Indian Space Program: News & Discussions
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May be ISRO is working on prototype of a VTVL Rocket .
The matter has been raised in NASASpaceFlight.com Forum - Index
The link of the poster :http://aset2018.vssc.gov.in/style/images/ASET-2018-Poster-1.pdf
Image :
Image Credit : Senior Member: sanman :
Cropped from the poster of ASeT 2018 recently organised by Aeronautical Society of India, Thiruvananthapuram.
Link of the thread: ISRO Researching VTVL?
Meanwhile:
A video of Test flight of SPACE X Grasshopper :
The matter has been raised in NASASpaceFlight.com Forum - Index
The link of the poster :http://aset2018.vssc.gov.in/style/images/ASET-2018-Poster-1.pdf
Image :
Image Credit : Senior Member: sanman :
Cropped from the poster of ASeT 2018 recently organised by Aeronautical Society of India, Thiruvananthapuram.
Link of the thread: ISRO Researching VTVL?
Meanwhile:
A video of Test flight of SPACE X Grasshopper :
Last edited:
ISRO making green propellant
ISRO making green propellant
T. NandakumarThiruvananthapuram,May 14, 2018 00:00 IST
Updated:May 14, 2018 05:02 IST
Seeks to replace hydrazine fuel for future missions
Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have reported progress in the development of an environment-friendly propellant to power satellites and spacecraft.
The effort is to replace the conventional hydrazine rocket fuel, a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical, with a greener propellant for future missions. Initial tests by a research team at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) here have shown promising results in the formulation and associated tests of a propellant blend based on hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN).
Due to its high performance characteristics, hydrazine has dominated the space industry as the choice of propellant for over six decades, despite its environment and health hazards and the challenges faced in its manufacturing, storage, ground handling and transportation.
The LPSC team comprising Arpita Dash, B. Radhika and R. Narayan formulated the HAN-based monopropellant and carried out a variety of tests to investigate its characteristics, like thermal and catalytic decomposition and compatibility with different materials. A monopropellant is a chemical propulsion fuel which does not require a separate oxidizer. It is used extensively in satellite thrusters for orbital correction and orientation control.
The in-house formulation consists of HAN, ammonium nitrate, methanol and water. While methanol was added to reduce combustion instability, the choice of AN was dictated by its capacity to control the burn rate and lower the freezing point of the propellant.
In a paper presented at the national conference on Future Directions in Propulsion, organised by the Aeronautical Society of India here, the researchers said the propellant formulation was tested for compatibility with four metal samples over a period of six months.
The LPSC is planning further tests in flight configuration.
T. Nandakumar
India's ISRO To Take On SpaceX With Its Own Smart and Reusable Rockets
India’s ISRO To Take On SpaceX With Its Own Smart and Reusable Rockets
by Vardaan - May 12, 2018
India’s premier space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has built a reputation for building homegrown Indian space technologies in a most cost-effective way, so much so that India’s Mars Orbiter Mission craft Mangalyaan costed less than the movie Gravity.
Now, in a latest revelation, ISRO chairman K Sivan said that the Indian space agency is planning to develop world class propulsion technology to ensure cost effective re-usable, recoverable, re-startable and reliable space launches.
Earlier in February this year, Sivan had hinted that like SpaceX, Isro too has been working on reusable technology for quite some years to reduce mission cost. Once fully developed, ISRO’s reusable propulsion technology could be a challenge to SpaceX’s innovative reusable launch vehicle, the Falcon 9 rocket.
In his video message for the annual National Conference on Emerging Trends in Aerospace Technologies (ASET-2018) on future of propulsion at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) Valiyamala in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala, ISRO chairman said, “The latest in propulsion including electric, hybrid, cryogenic and nuclear power propulsion system is being developed indigenously at LPSC”. The attempt is to control the engine thrust to explore all landing modes including vertical and soft landing of launch vehicles, so that it can be reused, he added.
LPSC is a research and development centre functioning under Indian Space Research Organisation. The centre is engaged in development of liquid and cryogenic propulsion stages for launch vehicles and auxiliary propulsion systems for both launch vehicles and satellites. Activities related to liquid propulsion stages, cryogenic propulsion stages and control systems for launch vehicles and spacecraft is done at Valiyamala, Thiruvananthapuram.
Inaugurating the two-day conference being organised by Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) Thiruvananthapuram chapter, eminent propulsion expert and LPSC founder director Dr AE Muthunayagam said the conference coincides with the 30th anniversary of LPSC. “India’s space programme since its humble beginning at Thumba here has matured with world class capabilities. LPSC, since its inception in 1987, has overcome challenges to develop liquid, cryogenic and electric propellants,” he said.
Related Reading – ISRO, Kerala Tie-Up To Incubate and Promote Startups In Satellite, Spacetech Sector
S Somnath, who is the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, a major space research centre of ISRO, also said that, “Use of light materials and simplifying the technology to ensure soft landing, recovery and reuse of the launch vehicle, thereby ensuring the safety of the crew will be the focus and the future of space travel.”
Coming on to ISRO vs SpaceX debate, SpaceX is currently the undisputed leader when it comes to “Heavy” launches or lifting capabilities. The payload sizes of Falcon 9 and the Falcon Heavy is well beyond ISRO’s current capabilities.
Although, ISRO’s chairman, in February, had already said that ISRO’s priority is to increase the lifting capability of GSLV Mk III (Isro’s ‘fat boy’ in image on top) from 4 tonnes to 6.5 tonnes. ISRO is increasing the lifting capability so that India’s dependency on the European spaceport, for launching our heavier satellites weighing over 6 tonnes, could be ended.
Additionally, in terms budget size, while Elon Musk’s SpaceX is heavily funded with capital of US$1.9 billion, ISRO has a budget of around US $1.2 billion annually for all its activities, both commercial and scientific.
Moreover, SpaceX is making money from its commercial launches. Just yesterday, SpaceX had launched Bangladesh first satellite Bangabandhu-1, beating India’s ISRO in grabbing the opportunity despite being the next neighbor of Bangladesh.
However, when it comes to making satellites, SpaceX scores a zero because it hasn’t made any yet, and that’s not even their goal.
