India Plans Next GSLV Launch In 2012

Still recovering from repeated failures of its heavy-lift Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in 2010, the Indian Space Research Organization is eyeing the next flight of the vehicle in 2012.

“We have a major task ahead of us ... [the] development and perfection of [the] indigenous cryogenic stage,” ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan says. “We are making good progress and we plan to have the next flight of GSLV ... in the second quarter of 2012.”

ISRO also plans to have two more Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) missions before launching the GSLV. On Oct. 12, ISRO successfully launched its PSLV-C18 rocket carrying four satellites, including the Indo-French collaborative weather satellite Megha-Tropiques.

In December 2010, the homegrown GSLV-F06 vehicle was destroyed by its flight termination system when it veered off course less than a minute after liftoff. The GSAT-5P communications satellite, carrying 24 C-band and 12 extended C-band transponders, plunged into the Bay of Bengal. Before that, the GSLV-D3 mission carrying GSAT-4 failed in April 2010.

Now under development, GSLV-MK III is designed to make India fully self-reliant in launching heavier communication satellites weighing 4,500-5,000 kg (9,900-11,000 lb.), boosting its status as a key player in the global commercial launch market. According to a senior ISRO official, GSLV-MK III is being designed to place a 4-ton-class satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit.

S. Ramakrishnan, director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Center, says the agency has identified the issues with the GSLV upper-stage engine. “We have studied the design of booster pumps and redesigned it. The computer simulation was done and validated. One more long-duration test of the cryogenic engine will be made by the end of this month,” he says. 

GLSV with indigenous cryogenic engine likely in 2012

RIHARIKOTA (AP): The next flight of theGeostationary Launch vehicle (GSLV) with indigenous cryogenic engine is likely to be launched in the second quarter of next year, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said. 

"We have a major task ahead of us... development and perfection of indigenous cryogenic stage. We are making good progress and we plan to have the next flight of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic engine in the second quarter of 2012," the ISRO Chief said. 

Before the GSLV launch, ISRO plans to have two more missions of PSLV, Radhakrishnan said after the successful launch of Indo-French satellite Mega-Tropiques and three nano satellites from here. 

"..we plan to have two more missions of PSLV. One, for launching India's first microwave remote sensing satellite and the other a joint mission of India and France to look at the oceans," he said. 

Now under development, GSLV-III is designed to make the country fully self-reliant in launching heavier communication satellites, weighing 4,500 to 5,000 kg, besides boosting its capability to be a key player in the global commercial launch market. 

In December 2010, homegrown launch vehicle GSLV-F06 fitted with Russian cryogenic engine carrying communication satellite GSAT-5P on-board failed when the rocket was hit by a snag seconds after lift off from here. 

Describing the successful launch of Megha Tropiques as 'truly global mission' Radhakrishnan said it was the beginning of a 'new phase' of cooperation between India and France. 

"What this cooperation has given to the world is a satellite which is going to provide us lot of information and knowledge about tropical regions," he said. 

He thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for all the support and encouragement.
Source:ET

ISRO launches four satellites from Sriharikota

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched four big satellites on Wednesday from theSatish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Two of the satellites have been made by the students of IIT Kanpur and SRM University.

Guruditya Sinha, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "The main objective is to measure carbon dioxide and water vapour in the cities above India. To check how much Indian cities are contributing to climate change."

After Anusat and Studsat, it's the third student satellite to go up in the air.

Vishal Latha Balakumar, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "This chip is used in our cell phones. We are using it in our satellite. We are also using a flash memory very similar to a normal USB drive in the satellite. The objective is to use commercially available equipment and see how they survive in the radiation of space.

Tiny student satellites are a cheap, quick way of testing new ideas. For example, this satellite uses magnets, not motors to control its space flight.

Anushree Mahapatra, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "We have copper coils on three sides of the satellite. When we send electricity through them, a magnetic effect is generated. Since the earth already has a magnetic field, both fields cancel each other to keep the satellite exactly aligned.

THE SRM project employed fifty four students. But only four of them are women. Is it tough being outnumbered?

Anushree Mahapatra, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "Since we are all here on the basis of our ability, my male friends treat me like a colleague. There is no problem."

M Loganathan, a retired ISRO scientist, who taught these students, says lack of industry support was a big problem. We wanted some components from the industry and they asked for almost 40 lakh rupees. How can students afford so much?

But don't students have to be geniuses to make a complex satellite?

Loganathan, Project Architect, SRM-SAT Project, said, "Space works on simple laws of physics, mainly Newtons law. If you are good in the basic concepts of space, you can be a space scientist."

Source:IBN