SPACE TREK

2012-2013
 Indian Space Research Organisation

The control of the Department of Space, Government of

Indian India.
Space
Research ISRO has achieved numerous milestones since its
Established establishment. Indias first satellite, Aryabhata, was
built by ISRO and launched by the Soviet Union in
1975. Rohini, the first satellite to be placed in orbit
Headquarters by an Indian-made launch vehicle, SLV-3, was
launched in 1980. ISRO subsequently developed
two other rockets: the Polar Satellite Launch
Primary spaceport Vehicle (PSLV) for putting satellites into polar
orbits and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch
Vehicle (GSLV) for placing satellites into
geostationary orbits. These rockets have launched
Motto numerous communications satellites, earth
observation satellites, and, in 2008, Chandrayaan-
1, Indias first mission to the Moon.
Administrator
. In 2008, ISRO successfully launched its first
lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, while future plans
Budget include indigenous development of GSLV, manned
space missions, further lunar exploration, and
interplanetary probes. ISRO has several field
installations as assets, and cooperates with the
Website international community as a part of several
bilateral and multilateral agreements.

Objective
Organisation is the primary space agency of the
Indian government. ISRO is amongst the six The objective of ISRO (Indian Space Research
largest government space agencies in the world, Organization) is to develop space technology and
along with NASA, RKA, ESA, CNSA and JAXA. its application to various tasks of national and
Its primary objective is to advance space international interest. Accordingly, it has
technology and use its applications for national successfully put into operation two major satellite
benefit. systems, namely the Indian National Satellites
(INSAT) for communication services and the
Established in 1969, ISRO superseded the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for
erstwhile Indian National Committee for Space management for natural resources. It has also
Research (INCOSPAR). Headquartered in developed various launch vehicles, like the Polar
Bangalore, ISRO is under the administrative Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV),
etc. for launching satellites.

Formative years
 Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, minesone of the deepest mining sites in the
the father of India's world and studies of the upper atmosphere.
[
Space Program. Studies were carried out at research laboratories,
universities, and independent locations.
Modern space research
in India is most visibly Government support became visible by 1950 when
traced to the activities the Department of Atomic Energy was founded
of scientist S. K. Mitra with Homi Bhabha as secretary. The Department of
who conducted a series Atomic Energy provided funding for space
of experiments leading research throughout India. Tests on the Earth's
to the sounding of the magnetic fieldstudied in India since the
ionosphere by establishment of the observatory at Colaba in 1823
application of ground and aspects of meteorology continued to yield
based radio methods in 1920's Calcutta. Later, valuable information and in 1954, Uttar Pradesh
Indian scientists like C.V. Raman and Meghnad state observatory was established at the foothills of
Saha contributed to scientific principles applicable the Himalayas. The Rangpur Observatory was set
in space sciences However, it was the period after up in 1957 at Osmania University, Hyderabad.Both
1945 which saw important developments being these facilities enjoyed the technical support and
made in coordinated space research in India scientific cooperation of the United States of
Organized space research in India was spearheaded America. Space research was further encouraged
by two scientists: Vikram Sarabhaifounder of the by the technically inclined prime minister of India
Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabadand Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1957, the Soviet Union
Homi Bhabha, who had played a role in the successfully launched Sputnik and opened up
establishment of the Tata Institute of Fundamental possibilities for the rest of the world to conduct a
Research in 1945. Initial experiments in space space launch.]The Indian National Committee for
sciences included the study of cosmic radiation, Space Research (INCOSPAR) was found in 1962
high altitude and airborne testing of instruments, with Vikram Sarabhai as its chairman.
deep underground experimentation at the Kolar

Goals and objectives

The prime objective of ISRO is to develop space
India's economic progress has made its space
technology and its application to various national
program more visible and active as the country
tasks. The Indian space program was driven by the
aims for greater self-reliance in space technology.
vision of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, considered the hennock etc. hold that India also connects space
father of Indian Space Programme As stated byexploration to national prestige, further stating:
him: "This year India has launched 11 satellites,
including nine from other countriesand it
became the first nation to launch 10 satellites on
There are some who question
one rocket." the relevance
Indian Space Research Organisation of sp
(ISRO) has successfully put into operation two
planets or manned space-flight.
major satellite systems namely But weNational
Indian are convinc
Satellites (INSAT) for communication services and
Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for
As also pointed out by Dr APJ Kalam: management of natural resources; also, Polar
Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for launching IRS
type of satellites and Geostationary Satellite
Many individuals
Launchwith
Vehiclemyopic
(GSLV) for vision questioned
launching INSAT type th
nations, they must beOnsecond
of satellites. July 2012, to none
former in the
President, A. P. applic
J. Abdul Kalam said that research by ISRO and
DRDO is under way for developing cost reduction
technologies for access to space.
Launch vehicle fleet
Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV)