Via – TOI | References – Rajesh Suseelan @Medium | Top Image – FinancialExpress.com
L&T to set up Rs 500 crore facility to make rocket motors for ISRO
COIMBATORE: Larsen and Toubro (L&T) is all set to expand its defence component manufacturing facility in the district and set up an exclusive factory on its Malumichampatti campus at a cost of Rs 500 crore to manufacture rocket motors for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
J D Patil, director, defence, L&T, said the factory would be ready within this financial year. “We have produced motors for Akash, which is an all-weather medium range surface-to-air missile system indigenously developed in India. Now, we plan to set up this factory to exclusively manufacture for ISRO. Their rocket motors are different from Akash, as the diameter is 2.8m and 3.2m and are massive. We will produce at least 10-12 sets a year which equals to nearly 50 sections of the motors,” he said.
According to Patil, the industry and the ecosystem here were good enough to produce precision equipment. “Earlier, we were only able to produce at our facility at Powai near Pune that was set up in 1940. Slowly, that entire unit will be shifted to Coimbatore. Even various orders from Baroda facility will be shifted to the district. We are going to take the number of factories to five here,” he said.
Patil said they would manufacture various components of satellites such as heat shields and other components that form the basic structural part of a satellite. “Currently, we are manufacturing these components in Baroda and we will shift all this to Coimbatore,” he added.
L&T would also produce space air frames for Brahmos Missile.
S Christopher, chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said they were working on unmanned aircraft project and various other missile programmes. About their association with ISRO, he said they were working together on a project named Kautilya. “We are also using the profit from the Brahmos programme to run an extended range programme,” he said.
About their production, he said, they had so far catered to the requirements of Air Force. “Army also has further requirement of Akash, however in 0.5 version. DRDO has already taken up the development. All these will be taken up from 2021 onwards. This product will have orders in another 3-4 years. The facility at Coimbatore will support us,” Christopher said.
After the central government’s Make in India drive to ‘Indianis’e all products, he said, the growth had gone up in the past 50 years by 60%. “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are localised facilities and not integrated facilities. Corridors will help various individual MSMEs with their special expertise. Defence wants precision products and quality is very important. They can help in producing small fabrications and various components that can be integrated. Also, the government needs to invest to set up integrated defence manufacturing facilities,” Christopher said.
COIMBATORE: Larsen and Toubro (L&T) is all set to expand its defence component manufacturing facility in the district and set up an exclusive factory on its Malumichampatti campus at a cost of Rs 500 crore to manufacture rocket motors for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
J D Patil, director, defence, L&T, said the factory would be ready within this financial year. “We have produced motors for Akash, which is an all-weather medium range surface-to-air missile system indigenously developed in India. Now, we plan to set up this factory to exclusively manufacture for ISRO. Their rocket motors are different from Akash, as the diameter is 2.8m and 3.2m and are massive. We will produce at least 10-12 sets a year which equals to nearly 50 sections of the motors,” he said.
According to Patil, the industry and the ecosystem here were good enough to produce precision equipment. “Earlier, we were only able to produce at our facility at Powai near Pune that was set up in 1940. Slowly, that entire unit will be shifted to Coimbatore. Even various orders from Baroda facility will be shifted to the district. We are going to take the number of factories to five here,” he said.
Patil said they would manufacture various components of satellites such as heat shields and other components that form the basic structural part of a satellite. “Currently, we are manufacturing these components in Baroda and we will shift all this to Coimbatore,” he added.
L&T would also produce space air frames for Brahmos Missile.
S Christopher, chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said they were working on unmanned aircraft project and various other missile programmes. About their association with ISRO, he said they were working together on a project named Kautilya. “We are also using the profit from the Brahmos programme to run an extended range programme,” he said.
About their production, he said, they had so far catered to the requirements of Air Force. “Army also has further requirement of Akash, however in 0.5 version. DRDO has already taken up the development. All these will be taken up from 2021 onwards. This product will have orders in another 3-4 years. The facility at Coimbatore will support us,” Christopher said.
After the central government’s Make in India drive to ‘Indianis’e all products, he said, the growth had gone up in the past 50 years by 60%. “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are localised facilities and not integrated facilities. Corridors will help various individual MSMEs with their special expertise. Defence wants precision products and quality is very important. They can help in producing small fabrications and various components that can be integrated. Also, the government needs to invest to set up integrated defence manufacturing facilities,” Christopher said.
ISRO to test space robustness of indigenous atomic clocks this December
SAC director did not disclose the cost of the imported clocks and possible savings for ISRO once the indigenous atomic clocks take place of the imported ones. The atomic clocks were in news recently after few of them on ISRO's IRNSS failed.
Reference image
The robustness of the indigenous atomic clocks developed by the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) will be known when one of the clocks developed at the Ahmedabad’s Space Application Centre (SAC) will be sent to outerspace in December, this year. The Indian space agency ISRO currently depends upon imported atomic clocks that helps navigational satellites measure precise locations.
"Atomic clocks are considered to be the most stable of clocks today. These clocks are made by only three or four companies in the world. This technology is very restrictive we had to import it. Now, we have started making it,” said Tapan Misra, director of SAC at the sidelines of National Technology Day celebrations organised at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Exhibition centre on Wednesday.
“The first model which is called the qualification model is currently in the testing-review phase…. By December this year we plan to send one of these clocks along with three others mounted on a satellite. Usually, three atomic clocks go with every satellite. We will be sending four, wherein the fourth one will be the one we have developed indigenously. This will help us to see how robust is our technology. The real proof of its success can be gauged by seeing how it actually functions in space,” Misra added.
Space Applications Center (SAC), Ahmedabad
The clock will be mounted on a satellite once ISRO’s Quality Assurance Group provides it with the necessary certification. However, the SAC director did not disclose the cost of the imported clocks and possible savings for ISRO once the indigenous atomic clocks take place of the imported ones. The atomic clocks were in news recently after few of them on ISRO’s IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) failed.
Talking about the IRNSS system which is expected to replace the GPS system, Misra said that ISRO has already developed a “device” to help some of the government agencies use the IRNSS navigation. “These devices are slighting costlier, but has more precision. In the next phase, we are trying to incorporate this technology in the mobiles,” Misra said adding that the IRNSS is being used by ISRO for PSLV guidance along with GPS since the last one year.
