Page 16 - Isro

Isro espionage case: CBI chargesheets police officers for framing scientist

The CBI has filed a chargesheet against two former DGPs, Siby Mathews of Kerala and R B Sreekumar of Gujarat, and three other retired police officials in connection with the alleged framing of space scientist Nambi Narayanan in the 1994 ISRO espionage case, officials said. Three years after registering a case in 2021 following the Supreme Court's directions, the CBI has filed its chargesheet against then deputy inspector general of police Mathews, who headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed the 1994 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) espionage case, Sreekumar, who was the deputy director in the Intelligence Bureau, P S Jayaprakash, who was then posted in the SIB-Kerala, then deputy superintendent of police K K Joshua and inspector S Vijayan. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has charged them under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 342 (wrongful confinement), 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to extract a confession), 167 (creating false documents), 193 .

Not enough demand for satellite launch market in India yet: Isro chairman

ISRO Chairman S Somanath on Wednesday said there is not enough internal demand for the satellite launch market in India but it can be created through more work on the application of satellite technology. Addressing the India Space Congress 2024, he said big companies are willing to enter the space sector but they are concerned about the timeline for breaking even and securing orders. "When I talk to many of those industries who are willing to come and set up facilities, they are all very ready to do it. But they are asking when they are going to break even and where the orders are so that they can safely invest in this. I think this is a big question. "It is the bigger challenge of convincing investors to come in a big way in big state projects," the leading space scientist said. At a press conference on the sidelines of the Space Congress, he said, "We need to create more internal demand. That implies internal demand is not enough. All of us are working towards that. The demand wi

Committee on NTA reforms to plug irregularities, engage with parents

The seven-member panel met on Monday evening, under the chairmanship of former Indian Space Research Organisation chairman K Radhakrishnan

Centre notifies 7-member panel to reform process of NTA-conducted exams

The Ministry of Education said Saturday it has constituted a high-level committee of experts led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency (NTA). The seven-member committee will make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols and the structure and functioning of the NTA, the Department of Higher Education in the ministry said. It added that the committee will submit its report to the ministry within two months. Central University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor Professor B J Rao and former director of AIIMS Delhi Randeep Guleria are on the panel.

PM Modi to lead 10th International Yoga Day celebrations in J-K's Srinagar

On the occasion, the Prime Minister will address the gathering and participate in the Common Yoga Protocol session, highlighting Yoga's significance in nurturing physical, mental, and spiritual growth

Nasa to further iCET initiative for benefit of humanity: Bill Nelson

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited India last year and held multiple meetings and interactions. He also lauded India for the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission

India, US working to train Isro astronauts at NASA's Johnson Space Center

India and the US on Monday said they concluded the Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation to deepen interoperability in space and are working toward commencing advanced training for ISRO astronauts at the NASA Johnson Space Center. A fact-sheet issued by the US and India after the iCET Dialogue between US National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said the two sides are also exploring opportunities to participate in the Lunar Gateway Programme. The Lunar Gateway Programme aims to build a space station around the moon as part of the collaborative Artemis programme spearheaded by the US. The fact-sheet said the talks between the two NSAs explored opportunities for India's participation in the Lunar Gateway Programme, as well as joint avenues for collaboration in other space technologies. The two leaders also exchanged views on securing a carrier for the first-ever joint effort between NASA and Indian Space Research Organisati

Isro Chairman inaugurates HAL facilities, boosting rocket manufacturing

ISRO Chairman S Somanath inaugurated state-of-the-art propellant tank production and computer numerical control (CNC) machining facilities at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Aerospace Division here, boosting rocket manufacturing capacity . HAL said the facilities would provide a major boost to ISRO's ability to meet its growing production needs, particularly for the Launch Vehicle Mark3, India's heaviest and most powerful rocket. Currently, the existing capacity allows for only two LVM3 launches per year, whereas ISRO's requirements stand at six launches annually, according to an HAL statement on Wednesday. The facilities will address this gap, enabling HAL to manufacture enough critical components to support the production of six LVM3 rockets per year, it said. Somanath was quoted as saying in the statement that HAL has enormous capacities and this potential should be explored in the larger interest of both the organisations. "HAL will play a larger role in ISRO's future missions

Space startup AgniKul rockets into history books with Agnibaan liftoff

Agnibaan SOrTeD uses the world's first single-piece 3D printed engine, designed and built indigenously

Space startup Agnikul calls off maiden rocket launch for fourth time

Launches of India's second privately built rocket, and first using a combination of gas and liquid fuel, had been aborted three times before because of technical issues

Mangalyaan-2 unveiled: India poised to become third nation to land on Mars

India's space agency, ISRO, is gearing up for a historic milestone: a mission to land a rover and helicopter on Mars, a feat achieved only by the US and China so far

Space industry offers good opportunity for private players: Isro chief

ISRO Chairman S Somanath has said the Indian space industry is offering a tremendous opportunity to the private sector in the country as a new area of growth and development. He said the union government envisages the space sector in the country to become a 9 to10 billion dollar industry in the next 5-10 years from the current levels of 2 billion dollars. Somanath was speaking after unveiling the carbon reduction initiative of SFO Technologies, the flagship company of the NeST Group, in a function here on Saturday, a company release said. He also said that 400 private sector companies have benefited from the technology developed by ISRO for its various missions. Companies like SFO Technologies are well positioned to take further advantage of the new policy initiatives in the space sector by the government of India. "The Indian space industry is offering a tremendous opportunity for the private sector in the country as a new area of growth and development," the ISRO chief added. .