The Satellite Launch Vehicle, usually km and carry a payload of 40 kg. Its first launch
known by its abbreviation SLV or SLV- took place in 1979 with 2 more in each subsequent
3 was a 4-stage solid-fuel light launcher. year, and the final launch in 1983. Only two of its
It was intended to reach a height of 500 four test flights were successful

Augmented Satellite Launch

Vehicle (ASLV)
The Augmented Satellite Launch Its design was based on Satellite Launch Vehicle.
Vehicle, usually known by its The first launch test was held in 1987, and after
abbreviation ASLV was a 5- that 3 others followed in 1988, 1992 and 1994, out
stage solid propellant rocket with the capability of of which only 2 were successful, before it was
placing a 150 kg satellite into LEO. This project decommissioned.
was started by the ISRO during the early 1980s to
develop technologies needed for a payload to be
placed into a geostationary orbit.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

The Polar Satellite Launch 29 Foreign Satellites)
Vehicle, usually known by its into a variety of orbits so
abbreviation PSLV, is an far. In April 2008, it
expendable launch system successfully launched 10
developed to allow India to satellites at once,
launch its Indian Remote breaking a world record
Sensing (IRS) satellites into held by Russia.
sun synchronous orbits, a
service that was, until the advent of the PSLV, On 9 September 2012
commercially viable only from Russia. PSLV can the PSLV flew its 21th
also launch small satellites into geostationary consecutive successful
transfer orbit (GTO). The reliability and versatility launch mission. Its only
of the PSLV is proven by the fact that it has failure in 22 flights was
launched 55 satellites / spacecrafts ( 26 Indian and its maiden voyage in September 1993, providing
the rocket with a 95 percent success rate.

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle India to launch its INSAT-type satellites into
(GSLV) geostationary orbit and to make India less

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle,

usually known by its abbreviation GSLV, is an
dependent on foreign rockets. At present, it is
expendable launch system developed to enable
ISRO's heaviest satellite launch vehicle and is
capable of putting a total payload of up to 5 tons to
Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle is built by India with the cryogenic engine purchased from Russia while
the ISRO develops its own engine program.

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

Mark-III is a launch vehicle currently under
development by the Indian Space Research
Organisation. It is intended to launch heavy
satellites into geostationary orbit, and will allow
India to become less dependent on foreign rockets
for heavy lifting. The rocket, though the
technological successor to the GSLV, however is
not derived from its predecessor. The maiden flight
is scheduled to take place in 2012.

Earth observation and communication

satellites

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

Mark -III (GSLV III)

INSAT-1B.
India's first satellite, the Aryabhata, was launched experimental satellites which were built and
by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975 from launched indigenously. At present, ISRO operates a
Kapustin Yar using a Cosmos-3M launch vehicle. large number of earth observation satellites.
This was followed by the Rohini series of

The INSAT series

INSAT (Indian National Satellite System) is a
series of multi-purpose geostationary satellites
launched by ISRO to satisfy the
telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology
and search-and-rescue needs of India.
Commissioned in 1983, INSAT is the largest
domestic communication system in the Asia-
Pacific Region. It is a joint venture of the
Department of Space, Department of
Telecommunications, India Meteorological
Department, All India Radio and Doordarshan. The
overall coordination and management of INSAT
system rests with the Secretary-level INSAT
Coordination Committee.
The IRS series

Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS) are a series

of earth observation satellites, built, launched and
maintained by ISRO. The IRS series provides
remote sensing services to the country. The Indian
Remote Sensing Satellite system is the largest
constellation of remote sensing satellites for
civilian use in operation today in the world. All the
satellites are placed in polar sun-synchronous orbit
and provide data in a variety of spatial, spectral and
temporal resolutions to enable several programs to

be undertaken relevant to national development.

The initial versions are composed of the 1
(A,B,C,D) nomenclature. The later versions are
named based on their area of application including
OceanSat, CartoSat, ResourceSat.

