Page 38 - Isro

Isro begins countdown for launch of navigation satellite on GSLV rocket

Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday at 7.12 am commenced the 27.5 hour countdown for the launch of a navigation satellite on board a GSLV rocket here on May 29. The Bengaluru-headquartered space agency is all geared up to launch the second-generation navigation satellite series, a significant launch which would ensure the continuity of NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) services -- an Indian regional satellite navigation system, similar to GPS, providing accurate and real-time navigation in India and a region extending to 1,500 km around the mainland. NavIC signals are designed to provide user position accurate to better than 20-metres and timing accuracy better than 50 nanoseconds. The 51.7 metre tall Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, on its 15th flight, would carry the navigation satellite NVS-01 weighing 2,232 kg on Monday at 10.42 am from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) here, about 130 km from ...

Navy, ISRO release Gaganyaan Recovery Training Plan INS Garuda in Kochi

The Indian Navy and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have released the Gaganyaan Recovery Training Plan at INS Garuda in Kochi, officials said on Friday. The document outlines the training plan for recovery of the crew module of the Gaganyaan mission. The training document was jointly released on May 24 by Vice Admiral Atul Anand, Director General of Naval Operations; Unnikrishnan Nair, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, (VSSC) and Umamaheshwaran R, Director, Human Space Flight Centre of ISRO, the navy officials said. The document defines overall requirements with respect to training of various teams participating in recovery operations including divers, MARCOs (marine commandos), medical specialists, communicators, technicians and naval aviators, a senior official said. The recovery training is planned in incremental phases starting from unmanned recovery to manned recovery training in harbour and open sea conditions. The recovery operations are being led by the

ISRO chief hails role of Sanskrit in India becoming knowledge society

India was a knowledge society since Vedic times involving Maths, medicine, metaphysics, astronomy etc written in Sanskrit, but all such learning came back to the country several thousand years later as "discoveries by Western scientists", Indian Space Research Organisation chairman S Somnath has said. Addressing the fourth convocation ceremony of the Maharishi Panini Sanskrit and Vedic University here on Wednesday, Somnath said Sanskrit was one of the most ancient languages of the world with its repertoire including poetry, logic, grammar, philosophy, science, technology, maths and other allied subjects. "Surya Sidhanta, the very first book I came across in Sanskrit talks about the domain I am familiar with. This book specifically talks about solar system, how planets move around the sun, periodicity of this movement, timescales etc," he said. "All this knowledge travelled from here, reached the Arabs, then went to Europe and thousands of years later came back to us as discoveries o

ISRO to launch navigation satellite on GSLV from Sriharikota on May 29

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch navigation satellite 'NVS-01' onboard its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on May 29. The mission is designed to deploy the NVS-01 navigation satellite, weighing 2,232 kilograms, into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). "The launch of the GSLV-F12/NVS-01 mission is scheduled on Monday, May 29 at 10:42 hours IST from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota," the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency said in a release on Monday. Subsequent orbit raising manoeuvres will be used for taking the satellite to the intended orbit, the space agency said. NVS-01 is the first of the second-generation satellites envisaged for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) services, it said. NavIC is India's own indigenous satellite navigation system similar to the prominent Global Positioning System (GPS), which belongs to the United States. Accord

SC trashes appeal of former ISRO scientist against dismissal from service

The Supreme Court has junked a scientist's plea challenging his dismissal from service by ISRO, saying the space agency was justified in suspecting his honesty and integrity on account of his unauthorised association with a South Korean institution involved in rocketry research, a strategic subject of his employer. The apex court was hearing the special leave petition of V R Sanal Kumar, a former scientist at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation in Thiruvananthapuram against the order of his dismissal from service which was upheld by the Central Administrative Tribunal and the Kerala High Court. Kumar, who had joined the ISRO in 1992, was dismissed with effect from September 1, 2003 under the Department of Space Employees' (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules for joining Andong National University, South Korea and assisting Prof H D Kim, Head of School of Mechanical Engineering, without permission from his employer. Upholding the ...