ISRO to test space robustness of indigenous atomic clocks this December
SAC director did not disclose the cost of the imported clocks and possible savings for ISRO once the indigenous atomic clocks take place of the imported ones. The atomic clocks were in news recently after few of them on ISRO's IRNSS failed.
Reference image
The robustness of the indigenous atomic clocks developed by the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) will be known when one of the clocks developed at the Ahmedabad’s Space Application Centre (SAC) will be sent to outerspace in December, this year. The Indian space agency ISRO currently depends upon imported atomic clocks that helps navigational satellites measure precise locations.
"Atomic clocks are considered to be the most stable of clocks today. These clocks are made by only three or four companies in the world. This technology is very restrictive we had to import it. Now, we have started making it,” said Tapan Misra, director of SAC at the sidelines of National Technology Day celebrations organised at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Exhibition centre on Wednesday.
“The first model which is called the qualification model is currently in the testing-review phase…. By December this year we plan to send one of these clocks along with three others mounted on a satellite. Usually, three atomic clocks go with every satellite. We will be sending four, wherein the fourth one will be the one we have developed indigenously. This will help us to see how robust is our technology. The real proof of its success can be gauged by seeing how it actually functions in space,” Misra added.
Space Applications Center (SAC), Ahmedabad
The clock will be mounted on a satellite once ISRO’s Quality Assurance Group provides it with the necessary certification. However, the SAC director did not disclose the cost of the imported clocks and possible savings for ISRO once the indigenous atomic clocks take place of the imported ones. The atomic clocks were in news recently after few of them on ISRO’s IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) failed.
Talking about the IRNSS system which is expected to replace the GPS system, Misra said that ISRO has already developed a “device” to help some of the government agencies use the IRNSS navigation. “These devices are slighting costlier, but has more precision. In the next phase, we are trying to incorporate this technology in the mobiles,” Misra said adding that the IRNSS is being used by ISRO for PSLV guidance along with GPS since the last one year.
ISRO to test space robustness of indigenous atomic clocks this December
AstroSat Picture of the Month (April 2018)
A Jellyfish in the Sky
NUV image of JO201 from UVIT
Image Credit: Koshy George et.al
A Jellyfish in the Sky
NUV image of JO201 from UVIT
Image Credit: Koshy George et.al
Jellyfish are gelatinous creatures of the sea, but did you know that there are giant jellyfish in the sky as well? Here we present an ultraviolet image of one such 'Jellyfish Galaxy', JO201. We know that galaxies usually cluster together because of their mutual gravity. These Galaxy Clusters can have 100s to 1000s of galaxies in them! In these clusters, the space between these galaxies is filled with very hot gas. When an external galaxy is attracted by the gravitational force of a cluster, it moves through this hot gas. When it does so, it feels this gas as a wind that is blowing against it, much like a bicyclist or a runner feels the air blowing back past them.
If the galaxy is falling fast enough through this gas, then this wind can even dislodge the gas from this galaxy's gravitational pull. This stripped-off gas forms tails behind the infalling galaxy, and new stars can form out of this gas. Hence, these galaxies resemble a jellyfish with tentacles. We know a number of such jellyfish galaxies in the sky, and this image shows JO201, one such galaxy falling into the galaxy cluster Abell 85. The ultraviolet image taken by AstroSat shows the hot young stars formed from the gas that have been pushed out of this galaxy. The galaxy JO201 itself is moving in a direction towards us with an inclination towards the right.
Koshy and his collaborators have used the superior resolution of UVIT to study how stars are being formed in individual parts of the tentacles of the jellyfish galaxy JO201. The paper describing their work is in https://arxiv.org/pdf/1803.06193.pdf
AstroSat Picture of the Month (April 2018) - ISRO
No anomaly in Gsat-11, will fix launch date: Isro
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has found no anomaly in its heaviest satellite Gsat-11 weighing over 5.7 tonnes, which it had recalled from the European spaceport some time back to look for any potential glitch.
Talking to TOI, Isro chairman K Sivan said, “All the tests on Gsat-11 at Bengaluru’s ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) are over. We have found no anomaly. We are in the process of discussion with Arianespace to fix the next launch date for our satellite.” Earlier, the Isro chief had told TOI that all tests would be completed by May 17.
Isro had postponed the launch of Gsat-11 initially planned on May 25 from the European spaceport as it did not want to take chances with its heaviest satellite especially after the signal failure episode with Gsat-6A. Communication satellite Gsat-6A, which was successfully launched from Sriharikota on March 29, went out of control during the third orbit-raising manoeuvre in space when the signal with the satellite got abruptly snapped because of suspected power failure. The space agency since then has been trying to restore the communication link with Gsat-6A though it knows its exact location through the satellite-tracking system.
Isro is launching Gsat-11 from the European spaceport in French Guiana as its own GSLV Mk III rocket can only lift a satellite weighing not more than four tonnes.
High-throughput satellite Gsat-11, which carries 40 transponders in Ku-band and Ka-band frequencies, is capable of “providing high bandwidth connectivity” with up to 14 gigabit per second data transfer speed. The heavy-duty satellite is so massive that each solar panel is over four metres long, equivalent to the size of a room. The satellite will usher in high-speed internet connectivity, especially in rural India.
No anomaly in Gsat-11, will fix launch date: Isro - Times of India
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has found no anomaly in its heaviest satellite Gsat-11 weighing over 5.7 tonnes, which it had recalled from the European spaceport some time back to look for any potential glitch.
Talking to TOI, Isro chairman K Sivan said, “All the tests on Gsat-11 at Bengaluru’s ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) are over. We have found no anomaly. We are in the process of discussion with Arianespace to fix the next launch date for our satellite.” Earlier, the Isro chief had told TOI that all tests would be completed by May 17.
Isro had postponed the launch of Gsat-11 initially planned on May 25 from the European spaceport as it did not want to take chances with its heaviest satellite especially after the signal failure episode with Gsat-6A. Communication satellite Gsat-6A, which was successfully launched from Sriharikota on March 29, went out of control during the third orbit-raising manoeuvre in space when the signal with the satellite got abruptly snapped because of suspected power failure. The space agency since then has been trying to restore the communication link with Gsat-6A though it knows its exact location through the satellite-tracking system.