Radar Imaging Satellites

ISRO currently operates two Radar Imaging $110
Satellites.RISAT-1 was launched from Sriharikota
Spaceport on 26 April 2012 on board a
PSLV.RISAT-1 carries a C-band Synthetic Aperture
Radar (SAR) payload, operating in a multi-
polarisation and multi-resolution mode and can million
provide images with coarse, fine and high spatial
resolutions. India also operates RISAT-2 which was
launched in 2009 and acquired from Israel at a cost

Other satellites
ISRO has also launched a set of experimental February 2003 it was renamed to Kalpana-1 by the
geostationary satellites known as the GSAT series. Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in
Kalpana-1, ISRO's first dedicated meteorological memory of Kalpana Chawla a NASA astronaut of
satellite, was launched by the Polar Satellite Indian origin who perished in Space Shuttle
Launch Vehicle on 12 September 2002. The Columbia.
satellite was originally known as MetSat-1 In

Human spaceflight program

Indian Navy Frogmen recovering the SRE-1
 The Indian Space entering the Earth's atmosphere and splashing
Research Organisation down into the Bay of Bengal. The SRE-1 was
has proposed a budget designed to demonstrate the capability to recover
of 12,400 crore an orbiting space capsule, and the technology for
(US$2.34 billion) for its performing experiments in the microgravity
human spaceflight conditions of an orbiting platform. It was also
program According to intended to test thermal protection, navigation,
the Space Commission guidance, control, deceleration and flotation
which recommended systems, as well as study hypersonic aero-
the budget, an thermodynamics, management of communication
unmanned flight will be blackouts, and recovery operations.
launched after 7 years
of final approval. and a manned mission will be ISRO also plans to launch SRE-2 and SRE-3 in the
launch after 7 years of funding. If realized in the near future to test advanced re-entry technology for
stated time-frame, India will become the fourth future manned missions.
nation, after the USSR, USA and China, to
GSLV Mk II, currently under development. The
successfully carry out manned missions
GSLV Mk II features an indigenously developed
indigenously.
cryogenic upper-stage engine. The first test of the
Technology demonstration cryogenic engine, held on 15 April 2010, failed as
the cryogenic phase did not perform as expected
The Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SCRE and rocket deviated from the planned trajectory. A
or more commonly SRE or SRE-1) is an future launch has been scheduled for 2011. If
experimental Indian spacecraft which was launched successful then ISRO will become the sixth entity,
using the PSLV C7 rocket, along with three other after United States, Russia, China, Japan and
satellites. It remained in orbit for 12 days before re- Europe, to develop this technology.

Planetary sciences and astronomy

India's space era dawned when the first two-stage sounding rocket was launched from Thumba in 1963.
Even before this, noteworthy contributions were made by the Indian scientists in the following areas of
space science research:

Cosmic rays and high energy astronomy using both ground based as well as balloon borne experiments/studies such as
neutron/meson monitors, Geiger Muller particle detectors/counters etc.
Ionospheric research using ground based radio propagation techniques such as ionosonde, VLF/HF/VHF radio probing, a
chain of magnetometer stations etc.
Upper atmospheric research using ground based optical techniques such as Dobson spectrometers for measurement of total
ozone content, air glow photometers etc.
Indian astronomers have been carrying out major investigations using a number of ground based optical and radio telescopes
with varying sophistication.

With the advent of the Indian space program, This facility has been extensively used for carrying
emphasis was laid on indigenous, self-reliant and out research in high energy (i.e., X- and gamma
state-of-the-art development of technology for ray) astronomy, IR astronomy, middle atmospheric
immediate practical applications in the fields of trace constituents including CFCs & aerosols,
space science research activities in the country. ionisation, electric conductivity and electric fields.