Industry upbeat as space policy to raise private sector play, funding

More than 1,500 micro small and medium enterprises, over 140 startups and rising investor interest, the Indian Space Policy 2023 is set to be a fillip for the space sector

Isro to send up uncrewed rocket in 2024 as part of Gaganyaan Mission

Isro Chairman S Somanath said prior that there will a test of Gagayaan Mission in June this year where the rocket will go up to 12-14 km and test its safety systems

Isro's PSLV-C55 successfully launches two Singapore satellites into orbit

Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation at this spaceport on Saturday undertook a major exercise as they initiated an 'in-orbit scientific experiment' using the fourth stage of a Polar satellite launch vehicle rocket. Soon after ISRO's PSLV C55 rocket successfully placed two Singapore satellites-- TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4 into orbits after a 2.19 pm liftoff, the scientists used PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-2 (POEM-2) as an orbital platform to carry out the scientific experiments through non-separating payloads carried by it. Announcing the success of the satellite mission, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said "POEM is going to write some more poems" with seven payloads. The payloads belong to ISRO, Bellatrix, Dhruva Space and Indian Institute of Astrophysics. It has "deployable solar panel for the first time in the upper stage of a rocket." "That is another exciting thing to happen," Somanath added. The payloads on POEM-2 would be powered by scientists to perform the ...

Sky is the limit for private space sector in Isro's new policy

The policy sets a road map for Isro to transition from manufacturing operational space systems to focus energies on R&D in advanced technologies

ISRO expected to touch 424 foreign satellite launches on Saturday

ISRO on Saturday is likely to successfully launch two Singaporean satellites with its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), taking the total number of foreign satellites put into orbit to 424

ISRO to transition out from manufacturing operational space systems

The new Indian Space Policy, made public on Thursday, has said the Indian Space Research Organisation shall transition out from manufacturing operational space systems and focus its energies on research and development in advanced technologies. The Indian Space Policy - 2023, which was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security on April 6, also permits non-government entities to undertake end-to-end activities in the space sector through the establishment and operation of space objects, ground-based assets and related services such as communication, remote sensing and navigation. The policy also states that Indian consumers of space technology or services -- such as communication, remote sensing, data services and launch services -- whether from the public or the private sector, shall be free to directly procure them from any source. The government unveiled space sector reforms in 2020 by opening up the sector for private participation and the new space policy, published on the .

Need for cooperation among G20 nations on space technologies: ISRO chairman

ISRO chairman S Somanath on Monday said there was a need for cooperation among the G20 nations on space technologies. Addressing the precursor meeting of the G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM) in Shillong, he said the bilateral relationships between the countries on space technologies also need to be strengthened. "There is a need for cooperation among the G20 nations for the development of space technology and its applications," he said. Twenty-eight delegates from the G20 nations and guest countries attended the meeting. Global experts in the field were also present in the meeting. Somanath said space applications for the benefit of mankind will increase many folds in the future, and it will play the role of an economic contributor and help the global economy. He expressed optimism that the deliberations at the meeting will result in a fruitful outcome, and assist the space community at different levels. He also lauded the Northeastern Space Applications Centre for handli

Gaganyaan not one-off mission, govt approved spaceflight programme: Isro

India's Gaganyaan mission will not be a "one-off" mission as the government has granted approval for a "sustained human space flight programme", a senior ISRO official said on Saturday. Addressing the 'Be Inspired: Festival of Ideas' event here, Imtiaz Ali Khan, director of ISRO's Directorate of Human Spaceflight Programme, said the follow-on space missions of Gaganyaan may include civilians such as doctors and scientists. Ali said for the first human spaceflight, planned for launch late next year, four Indian Air Force pilots have been selected and were undergoing extensive training for the mission. Gaganyaan will not be a one-off mission as the government has given us approval for a sustained human spaceflight (HSF) programme, Ali said, adding that the future missions will be decided after ISRO demonstrates its capabilities by carrying out India's first successful human spaceflight. He said the kind of benefit one expected from the HSF programme requires a longer stay in ...