Isro is launching Gsat-11 from the European spaceport in French Guiana as its own GSLV Mk III rocket can only lift a satellite weighing not more than four tonnes.
High-throughput satellite Gsat-11, which carries 40 transponders in Ku-band and Ka-band frequencies, is capable of “providing high bandwidth connectivity” with up to 14 gigabit per second data transfer speed. The heavy-duty satellite is so massive that each solar panel is over four metres long, equivalent to the size of a room. The satellite will usher in high-speed internet connectivity, especially in rural India.
No anomaly in Gsat-11, will fix launch date: Isro - Times of India
LPSC to propel ISRO in developing Light craft and RLV
Laxmi Prasanna| TNN | Updated: May 23, 2018, 22:05 IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Setting the road map for ISRO's future propulsion, ISRO chairman K Sivan highlights that Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is set to play a lead role in the development of 'light craft' for interplanetary missions, which will have the least payload weight with maximum thrust and high speed. LPSC has also set the challenge to develop powerful advanced cryogenic engine, semi-cryogenic engine and green propellants to end the use of toxic propellants.
It is also focussed on the development of 800-newton-thrust main liquid engine for soft landing on moon with Chandrayaan-II, he said coinciding with the 30th anniversary celebrations of LPSC that concluded on Monday.
“It is not just the aircraft, the target is to develop light craft using laser propulsion for interplanetary mission. With such light craft, powered by high speed laser propulsion, it will be possible to go to Mars in four to eight minutes and the challenge is for LPSC to play a lead role in developing that,” ISRO chairman K Sivan told TOI, when asked.
Concept image of the Breakthrough Starshot project for representation
Along with that, crucial components such as Air Breathing Propulsion Systems (ABPS), control system, fluid components and a lot of technological innovations are being developed for the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at LPSC, he said.
RLV Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) from it's first test launch in 2016. The final product of the RLV programme will be a craft that could be up to six times the size of the TD.
“In addition to the advanced cryogenic engine being developed, semi-cryogenic engine will be developed in 30 months for the advanced GSLV-MK III mission, which will be used to launch 5.5 ton class satellites. The GSLV-MK III mission, planned in July for launch of 4.4 ton satellite, will be powered by a liquid core stage L110, which uses two high pressure Vikas engine for combined high thrust, in addition to a powerful cryogenic upper stage (C25). In the next GSLV-MK III launch, semi-cryogenic engine would replace the liquid core stage L110,” Sivan told TOI on Monday.
The L110 Liquid Core stage of the GSLV Mk.3
Green propellants to end the use of toxic propellants and electric propulsion systems are being developed at LPSC, he said. LPSC is also developing the 800-newton-thrust main liquid engine for soft landing on moon. With Chandrayaan-2 to be launched by October, the challenge is to travel to other planets using high speed reusable, reliable and cost effective light crafts and to propel LPSC into the world science map, he said.
Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to the Moon is a totally indigenous mission, comprises of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. After reaching the 100 kilometre lunar orbit, the Lander housing the Rover will separate from the Orbiter. After a controlled descent, the Lander will soft land on the lunar surface at a specified site and deploy a Rover. The instruments on the Rover will observe the lunar surface and send back data, which will be used to analyse the lunar soil.
Prototype of the Chandrayaan-2 lunar rover
LPSC founder and director AE Muthunayagam said the challenge to develop green propellants by LPSC will end the use of carcinogenic propellants. The current ISRO chairman has given additional challenges for LPSC to develop advanced cryogenic, semi-cryogenic engines and other propulsion systems for reusable and cost-effective launches to compete in a global environment with other space faring nations.
LPSC to propel ISRO in developing Light craft and RLV - Times of India
Laxmi Prasanna| TNN | Updated: May 23, 2018, 22:05 IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Setting the road map for ISRO's future propulsion, ISRO chairman K Sivan highlights that Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is set to play a lead role in the development of 'light craft' for interplanetary missions, which will have the least payload weight with maximum thrust and high speed. LPSC has also set the challenge to develop powerful advanced cryogenic engine, semi-cryogenic engine and green propellants to end the use of toxic propellants.
It is also focussed on the development of 800-newton-thrust main liquid engine for soft landing on moon with Chandrayaan-II, he said coinciding with the 30th anniversary celebrations of LPSC that concluded on Monday.
“It is not just the aircraft, the target is to develop light craft using laser propulsion for interplanetary mission. With such light craft, powered by high speed laser propulsion, it will be possible to go to Mars in four to eight minutes and the challenge is for LPSC to play a lead role in developing that,” ISRO chairman K Sivan told TOI, when asked.
Concept image of the Breakthrough Starshot project for representation
Along with that, crucial components such as Air Breathing Propulsion Systems (ABPS), control system, fluid components and a lot of technological innovations are being developed for the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at LPSC, he said.
RLV Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) from it's first test launch in 2016. The final product of the RLV programme will be a craft that could be up to six times the size of the TD.
“In addition to the advanced cryogenic engine being developed, semi-cryogenic engine will be developed in 30 months for the advanced GSLV-MK III mission, which will be used to launch 5.5 ton class satellites. The GSLV-MK III mission, planned in July for launch of 4.4 ton satellite, will be powered by a liquid core stage L110, which uses two high pressure Vikas engine for combined high thrust, in addition to a powerful cryogenic upper stage (C25). In the next GSLV-MK III launch, semi-cryogenic engine would replace the liquid core stage L110,” Sivan told TOI on Monday.
The L110 Liquid Core stage of the GSLV Mk.3
Green propellants to end the use of toxic propellants and electric propulsion systems are being developed at LPSC, he said. LPSC is also developing the 800-newton-thrust main liquid engine for soft landing on moon. With Chandrayaan-2 to be launched by October, the challenge is to travel to other planets using high speed reusable, reliable and cost effective light crafts and to propel LPSC into the world science map, he said.
Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to the Moon is a totally indigenous mission, comprises of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. After reaching the 100 kilometre lunar orbit, the Lander housing the Rover will separate from the Orbiter. After a controlled descent, the Lander will soft land on the lunar surface at a specified site and deploy a Rover. The instruments on the Rover will observe the lunar surface and send back data, which will be used to analyse the lunar soil.