There is a national balloon launching facility at The flux of secondary particles and X-ray and
Hyderabad jointly supported by TIFR and ISRO. gamma-rays of atmospheric origin produced by the
interaction of the cosmic rays is very low. This low
background, in the presence of which one has to
detect the feeble signal from cosmic sources is a Many new and astrophysically important results
major advantage in conducting hard X-ray were obtained from these observations
observations from India. The second advantage is
that many bright sources like Cyg X-1, Crab One of most important achievements of ISRO in
Nebula, Scorpius X-1 and Galactic Centre sources this field was the discovery of three species of
are observable from Hyderabad due to their bacteria in the upper stratosphere at an altitude of
favourable declination. With these considerations, between 2040 km. The bacteria, highly resistant
an X-ray astronomy group was formed at TIFR in to ultra-violet radiation, are not found elsewhere on
1967 and development of an instrument with an Earth, leading to speculation on whether they are
orientable X-ray telescope for hard X-ray extraterrestrial in origin. These three bacteria can
observations was undertaken. The first balloon be considered to be extremophiles. Until then, the
flight with the new instrument was made on 28 upper stratosphere was believed to be inhospitable
April 1968 in which observations of Scorpius X-1 because of the high doses of ultra-violet radiation.
were successfully carried out. In a succession of The bacteria were named as Bacillus isronensis in
balloon flights made with this instrument between recognition of ISRO's contribution in the balloon
1968 and 1974 a number of binary X-ray sources experiments, which led to its discovery, Bacillus
including Scorpius X-1, Cyg X-1, Her X-1 etc. and aryabhata after India's celebrated ancient
the diffuse cosmic X-ray background were studied. astronomer Aryabhata and Janibacter Hoylei after
the distinguished astrophysicist Fred Hoyle.

Facilities
ISRO's headquarters is located at Antariksh Bhavan in Bangalore.

Research facilities
Facility Location Description
Solar planetary physics, infrared astronomy, geo-cosmo physics, plasma
Physical Research physics, astrophysics, archaeology, and hydrology are some of the
Ahmedabad
Laboratory branches of study at this institute. An observatory at Udaipur also falls
under the control of this institution.
Research & Development in the field of semiconductor technology,
Semi-Conductor
Chandigarh micro-electromechanical systems and process technologies relating to
Laboratory
semiconductor processing.
National
Atmospheric The NARL carries out fundamental and applied research in
Chittoor
Research Atmospheric and Space Sciences.
Laboratory
The SAC deals with the various aspects of practical use of space
technology. Among the fields of research at the SAC are geodesy,
Space Applications
Ahmedabad satellite based telecommunications, surveying, remote sensing,
Centre
meteorology, environment monitoring etc The SEC additionally
operates the Delhi Earth Station.
North Eastern- Providing developmental support to North East by undertaking specific
Space Applications Shillong application projects using remote sensing, GIS, satellite communication
Center and conducting space science research.

Test facilities

Facility Location Description

Liquid Bangalore, The LPSC handles testing and implementation of liquid propulsion
Propulsion Thiruvananthapuram, control packages and helps develop engines for launch vehicles and
Systems Centre and Nagercoil satellites. The testing is largely conducted at Mahendragiri. The
 LPSC also constructs precision transducers.

Construction and launch facilities

Facility Location Description

The venue of eight successful spacecraft projects is also one of the
main satellite technology bases of ISRO. The facility serves as a
ISRO Satellite venue for implementing indigenous spacecraft in India. The satellites
Bangalore
Centre Ayrabhata, Bhaskara, APPLE, and IRS-1A were constructed at this
site, and the IRS and INSAT satellite series are presently under
development here.
The Unit of ISRO responsible for the development of attitude sensors
Laboratory for for all satellites. The high precision optics for all cameras and
Electro-Optics Bangalore payloads in all ISRO satellites including Chandrayaan-1 are
Systms-LEOS developed at this laboratory. Located at Peenya Industrial Estate,
Bangalore.
With multiple sub-sites the Sriharikota island facility acts as a
launching site for India's satellites. The Sriharikota facility is also the
Satish Dhawan main launch base for India's sounding rockets. The centre is also
Sriharikota
Space Centre home to India's largest Solid Propellant Space Booster Plant
(SPROB) and houses the Static Test and Evaluation Complex
(STEX).
The largest ISRO base is also the main technical centre and the venue
of development of the SLV-3, ASLV, and PSLV series. The base
Vikram Sarabhai
Thiruvananthapuram supports India's Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station and
Space Centre
the Rohini Sounding Rocket program. This facility is also developing
the GSLV series.
Thumba
Equatorial
Rocket Thiruvananthapuram TERLS is used to launch sounding rockets.
Launching
Station

