-20 & Skyroot's Dhawan-1.
4. Semi-Cryogenic: Where the fuel is in liquid state at room temperature & pressure. But the oxidizer is a gas & need to be liquified cryogenically. Eg. SCE-200 & Agnikul's Agnilet engine .
Classification of Rocket Engines by propellent type
1. HTPB based: Hydroxyl-terminated Poly-Butadiene (HTPB) binder is the most commonly used solid fuel binder. All ISRO's solid fueled rockets rely on this binder. India has large production capacity of HTPB & enough technical capacity to build solid rockets of any size as needed. Eg. All ISRO solid rockets, most of DRDO's rockets, Skyroot's Kalam-5.
2. UDMH-MMH/N2O4-MON: Unsymmetrical di-methyl hydrazine (UDMH) & Mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) are 2 members of the hydrazine family that ISRO uses. Although ISRO is capable of producing very powerful engines using the hydrazine family of fuels they have chosen not to do so, as Hydrazine based fuels are highly toxic. Eg. Vikas Engine, L40 boosters, L110 stage, PSLV 4th stage, LAM etc.
3. LH2/LOX: These type of engines are also called Hydrolox engines. Liquid Hydrogen is very powerful fuel, but it is a pain to handle. ISRO has overcome the logistical problems We currently have one of the most powerful upper stage cryogenic engines in the world, the CE-20. ISRO had plans of developing a more powerful version of the CE-20, called CE-60, which would produce 600 kN of thrust. No further news have been heard about the CE-60.
4. KEROLOX: Engines powered by Kerosene & liquid oxygen. SCE-200 is the only KEROLOX engine ISRO has so far. Agnikul's Agnilet, which was tested in February 2021, is also a Kerolox engine. The Agnilet is meant for upper stages. ISRO's Mahendragiri test centre looks almost ready. The SCE-200 should see a test firing in a year, be that in India or Ukraine.
5. CH4/LOX: Also known as Methalox engines. Methane is one of the Green propellants ISRO is very interested in. India is a sizable producer of Methane/LNG, thus it is cheaper and available locally. Also handling & storing Methane is cheaper & safer. ISRO has at least 2 Methalox engines in development. These engine are being developed for powering upper stage in place of the Hydrolox engines. Skyroot's Dhawan-1 is a 3D printed LNG/LOX engine that was tested in September 2020. LNG is 95-98% Methane, so the Dhawan-1 can be effectively considered a Methalox engine.
Classification of Rocket Engines by engine cycle
1. Solid rockets: Solid rockets mostly have no cycle of operation, unless they are built for specialized applications. Most of the complex solid rocket cycles like dual pulse propulsion, multi-tube pulse propulsion, SFDRs etc. already exists with DRDO. The tech can be transferred if needed.
2. Expander/Bleeder: ISRO is studying the feasibility of developing a expander cycle based Methalox engine. Now this is a guess but I think Skyroot's Dhawan-1 LNG/LOX cryogenic engine probably runs on an expander cycle. It could also be an pump fed engine. We have to wait to get the word from them.
3. Gas Generator: ISRO has 2 powerful GG cycle engines, CE-20 & Vikas. They are studying the feasibility of developing a GG cycle based Methalox engine. GG cycle engines aren't scaled up as they have lower Isp compared to Staged Combustion cycle. Agnikul's Agnilet engine might be a GG cycle engine.
4. Staged Combustion: ISRO's CE-7.5 is the only Staged Combustion cycle engine we have. ISRO is studying the feasibility of developing a SC cycle based Methalox engine. Though I really hoped for it but ISRO has shown no interest in scaling up the CE-7.5 despite the Isp advantages. ISRO is looking to develop ~100 kN Methalox engines. If they go for a SC cycle that would be a definite scale up in thrust.
5. Oxygen Rich Staged Combustion: SC cycles are normally Fuel rich. Oxygen rich cycles are difficult to develop as they tend to corrode/erode engine components at a very rapid pace. But the improvements in Isp brought by an Oxygen rich cycle is hard to ignore. This is one of the primary road bocks to the SCE-200's development. ISRO had to develop multiple new alloys, manufacturing processes to deal with these problems. Will that be enough ? We will know soon, I guess.
6. Full Flow Staged Combustion: Full Flow SC engines are the holy grail of high performance rocket engines. They are so complex that only a couple of FFSC engines have ever been built. The demands of the engines is so great that FFSC engines are only feasible for a few types of fuels. We have no such engines, nor does ISRO plan to develop a FFSC cycle engine. ISRO might look at FFSC engines after the SC-200 completes development.
7. Nuclear propulsion: Dr. S. Somanath over the years in a number of his presentation slides have shown ISRO's intent in developing nuclear rockets. According to a recent presentation ISRO plans to have nuclear propulsion ready by 2050.
8. Air-breathing engines: Includes turbofans, turbojets, ramjets, turbo-ramjets, scramjets etc. The progress of these engines are pretty well known so I won't go into it.
Technically the following are not rockets. But still since we are talking of engine development:
1. Ion thruster: In house development by ISRO & a separate joint development with Bellatrix. ISRO also purchased a few Russian Ion thrusters & used them on GSAT-4 & GSAT-9. Indian Ion thrusters should be ready by next year.
2. Hall Effect thruster: Joint development with Bellatrix. The 1st Indian Hall Effect thruster is equipped on the GSAT-20. the Hall Effect Thruster is Xenon based, but other noble gases can also be used.
3. Plasma thruster: India has no plasma based thrusters yet. ISRO put out a tender in 2017 seeking help of Indian companies in developing Plasma thrusters. There have been no further updates on it.
The point of this long write up is to say that there are more technological challenges ahead of us. The SCE-200 is a significant milestone but it certainly wont be the last of our problems. If we want to have re-usable launchers we need to develop competence in engine clustering too. ISRO has managed to cluster two 800 kN engines, while there are rockets with 7 much more powerful engines clustered together.
Also ISRO needs to do better at production line management & privatization. They can't seem to reach their launcher production targets & almost all launches get delayed somehow. DRDO, for all the brickbats they get, have done a better job at production line management & privatization. The companies that are lining up to manufacture DRDO developed missiles are lukewarm at the prospects of PSLV production privatization. DRDO & ISRO have almost the same budget, money alone can't solve problems of efficiency.
Nope more a generic design to manufacture a full sized reference engine. Notice on the bottom right of the photos it says mock up. They wanted to start designing rocket stages with the engine. Stage design is easier if you have a close idea of the engine dimensions, weight, center of gravity etc.
India to get advanced ‘eye in the sky’ ahead of I-Day with Gisat-1 launch on Aug 12 | India News - Times of India
India News: India is set to launch its most advanced geo-imaging satellite (Gisat-1), which will allow better monitoring of the subcontinent, including its border
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