Prototype of the Chandrayaan-2 lunar rover
LPSC founder and director AE Muthunayagam said the challenge to develop green propellants by LPSC will end the use of carcinogenic propellants. The current ISRO chairman has given additional challenges for LPSC to develop advanced cryogenic, semi-cryogenic engines and other propulsion systems for reusable and cost-effective launches to compete in a global environment with other space faring nations.
LPSC to propel ISRO in developing Light craft and RLV - Times of India
is it an error? 8 mins to mars?
Is this project in any way connected with ASAT application?
No. It's slower than the speed of light relative to the distance between the two planets.
But then 4-8 min is at the extreme end. It can even be done at much slower speeds that could take 30 min, even a day, even 10 days, instead of the current speed that takes many months.
So you have a satellite connected to a large sail. A laser is fired at it and the sail propels the satellite to near light speed. This will also allow us to send satellites towards other stars.
We will at least be able to move around the solar system in like a day.
No.
What @randomradio said.
More like it's connected to what we might do in order to restore certain space-based services (at least for temporary periods) AFTER our existing satellites have been subjected to an ASAT weapon.
I think SSLV is a step toward creating a launch-on-demand capability for military satellites. Somewhat like China's CZ-11 project.
AstroSat Picture of the Month (May 2018)
X-Raying the celestial lighthouse in the Crab
X-Raying the celestial lighthouse in the Crab
This month's APOM is a bit different from the rest. Instead of ultraviolet images from UVIT, we bring you an exciting plot from the X-ray telescope, Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride Imager (CZTI), onboard the AstroSat. This new result, covered by the press last year, announced the discovery of X-ray polarisation from the Crab Nebula that seemed to vary in an unexpected way over the period of the pulsar within. This discovery also heralded the beginning of the field of X-ray polarisation in astronomy. Let us look at what this means.
The Crab Nebula which is about 6500 light years away in the constellation Taurus, is a result of a supernova explosion of a massive star, that was seen in 1054 AD. Powering this supernova remnant is a very strange object, known as the Crab Pulsar. The end products of massive stars are neutron stars, which weigh as much as the Sun but are only as big as a city. These rapidly spinning objects are made of exotic matter and have very strong magnetic fields. Under the right circumstances, we see them as a pulsar, which resembles a celestial lighthouse whose beam sweeps past the Earth once every pulsar rotation. Our Crab Pulsar rotates as fast as 30 times a second, and its lighthouse-like pulses have been studied extensively all the way from radio to X-rays.
Credit: Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride Imager (CZTI) team
The left panel shows the new result. One rotation period, of 33 milliseconds, is represented as the phase going from 0.0 to 1.0 and is repeated once more, from 1.0 to 2.0, for clarity. The grey line is the X-ray brightness of the Crab lighthouse, observed by CZTI. The data in colour, obtained by aggregating a large number of measurements, shows what fraction of the X-ray light is polarised, i.e., can be given a specific direction. It can be seen that when the X-ray emission (grey line) is low, the polarisation fraction is high, which is unexpected. The right panel is an artist's impression of how the supernova explosion would have looked like, in the past (credit: ESA/Hubble).
We usually describe light, which is electromagnetic radiation, by its strength and its frequency (or wavelength). In addition, we can also measure the direction in which the electric and magnetic fields of the light wave oscillates. This feature, called polarisation, is even used to make some kinds of 3-D glasses and anti-glare sunglasses. Light from celestial sources too shows polarisation but measuring this in the X-rays in incredibly difficult. So difficult, in fact, that this was seen in 1975 from the same Crab Nebula, but not from any other source since then. What Santosh Vadawale and his collaborators have done, is to use a clever trick that has been talked about for a while, and apply it to the Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride Imager (CZTI) on AstroSat which is an X-ray telescope. They perfected this technique and were able to measure X-ray polarisation accurately from the Crab Nebula. In fact, they even managed to measure it fast enough to derive how this polarisation changed during one full rotation of the Crab Pulsar, which is 33 milliseconds long. The result, which is our APOM, surprised everybody. For one, they found that the amount of polarisation was higher than expected. Second, it was high during those times when the pulsar lighthouse was pointing away from us! Astronomers are now revisiting their theories of pulsar emission to understand this. In any case, AstroSat has now opened up this new and exciting field of X-ray polsarisation. Who knows what they will discover next!
AstroSat Picture of the Month (May 2018) - ISRO
BEL to make satellites for ISRO
BEL to make satellites for ISRO
Special Correspondent
BENGALURU,May 31, 2018 00:00 IST
Updated:May 31, 2018 03:36 IST
Plans 30-acre defence and aerospace park at Devanahalli
Bharat Electronics Ltd., recently chosen by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to make its future satellites, will acquire 30 acres of land near Devanahalli to pursue aerospace and defence activities, the company said on Wednesday.
BEL CMD M.V. Gowtama said at a news conference that the new defence and aerospace park could come up in about 18 months. The Karnataka government had recently earmarked the land.
ISRO has also picked Alpha Design Technologies P. Ltd, Bengaluru, as another partner for making its satellites, it was confirmed by people in the know. ISRO is yet to ink pacts with its partners or announce them. BEL’s board is due to approve the land purchase plan for the hybrid park.
“[Space] is an important focus area for us. We have some of the core satellite technologies and expect a good business growth in this segment,” Mr. Gowtama said.
By one estimate, about 600 mini, micro, small and large satellites for various uses are likely to be needed in the next eight to 10 years.
The proposed park will also host avionics activities related to future Indian fighter planes, the Indian LCA, and unmanned air vehicles in a big way.
BEL already supplies solar panels, microwave and other subsystems for ISRO’s satellites. The core business of the Rs. 10,000-crore company includes Akash missiles for the Armed Forces, radars, military communication, and signal equipment, besides electronic voting machines
Alpha, along with five companies, has already worked on two of ISRO navigation satellites (IRNSS-1H and 1I).
The two companies were among the 13 private and public sector companies that had responded separately when ISRO invited the industry in August last year to take up satellite manufacture for its missions.
ISRO’s satellites arm, the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (until recently ISAC) in Bengaluru, estimates that it must make 12-18 satellites a year or around 70 satellites over the next five years. The big load, it fears, will distract it from its core R&D job.