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin sets sight on India's space tourism potential

Industry sources say reusable launch vehicles are key to India's space tourism plan as they will make the entire business economical

Cabinet approves Indian Space Policy 2023 to boost Isro activities

The Union Cabinet approved Indian Space Policy 2023, which will aim to enhance the role of the Department of Space, boost activities of Isro

Cabinet gives approval to Indian Space Policy, 2023; lays roles for Isro

The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the Indian Space Policy, 2023 under which roles and responsibilities of organisations such as ISRO, NewSpace India Limited and private sector entities have been laid down. The government had earlier opened up the space sector for the private sector to help boost development of the segment. "In brief, it will offer clarity in the role of the components set up (in the recent past)," Union minister Jitendra Singh told reporters here. He said the policy will aim to enhance the role of Department of Space, boost activities of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) missions and give a larger participation of research, academia, startups and industry.

Gaganyaan: ISRO successfully completes human-rated engine test campaign

ISRO on Thursday said it had completed the final long-duration hot test of human-rated L110-G Vikas engine for the planned qualification duration of 240 seconds, marking a major milestone in the journey towards the launch of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. The test was carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. "With this test all the planned qualification tests of the engine are completed successfully," ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency said in a statement. The air-lit liquid core stage of the human-rated launch vehicle (LVM3-G) uses two L110-G Vikas engines in clustered configuration. The design and realisation of L110 stage for Gaganyaan was carried out at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), and assembly and integration and testing were done at IPRC. The Engine Gimbal Control system was developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The Vikas engine uses storable

PM lauds Isro as India achieves autonomous landing of space vehicle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed ISRO for successfully conducting the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX), and said this achievement takes India one step closer to realising an Indian reusable launch vehicle. The test was conducted at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Chitradurga in Karnataka, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. "With that, ISRO successfully achieved the autonomous landing of a space vehicle," it said in a statement. "With LEX, the dream of an Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle arrives one step closer to reality," the space agency said. Reacting to the development, Modi said in a tweet, "A great team effort. This achievement takes us one step closer to realising an Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle." In a first in the world, a winged body has been carried to an altitude of 4.5 km by a helicopter and released for carrying out an autonomous landing on a runway. RLV is essentially a space plane with a low lift to dra

Isro successfully conducts autonomous landing of Reusable Launch Vehicle

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) informed that it successfully conducted the autonomous test landing mission of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Karnataka's Chitradurga on Sunday.A statement issued by ISRO said, "India achieved it. ISRO joined by DRDO successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka in the early hours on April 2, 2023."According to the statement, the RLV took off at 7:10 am by a Chinook Helicopter of the Indian Air Force. The release of RLV was autonomous. Then using the Integrated Navigation, Guidance & control system, the RLV completed an autonomous landing on the ATR at 7:40 AM. With that, ISRO successfully achieved the autonomous landing of a space vehicle.The statement said, "The autonomous landing was carried out under the exact conditions of a Space Re-entry vehicle's landing high speed, unmanned, precise ...

RRI researchers, Isro show secure satellite-based quantum communication

Researchers at the Raman Research Institute (RRI) have successfully demonstrated secure communication established between a stationary source and a moving receiver using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). This breakthrough demonstration could pave the way for ground-to-satellite-based secure quantum communication in future, a statement issued by the RRI said on Saturday. "These results, scientists say, could help India design and provide secure communication channels, especially for defence and strategic purposes, enhance cyber security and make online transactions safer than today," the statement read. In order to achieve this feat, a team of researchers led by Prof Urbasi Sinha at the Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) lab deployed the indigenously developed Pointing, Acquisition and Tracking (PAT) system. The PAT assisted the ground-based source in tracking the moving receiver in this case, a terrestrial vehicle, a few metres apart. The successful experimental demonstration