Tracking and control facilities

Facility Location Description

This network receives, processes, archives and distributes the spacecraft
Indian Deep Space
Bangalore health data and payload data in real time. It can track and monitor
Network (IDSN)
satellites up to very large distances, even beyond the Moon.
The NRSC applies remote sensing to manage natural resources and
National Remote study aerial surveying. With centres at Balanagar and Shadnagar it also
Hyderabad
Sensing Centre has training facilities at Dehradun in form of the Indian Institute of
Remote Sensing.
Bangalore
Indian Space
(headquarters)
Research Software development, ground operations, Tracking Telemetry and
and a number
Organisation Command (TTC), and support is provided by this institution. ISTRAC
of ground
Telemetry, has Tracking stations throughout the country and all over the world in
stations
Tracking and Port Louis (Mauritius), Bearslake (Russia), Biak (Indonesia) and
throughout
Command Brunei.
India and
Network
World.[38]
Master Control Hassan; Geostationary satellite orbit raising, payload testing, and in-orbit
Facility Karnataka operations are performed at this facility. The MCF has earth stations and
 Satellite Control Centre (SCC) for controlling satellites. A second MCF-
like facility named 'MCF-B' is being constructed at Bhopal.

Human resource development

Facility Location Description

Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), an independent unit of
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Department of Space,
Govt. of India is a premier training and educational institute set up for
Indian Institute
developing trained professionals (P.G and PhD level) in the field of
of Remote Dehradun
Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics and GPS Technology for Natural
Sensing (IIRS)
Resources, Environmental and Disaster Management. IIRS is also
executing many R&D projects on Remote Sensing and GIS for
societal applications.
Indian Institute
The institute offers undergraduate and graduate courses in Aerospace
of Space
engineering, Avionics and Physical Sciences. The students of first
Science and Thiruvananthapuram
batch of IIST were inducted into different ISRO centres in the end of
Technology
July 2011.
(IIST)
The centre works for education, research, and training, mainly in
Development
conjunction with the INSAT program.[37] The main activities carried
and Educational
Ahmedabad out at DECU include GRAMSAT and EDUSAT projects. The
Communication
Training and Development Communication Channel (TDCC) also
Unit
falls under the operational control of the DECU.

Commercial wing

Facility Location Description

The marketing agency under government control markets ISRO's
Antrix Corporation Bangalore
hardware, manpower, and software.

Future projects
Forthcoming Satellites

Satellite
Details
Name
INSAT-3D is a meteorological satellite, planned to be launched on-board GSLV in
September 2012. The satellite has many new technology elements like star sensor, micro
stepping Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA) to reduce the spacecraft disturbances and
INSAT-3D
Bus Management Unit (BMU) for control and telecomm and/telemetry function. It also
incorporates new features of bi-annual rotation and Image and Mirror motion
compensations for improved performance of the meteorological payloads.
SARAL The Satellite for ARGOS and ALTIKA (SARAL) is a joint ISRO-CNES mission and
planned to be launched December 2013. The Ka band altimeter, ALTIKA, provided by
CNES payload consists of a Ka-band radar altimeter, operating at 35.75 GHz. A dual
frequency total power type microwave radiometer (23.8 and 37 GHz) is embedded in the
altimeter to correct tropospheric effects on the altimeter measurement. Doppler
Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) on board enables
precise determination of the orbit. A Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) helps to calibrate the
precise orbit determination system and the altimeter system several times throughout the
mission.
 [42]