Special Correspondent
PES students build a satellite for DRDO
Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Updated: May 25, 2018, 04:00 IST
By Mayashree Pandey
It will be used to ensure safe movement of ships
PES University, after having launched their first satellite PISAT successfully in September 2016, is now almost ready to launch a second one—the Research Satellite (RSAT).
RSAT is a nano-size satellite, the final testing of which will be done in Hyderabad by July. It is all set to be functional by the end of this year. A group of over 25 students, mentored by experts in the field, had started working on the project last June, for the Defense Research and Development Organization(DRDO).
The University had initially proposed the project to the Naval Research Board and the first phase of the project was nearing the completion phase when the DRDO offered to fund the project.
Dr V Sambasiva Rao, who worked with ISRO for almost a decade and is the Director of Centre for Research in Space-Time and Technology (CRISST) and Dr VK Agarwal, one of the research directors of the university, are the two mentors of the project.
The students started working on the satellite in June, 2017. RSAT is a 3-axis stabilised agile nanosatellite. It weighs 10 kilos and measures 300mm x 300 mm x 300mm. It is built with deployable solar panels that generate 45 watts of solar power. This is the first satellite to be built in a state-of-the-art clean room.
“The satellite will help gather information from ships, supervise their movements and also help manage traffic flow into
harbours, hence avoiding accidental collisions,” explained Neema N, who had been handling telecommand and telemetry parts of the project.
Kavya Sri, an M.Sc. student who took care of the vibration and temperature while environmental testing, said, ‘’I have been working here since our first satellite launch, and I have seen the progress and development of the students and the research centre. It’s not that we didn’t face any challenges. There were thousands of constraints and we failed several times. But, our mantra was ’you will not succeed if you don’t fail’. It kept us going.
PES students build a satellite for DRDO
Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Updated: May 25, 2018, 04:00 IST
By Mayashree Pandey
It will be used to ensure safe movement of ships
PES University, after having launched their first satellite PISAT successfully in September 2016, is now almost ready to launch a second one—the Research Satellite (RSAT).
RSAT is a nano-size satellite, the final testing of which will be done in Hyderabad by July. It is all set to be functional by the end of this year. A group of over 25 students, mentored by experts in the field, had started working on the project last June, for the Defense Research and Development Organization(DRDO).
The University had initially proposed the project to the Naval Research Board and the first phase of the project was nearing the completion phase when the DRDO offered to fund the project.
Dr V Sambasiva Rao, who worked with ISRO for almost a decade and is the Director of Centre for Research in Space-Time and Technology (CRISST) and Dr VK Agarwal, one of the research directors of the university, are the two mentors of the project.
The students started working on the satellite in June, 2017. RSAT is a 3-axis stabilised agile nanosatellite. It weighs 10 kilos and measures 300mm x 300 mm x 300mm. It is built with deployable solar panels that generate 45 watts of solar power. This is the first satellite to be built in a state-of-the-art clean room.
“The satellite will help gather information from ships, supervise their movements and also help manage traffic flow into
harbours, hence avoiding accidental collisions,” explained Neema N, who had been handling telecommand and telemetry parts of the project.
Kavya Sri, an M.Sc. student who took care of the vibration and temperature while environmental testing, said, ‘’I have been working here since our first satellite launch, and I have seen the progress and development of the students and the research centre. It’s not that we didn’t face any challenges. There were thousands of constraints and we failed several times. But, our mantra was ’you will not succeed if you don’t fail’. It kept us going.
PES students build a satellite for DRDO
What are the forthcoming satellite launches from ISRO?
By Anusuya Datta
-
February 20, 2018
As ISRO gets ready to launch the much-talked about Chandrayaan 2 in April this year, **(article is from February, before Cdy-2 was rescheduled to October)** it is already geared up to launch three satellites — GSAT 6, IRNSS 1-I and GSAT11 — in March. GSAT-6A and GSAT-29 communication satellites will be launched by GSLV Mk-ll and GSLV Mk-lll, respectively. The GSAT-11 communication satellite is planned to be launched through procured launch. With regard to earth observation satellites, it is planned to initiate necessary processes of development of Cartosat-3, Oceansat-3 and RISAT-1A (Radar Imaging) in addition to the GISAT-1, according to the annual report of the Department of Space, Government of India.
ISRO’s future earth observation (EO) program will ensure the continuity of the application thematic series of satellites, namely, Resourcesat & RISAT (Land & Water), Cartosat (Cartography), Oceansat (Ocean & Atmosphere) and INSAT (Meteorology). It is also envisaged to realize geo-imaging satellites (GISAT) in geostationary orbit to enable near real-time imaging. The overall aim is to maintain the continuity of services and carryout enhancements in technological capabilities with respect to sensors and payloads in order to meet the operational applications. In this regard, several satellites have been planned to be launched in conversant with ISRO’s vision document.
Cartosat-3
Expected to be ready by third quarter of 2018. Cartosat-3 will join its eight siblings in the Cartosat-1 and Cartosat-2 series, which was specifically launched by ISRO for Earth’s resource management and monitoring. Cartosat-3 is an advanced agile satellite to obtain panchromatic and multispectral imagery with an operational life of 5 years. The payload has the capability of imaging with 0.25m GSD in panchromatic and 1m GSD in four-band multispectral modes with a swath of 16km. Many new technologies/elements are being developed like highly agile structural platform, payload platform, higher rate data handling and transmission systems, advanced onboard computer and new power electronics, dual gimbal antenna, etc.
+++
Oceansat-3 & 3A
A continuity mission of Oceansat-2 with enhanced imaging capability. The satellites have three payloads each onboard a 13-Band ocean color monitor (OCM), a 2-band long wave (thermal) infrared sea surface temperature monitor and Ku-band pencil beam scatterometer. Improvements planned in the Oceansat-3 are simultaneous measurement of ocean color and SST, newer applications with increased number of bands and reduced bandwidth, wind vectors at 25km spatial resolution, improvements in signal to noise ratio, coverage from near pole to pole, etc. Oceansat 3 and 3A are planned to be launched in November 2018 and July 2019 respectively.