Isro working on semi-cryogenic engine that uses liquid oxygen kerosene

ISRO on Monday said it is developing a 2,000 kN (kilonewton) thrust semi-cryogenic engine working on a Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Kerosene propellant combination for enhancing the payload capability of Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) and for future launch vehicles. Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is the lead centre for the development of semi-cryogenic propulsion systems with the support of other launch vehicle centres of ISRO. The successful ignition of a semi-cryo pre-burner is a major accomplishment of ISRO in the development of semi-cryogenic propulsion systems, the space agency said. The assembly and testing of the propulsion modules were done at the ISRO propulsion complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. As part of the engine development, a pre-burner ignition test article, which is a full complement of the engine power head system excluding the turbopumps, is realised, it said, adding, the first ignition trial was conducted successfully on May 2, at semi cryo integrated engine test ...

Private players will make space more accessible: Isro chief Somanath

Private players in space technology will certainly help speed up the research in the field, Indian Space Research Organisation chairman S Somanath has said while interacting with space enthusiasts, through the official Instagram page of ISRO. Replying to an observation that SpaceX, a private entity, has contributed more to space technology than most countries, Somanath on Saturday said America's tradition of encouraging private companies to involve themselves in building rocket engines and, in the case of SpaceX, to explore human flight vehicles can be replicated by India. He said these companies are playing a crucial role in advancing technology, reducing costs and making space more accessible. It is possible for even private companies in India to develop these kinds of capabilities, he added. However, he said this is only possible if the government supports the private entity, For instance, some of the technology that is owned by NASA is transferred to Space X so that they could

'Don't hesitate to come out to vote': Isro chief S Somanath | Lok Sabha elections Phase 2

Isro chief S Somanath queued up with fellow voters at a polling station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. After casting his ballot, he urged voters to not hesitate and come out and vote.

Isro to have second trial flight of unmanned Gaganyaan mission today

After the airdrop test on April 24, two more uncrewed missions are slated for 2025, leading up to the manned mission by the end of the next year, pending successful operations

Satellite monitoring shows 27% glacial lakes in Himalayas expanding: Isro

More than 27 per cent of the identified glacial lakes in the Himalayas have notably expanded since 1984 and 130 of those are in India, ISRO said on Monday. In a statement, the space agency said long-term satellite imagery covering the catchments of Indian Himalayan river basins from 1984 to 2023 indicates significant changes in glacial lakes. "Of the 2,431 lakes larger than 10 hectares identified during 2016-17, 676 glacial lakes have notably expanded since 1984," it said. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said 601 of the 676 lakes have expanded more than twice while 10 lakes have grown between 1.5 to two times and 65 lakes 1.5 times. It said 130 of the 676 lakes are situated within India, with 65, seven, and 58 located in the Indus, Ganga and the Brahmaputra river basins, respectively. An elevation-based analysis revealed that 314 lakes are located in the 4,000-5,000-metre range and 296 above 5,000 metres. The glacial lakes are categorised based on their formation proces

Aditya solar mission continuously sending data about Sun: Isro chief

ISRO chief S Somnath on Sunday said that the Aditya L I solar mission of the premier space research agency is continuously sending data about the Sun. Somnath, who was speaking to reporters here after being conferred a special award by jewellery major P C Chandra Group, said several instruments of the spacecraft are working continuously to feed data on many aspects. "We are looking into the sun in a continuous manner - UV magnetic charges observation, corona graph observation, X-ray observation and other things," he said. India's first solar mission craft, Aditya-L1 spacecraft was launched on September 2, 2023. "As we are keeping this satellite for five years, the observation will be analysed as a long-term measure. It is not like your instant news that something has been reported about the sun today, something else will happen tomorrow, things will happen every day," he explained. All observations will happen now but the results will be known later, he said. "Eclipse happens as

Isro to continue Chandrayaan series until an Indian lands on Moon: Somanath

The Indian Space Research Organisation will continue its Chandrayaan series of lunar probes until an astronaut from the country lands on the Moon, said ISRO Chairman S Somanath on Wednesday. Last August, the premier space agency's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft made a soft landing on the south pole of the lunar surface, making India the first country to achieve the feat. Chandrayaan 3 has done very well. Data has been collected and scientific publication has just started. Now, we want to continue the Chandrayaan series till an Indian lands on the Moon. Before that, we have to master many technologies, such as going there and coming back. That we are trying to do in the next mission, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event. Somnath was in Ahmedabad as the chief guest of a programme organised by the Astronautical Society of India. About India's first-ever human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, Somanath said ISRO will carry out an uncrewed mission, a test vehicle flight mission and a

Isro makes light-weight nozzle for rocket engines, terms it 'breakthrough'

ISRO said it has achieved a breakthrough in rocket engine technology with the development of a lightweight Carbon-Carbon (C-C) nozzle for rocket engines, enhancing payload capacity. This innovation accomplished by the space agency's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) promises to enhance the vital parameters of rocket engines, including thrust levels, specific impulse, and thrust-to-weight ratios, thereby boosting the payload capacity of launch vehicles, it said. Thiruvananthapuram-based VSSC leveraged advanced materials like Carbon-Carbon (C-C) composites to create a nozzle divergent that offers exceptional properties, an ISRO statement said. By utilising processes such as carbonisation of green composites, chemical vapor Infiltration, and high-temperature treatment, it has produced a nozzle with low density, high specific strength, and excellent stiffness, capable of retaining mechanical properties even at elevated temperatures, it said. A key feature of the C-C nozzle is its ...