ASTROSAT is a first dedicated Indian Astronomy satellite mission, which will enable
multi-wavelength observations of the celestial bodies and cosmic sources in X-ray and UV
spectral bands simultaneously. The scientific payloads cover the Visible (35006000 ),
ASTROSAT
UV (13003000 ), soft and hard X-ray regimes (0.58 keV; 380 keV). The uniqueness
of ASTROSAT lies in its wide spectral coverage extending over visible, UV, soft and hard
X-ray regions.
The primary goal of GSAT-6/INSAT-4E, which is a Multimedia broadcast satellite, is to
cater to the consumer requirements of providing entertainment and information services to
GSAT-6 /
vehicles through Digital Multimedia consoles and to the Multimedia mobile Phones. The
INSAT-4E
satellite carries a 5 spot beam BSS and 5 spot beam MSS. It will be positioned at 83 East
longitude with a mission life of 12 years.
GSAT- It is a multi-band satellite carrying payloads in UHF, S-band, C-band and Ku band. The
7/INSAT-4F satellite weighs 2330 kg with a payload power of 2000W and mission life of 9 years.
GSAT-9 will carry 6 C band and 24 Ku band transponders with India coverage beam. The
satellite is planned to be launched during 201112 with a mission life of 12 years and
GSAT-9
positioned at 48 East longitude. This I-2K satellite has a liftoff mass of 2330 kg and
payload power of 2300 W.
GSAT-I0 will carry 12 Normal C-band, 12 Extended C-band and 12 Ku band transponders.
It will also carry GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload. The satellite
GSAT-10 is planned to be launched during 2011 with a mission life of 15 years and positioned at 83
East longitude. This I-3K satellite with liftoff mass of 3435 kg and payload power of 4500
W will be launched on board ARIANE-5.
GSAT-11 is based on I-4K bus which is under advanced stage of development. The
spacecraft can generate 1012 KW of power and can support payload power of 8KW. The
payload configuration is on-going. It consists of 16 spot beams covering entire country
GSAT-11 including Andaman & Nicobar islands. The communication link to the user-end terminals
operate in Ku-band while the communication link to the hubs operate in Ka-band. The
payload is configured to be operated as a high data throughput satellite, to be realised in
orbit in 2013 time frame.
GSAT-14 is intended to serve as a replacement for EDUSAT as the spacecraft is configured
with 6 Ku and 6 Ext C band transponders providing India coverage beams. In addition, the
spacecraft also carries Ka band beacons, which are planned to be used to carry out studies
GSAT-14
related to rain and atmospheric effects on Ka band satellite communication links in Indian
region. The spacecraft weighs around 2050 kg and is planned to be launched by GSLV with
indigenous cryogenic upper stage.
Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS)-1, the first of the seven satellites of
the IRNSS constellation, carries a Navigation payload and a C-band ranging transponder.
The spacecraft employs an optimised I-1K structure with a power handling capability of
IRNSS-1 around 1600W and a lift off mass of 1380 kg, and is designed for a nominal mission life of
7 years. The first satellite of IRNSS constellation is planned to be launched onboard PSLV
during 201213 while the full constellation is planned to be realised during 2014 time
frame.

Future launch vehicles

GSLV-Mk III
GSLV-Mk III is envisaged to launch four tonne satellite into cryogenic with a propellant loading of 25 tonne (C-25). GSLV
geosynchronous transfer orbit. GSLV-Mk III is a three-stage Mk-III will have a lift-off weight of about 626 tonne and will be
vehicle with a 110 tonne core liquid propellant stage (L-110) 43.43 m tall. The payload fairing will have a diameter of 5
and a strap-on stage with two solid propellant motors, each metre and a payload volume of 100 cubic metre. GSLV Mk III
with 200 tonne propellant (S-200). The upper stage will be is planned to be launched during 2013.
Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD)
As a first step towards realizing a Two Stage To technologies viz., hypersonic flight, autonomous
Orbit (TSTO) fully re-usable launch vehicle, a landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic
series of technology demonstration missions have flight using air-breathing propulsion. First in the
been conceived. For this purpose a Winged series of demonstration trials is the hypersonic
Reusable Launch Vehicle technology Demonstrator flight experiment (HEX). Human Space Flight
(RLV-TD) has been configured. The RLV-TD will Mission Programme
act as a flying test bed to evaluate various

Extraterrestrial Exploration
India's first mission beyond Earth's orbit was Chandrayaan-1. ISRO plans to follow up Chandrayaan-2 with
unmanned missions to Mars, Venus and Near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets.

Lunar exploration
Chandrayaan-1 is India's first mission to the moon.
The unmanned lunar exploration mission includes
a lunar orbiter and an impactor called the Moon
Impact Probe. India launched the spacecraft using a
modified version of the PSLV is C11 on 22
October 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre,
Sriharikota. The vehicle was successfully inserted
into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008. It carries
high-resolution remote sensing equipment for
visible, near infrared, and soft and hard X-ray
frequencies. Over its two-year operational period,
it is intended to survey the lunar surface to produce
a complete map of its chemical characteristics and
3-dimensional topography. The polar regions are of
special interest, as they might contain ice. The
lunar mission carries five ISRO payloads and six Aerospace Agency, which were carried free of cost.
payloads from other international space agencies The Chandrayaan-1 became the first lunar mission
including NASA, ESA, and the Bulgarian to discover existence of water on the moon.