+++
RISAT-1A & 1B
A repeat mission of RISAT-1 to facilitate cloud penetration and to carry out the other earth observation applications. The data from RISAT-1A will be used for applications in the areas of agriculture, forestry, soil moisture & hydrology, oceanography and disaster management. (
). The satellite is planned to be launched into a sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of 536 km and will carry a SAR payload operating in C-band, which has the capability to penetrate clouds and take images during day/night. RISAT-1A & 1B are planned to be launched in the year December 2018 and March 2021 respectively.
+++
INSAT-3DS
Is a stand-by mission planned to replace either of INSAT-3D in the orbital slot of 82-degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit or INSAT-3DR in the orbital slot of 74-degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit based on the need. Planned to be kept ready in stand-by mode by 2018, INSAT-3DS is a stand-by mission with improved geolocation accuracy and enhanced band to band registration. It has an atmospheric sounding system of 19 channels capable of providing vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and integrated ozone from surface to top of the atmosphere. INSAT-3DS also has an imager capable of imaging earth and its environment in six spectral channels and satellite aided search and rescue transponder similar to INSAT-3D/3DR.
+++
HRSAT
< no pic on internet >
Is a constellation of small satellites with sub-meter resolution in PAN and a daily revisit capability, and scheduled to be launched in February 2019. HRSAT has a great potential for commercial applications in large scale mapping, agriculture, urban planning, rural development, infrastructure development, Disaster management, etc. This is a constellation of three high resolution satellites in a single orbital plane to be launched by a single PSLV into a 660 km polar sun synchronous orbit. The constellation will have daily revisit capability with about 45-degree tilts. The payloads will have imaging capability of around 1m ground sampling distance with 15 km swath in panchromatic mode, 2-4 m GSD in three band multi-spectralmode with 15 km swath, and 20 m GSD in IR band with a swath of 6 km.
+++
GISAT-1
Will be realized for launch by June 2019. GISAT-1 is a geo-imaging satellite operating from geostationary orbit to provide high temporal resolution. It is expected to provide near real-time images of the large areas of the country, under cloud-free conditions, at frequent intervals. It will provide selected sector-wise image every 5 minutes and entire Indian landmass image every 30 minutes at 50 m spatial resolution. The potential applications include quick monitoring of disasters, natural hazards and calamities, episodic events and any short-term events. The spacecraft is planned to be positioned at 93.5-degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit of 36,000 km height, and will be capable provide a spatial resolution in the range of 50 m to 1.5 km, depending on the spectral band used. The satellite platform is a modified version of I-1K bus, with a power handling capability of around 2037 W during Equinox with a lift-off mass of 2,100 kg.
+++
Resourcesat-3S & 3SA
This is a mission for stereographic mapping with improved resolution in panchromatic and multispectral bands and along track stereo images for generating improved digital elevation models (DEM) target of 5 m for the area of interest. The two satellites are capable of providing along track high-resolution panchromatic stereo and multi-spectral imagery. They carry two panchromatic camera with 1.25m resolution providing a swath of 60 km in PAN band, and a multispectral camera having bands in VNIR region with 2.5m resolution providing a swath of 60 km. Resourcesat-3S & 3SA are planned to be launched in the year May 2019 and January 2020, respectively.
+++
Resourcesat-3 & 3A
Are medium resolution, wide swath satellites for advanced land and water resource management applications. The satellites will ensure continuity of data services required for the operational program in land and water resources management, and will carry advanced linear imaging scanning sensor-3 (ALISS-3) payload consisting of VNIR and SWIR bands. Besides providing medium resolution wide-swath imagery, it is equipped with on-board atmospheric correction band to improve the data products. The ground sampling distances will be 20 m for VNIR and SWIR bands with the central EOM providing 10m GSD. Hyper-spectral atmospheric correction bands will operate in VNIR bands and have ground sampling distances of 240m. Resourcesat-3 & 3A are planned to be launched in the year September 2019 and August 2020, respectively.
+++
NISAR
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite is built jointly with NASA, a dual frequency (L & S band) radar imaging satellite, to provide data services for natural resources mapping and monitoring as well as studies related to deformation, ecosystem, dynamics of ice sheets, mountain glaciers, forest fires and oil slick. It carries an L Band in 1260 MHz and S Band in 3200 MHz SAR payloads, both operating in interferometric SAR with multiple polarization. The L band SAR would be augmented with S band component and both these SAR systems would make use of 12-meter diameter size common unfurlable reflector antenna. The payload uses innovative Sweep SAR technique for both L- and S-band in full polarimetric configuration to enable very wide swath measurements greater than 200 km and very high resolution (5-10 m) with repeat pass interferometric capability. The launch vehicle identified for NISAR is GSLV Mk-II and is planned to be launched in the year 2021.
What are the forthcoming satellite launches from ISRO?
@Ashwin @randomradio @Amal @Ankit Kumar @Hellfire @Milspec @indiandefencefacts @Sumanta
By Anusuya Datta
-
February 20, 2018
As ISRO gets ready to launch the much-talked about Chandrayaan 2 in April this year, **(article is from February, before Cdy-2 was rescheduled to October)** it is already geared up to launch three satellites — GSAT 6, IRNSS 1-I and GSAT11 — in March. GSAT-6A and GSAT-29 communication satellites will be launched by GSLV Mk-ll and GSLV Mk-lll, respectively. The GSAT-11 communication satellite is planned to be launched through procured launch. With regard to earth observation satellites, it is planned to initiate necessary processes of development of Cartosat-3, Oceansat-3 and RISAT-1A (Radar Imaging) in addition to the GISAT-1, according to the annual report of the Department of Space, Government of India.
ISRO’s future earth observation (EO) program will ensure the continuity of the application thematic series of satellites, namely, Resourcesat & RISAT (Land & Water), Cartosat (Cartography), Oceansat (Ocean & Atmosphere) and INSAT (Meteorology). It is also envisaged to realize geo-imaging satellites (GISAT) in geostationary orbit to enable near real-time imaging. The overall aim is to maintain the continuity of services and carryout enhancements in technological capabilities with respect to sensors and payloads in order to meet the operational applications. In this regard, several satellites have been planned to be launched in conversant with ISRO’s vision document.
Cartosat-3
Expected to be ready by third quarter of 2018. Cartosat-3 will join its eight siblings in the Cartosat-1 and Cartosat-2 series, which was specifically launched by ISRO for Earth’s resource management and monitoring. Cartosat-3 is an advanced agile satellite to obtain panchromatic and multispectral imagery with an operational life of 5 years. The payload has the capability of imaging with 0.25m GSD in panchromatic and 1m GSD in four-band multispectral modes with a swath of 16km. Many new technologies/elements are being developed like highly agile structural platform, payload platform, higher rate data handling and transmission systems, advanced onboard computer and new power electronics, dual gimbal antenna, etc.
+++
Oceansat-3 & 3A
A continuity mission of Oceansat-2 with enhanced imaging capability. The satellites have three payloads each onboard a 13-Band ocean color monitor (OCM), a 2-band long wave (thermal) infrared sea surface temperature monitor and Ku-band pencil beam scatterometer. Improvements planned in the Oceansat-3 are simultaneous measurement of ocean color and SST, newer applications with increased number of bands and reduced bandwidth, wind vectors at 25km spatial resolution, improvements in signal to noise ratio, coverage from near pole to pole, etc. Oceansat 3 and 3A are planned to be launched in November 2018 and July 2019 respectively.
+++
RISAT-1A & 1B
A repeat mission of RISAT-1 to facilitate cloud penetration and to carry out the other earth observation applications. The data from RISAT-1A will be used for applications in the areas of agriculture, forestry, soil moisture & hydrology, oceanography and disaster management. (
). The satellite is planned to be launched into a sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of 536 km and will carry a SAR payload operating in C-band, which has the capability to penetrate clouds and take images during day/night. RISAT-1A & 1B are planned to be launched in the year December 2018 and March 2021 respectively.+++
INSAT-3DS
Is a stand-by mission planned to replace either of INSAT-3D in the orbital slot of 82-degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit or INSAT-3DR in the orbital slot of 74-degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit based on the need. Planned to be kept ready in stand-by mode by 2018, INSAT-3DS is a stand-by mission with improved geolocation accuracy and enhanced band to band registration. It has an atmospheric sounding system of 19 channels capable of providing vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and integrated ozone from surface to top of the atmosphere. INSAT-3DS also has an imager capable of imaging earth and its environment in six spectral channels and satellite aided search and rescue transponder similar to INSAT-3D/3DR.
+++
HRSAT
< no pic on internet >
Is a constellation of small satellites with sub-meter resolution in PAN and a daily revisit capability, and scheduled to be launched in February 2019. HRSAT has a great potential for commercial applications in large scale mapping, agriculture, urban planning, rural development, infrastructure development, Disaster management, etc. This is a constellation of three high resolution satellites in a single orbital plane to be launched by a single PSLV into a 660 km polar sun synchronous orbit. The constellation will have daily revisit capability with about 45-degree tilts. The payloads will have imaging capability of around 1m ground sampling distance with 15 km swath in panchromatic mode, 2-4 m GSD in three band multi-spectralmode with 15 km swath, and 20 m GSD in IR band with a swath of 6 km.
+++
GISAT-1
Will be realized for launch by June 2019. GISAT-1 is a geo-imaging satellite operating from geostationary orbit to provide high temporal resolution. It is expected to provide near real-time images of the large areas of the country, under cloud-free conditions, at frequent intervals. It will provide selected sector-wise image every 5 minutes and entire Indian landmass image every 30 minutes at 50 m spatial resolution. The potential applications include quick monitoring of disasters, natural hazards and calamities, episodic events and any short-term events. The spacecraft is planned to be positioned at 93.5-degree east longitude in the geostationary orbit of 36,000 km height, and will be capable provide a spatial resolution in the range of 50 m to 1.5 km, depending on the spectral band used. The satellite platform is a modified version of I-1K bus, with a power handling capability of around 2037 W during Equinox with a lift-off mass of 2,100 kg.
+++
Resourcesat-3S & 3SA
This is a mission for stereographic mapping with improved resolution in panchromatic and multispectral bands and along track stereo images for generating improved digital elevation models (DEM) target of 5 m for the area of interest. The two satellites are capable of providing along track high-resolution panchromatic stereo and multi-spectral imagery. They carry two panchromatic camera with 1.25m resolution providing a swath of 60 km in PAN band, and a multispectral camera having bands in VNIR region with 2.5m resolution providing a swath of 60 km. Resourcesat-3S & 3SA are planned to be launched in the year May 2019 and January 2020, respectively.
+++
Resourcesat-3 & 3A
Are medium resolution, wide swath satellites for advanced land and water resource management applications. The satellites will ensure continuity of data services required for the operational program in land and water resources management, and will carry advanced linear imaging scanning sensor-3 (ALISS-3) payload consisting of VNIR and SWIR bands. Besides providing medium resolution wide-swath imagery, it is equipped with on-board atmospheric correction band to improve the data products. The ground sampling distances will be 20 m for VNIR and SWIR bands with the central EOM providing 10m GSD. Hyper-spectral atmospheric correction bands will operate in VNIR bands and have ground sampling distances of 240m. Resourcesat-3 & 3A are planned to be launched in the year September 2019 and August 2020, respectively.
+++
NISAR
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite is built jointly with NASA, a dual frequency (L & S band) radar imaging satellite, to provide data services for natural resources mapping and monitoring as well as studies related to deformation, ecosystem, dynamics of ice sheets, mountain glaciers, forest fires and oil slick. It carries an L Band in 1260 MHz and S Band in 3200 MHz SAR payloads, both operating in interferometric SAR with multiple polarization. The L band SAR would be augmented with S band component and both these SAR systems would make use of 12-meter diameter size common unfurlable reflector antenna. The payload uses innovative Sweep SAR technique for both L- and S-band in full polarimetric configuration to enable very wide swath measurements greater than 200 km and very high resolution (5-10 m) with repeat pass interferometric capability. The launch vehicle identified for NISAR is GSLV Mk-II and is planned to be launched in the year 2021.
What are the forthcoming satellite launches from ISRO?
@Ashwin @randomradio @Amal @Ankit Kumar @Hellfire @Milspec @indiandefencefacts @Sumanta