Following the success of Chandrayaan-1, the country's first moon mission, ISRO is planning a series of further lunar missions
in the next decade, including a manned mission which is stated to take place in 2020 approximately the China National
Space Administration (CNSA) manned lunar mission and NASA's Project Constellation plans to return to the moon with its
Orion-Altair project.
Chandrayaan-2 (Sanskrit: -) Indias second unmanned mission to the Moon, will have an Orbiter and Lander-Rover
module. ISRO will have the prime responsibility for the Orbiter and Rover; Roskosmos, Russia will be responsible for Lander.
Chandrayaan-2 will be launched on Indias Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-MkII) around 201213 timeframe.
The science goals of the mission are to further improve the understanding of the origin and evolution of the Moon using
instruments onboard Orbiter and in-situ analysis of lunar samples using Lander and Rover.

INTERVIEW WITH PROF.CHANDRASEKHAR

This interview with S Chandrasekhar, an erstwhile current and future space plans. Through Prof.
scientist at ISRO and now a professor at Indian Chandrasekhars extensive experience in ISRO and
Institute of Management, Bangalore aims at his academic insights, some of the lesser known
providing a detailed perspective into the details of past missions and the political
Chandrayaan mission and critically examining the implications are also drawn out .Excerpts from the
need for this programme. The rise of ISRO as an interview
organization and Indias growth in indigenous
space capability is used as the lens for examining
Tejas: Given the large expenditure a space appreciative of Indias efforts and showed
mission entails, do you believe the resources tremendous support.
could have been utilized for other purposes?
Chandrayaan will provide us with mineralogical Therefore, one should not weigh the pursuit of
data and other visual data - how important will knowledge purely in terms of the tangible
this information be? economic gains expected in the short term.
ASTROSAT, another satellite launched by ISRO
SC: When we started with the programme, we used earlier, that studies background microwave
to operate on a shoestring budget. India was a poor radiation and the Big Bang, is another example of a
country that was trying to transform itself and space mission for scientific activities.
therefore, there was a need to orient the programme
to meet the practical needs of the country. Today, Tejas: Having launched Chandrayaan now,
the situation is different. We are a prosperous whats next on the agenda for India? Should
country, one that can afford to pursue space science India work on sending a man to the moon?
and build indigenous technologies.
SC: The one area where I disagree with the
In my opinion, the pursuit of fundamental science objectives of the space programme is on the issue
is one of the noblest motives behind any human of sending a man to the moon. I believe that if
endeavour. If we take the problem of the working India sends a man to the moon, it will just be
of the solar system, the planetary exploration treading down the same path as the other big space
programmes of United States, Japan, Russia and powers. It will serve no useful purpose and will be
many other countries have all added immeasurably a mere demonstration of political power.
to our understanding of the solar neighborhood.
The act will no longer be a quest to answer a
How do you think finding Hydrogen on Jupiter or technological query or a pursuit of science; rather it
determining the rain content on Venus is going to will just become an ethical, moral and political
benefit mankind? The real purpose is to understand dilemma. We should refrain from the venture and
the nature of the solar system and the evolution of show the world that we are different. I dont
the planets and to draw inferences about Earth consider Chandrayaan as a waste of money but I
from similar features on Mars and other planets. cannot say the same about the idea of sending a
Hence the pursuit of fundamental knowledge is the man to the moon.
main driving force behind the mission. Other
Tejas: What do you think are the implications to
benefits such as mineralogical data are just
the lunar mission in light of the recent media
peripheral.
reports of component failures in Chandrayaan?
Tejas: What is the value of such fundamental How do you think they will affect Chandrayaan
knowledge? Will such missions lead to any II?
tangible economic or financial benefits?
SC: Recent media reports have highlighted that the
SC: Since our space programme is much more cost star sensors, which are critical components on the
effective than that of other countries, it allows us spacecraft have failed. Prior to that, the common
the leeway to devote a part of space activity to the bus also had malfunctioned. However, in an
pursuit of science. Let us not forget, if India has unmanned mission, there are a number of
achieved anything in its space mission today, it is redundancies built into the system to prevent single
largely due to international collaboration. In the point failures. On a very technical level, the loss of
early days, many of our space scientists were the star sensors has an impact on the precision of
trained in Russian establishments. The U.S had the images taken by the probe, but the resolution
also extended its support to our space missions. In etc. will not be affected significantly since the
return, we have often carried payloads for them ISRO scientists have employed a system to take
free of cost. care of the failures.

Chandrayaan too carried six payloads from other I believe that in spite of the failure, Chandrayaan
international space agencies including NASA, has been a success in most respects. It has achieved
ESA, and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, free of a substantial part of what it set out to do. Thus,
cost. In a recent meeting with the American ISRO should have come out more openly with the
Association of the Advancement of Science, I saw facts related to the failures.
the palpable excitement about the giant leap we
had taken. All the delegates were highly
We must understand that Chandrayaan- I has been complexities involved in space, better modeling
a learning experience for ISRO given that most of can only be done with real time data that is
the pre-launch modeling is based on incomplete available only by launching such missions. In this
data. Chandrayaan differs from the earlier missions respect, Chandrayaan only paves the way for better
in the sense that there is shortage of data pertaining future missions such as Chandrayaan II, since it
to outer space missions, as compared to satellites, can help minimize errors though not eliminate
which orbit closer to the earth. Given the them completely.

Mars orbiter mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation is
preparing for Mangalyaan, an orbiter mission to
Mars to be launched in November 2013.

Venus orbiter mission

ISRO is planning a mission to Venus by May 2015
to study its atmosphere. The probe will reach
Venus by September 2015 and would carry at least
five instruments.

Solar exploration program

ISRO plans to carry out an unmanned mission to
Sun by the year 2014. The probe is named as
Aditya-1 and will weigh about 400 kg.
.

Satellite navigation
GAGAN

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to successfully completed during 2007 by installing
implement an indigenous Satellite-Based Regional eight Indian Reference Stations (INRESs) at eight
GPS Augmentation System also known as Space- Indian airports and linked to the Master Control
Based Augmentation System (SBAS) as part of the Center (MCC) located near Bangalore.
Satellite-Based Communications, Navigation and
Surveillance (CNS)/Air Traffic Management The first GAGAN navigation payload has been
(ATM) plan for civil aviation. The Indian SBAS fabricated and it was proposed to be flown on
system has been given an acronym GAGAN GPS GSAT-4 during Apr 2010. However, GSAT-4 was
Aided GEO Augmented Navigation. A national not placed in orbit as GSLV-D3 could not complete
plan for satellite navigation including the mission. Two more GAGAN payloads will be
implementation of Technology Demonstration subsequently flown, one each on two geostationary
System (TDS) over the Indian air space as a proof satellites, GSAT-8 and GSAT-10. On 12 May 2012,
of concept has been prepared jointly by Airports ISRO announced the successful testing of its
Authority of India (AAI) and ISRO. TDS was indigenous cryogenic engine for 200 seconds for
its forthcoming GSLV-D5 flight.

IRNSS
The Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System requirement of such a navigation system is driven
(IRNSS) is an autonomous regional satellite by the fact that access to Global Navigation
navigation system being developed by Indian Satellite Systems like GPS are not guaranteed in
Space Research Organisation which would be hostile situations. ISRO plans to launch the
under total control of Indian government. The constellation of satellites between 2010 and 2012.

Applications
India uses its satellites communication network from the Indian space program, the intermediate
one of the largest in the world for applications range Agni missile is drawn from the Indian space
such as land management, water resources programs SLV-3. In its early years, when headed
management, natural disaster forecasting, radio by Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan, ISRO
networking, weather forecasting, meteorological opposed military applications for its dual-use
imaging and computer communication Business, projects such as the SLV-3. Eventually, however,
administrative services, and schemes such as the the Defence Research and Development
National Informatics Centre (NICNET) are direct Organisation(DRDO)based missile program
beneficiaries of applied satellite technology borrowed human resources and technology from
Dinshaw Mistryon the subject of practical ISRO. Missile scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
applications of the Indian space programwrites: (elected president of India in 2002), who had
headed the SLV-3 project at ISRO, moved to
The INSAT-2 satellites also provide telephone links DRDO to direct Indias missile program. About a
to remote areas; data transmission for organizations dozen scientists accompanied Abdul Kalam from
such as the National Stock Exchange; mobile ISRO to DRDO, where Abdul Kalam designed the
satellite service communications for private Agni missile using the SLV-3s solidfuel first stage
operators, railways, and road transport; and and a liquid-fuel (Prithvi-missile-derived) second
broadcast satellite services, used by Indias state- stage. The IRS and INSAT satellites were primarily
owned television agency as well as commercial intended and used for civilian-economic
television channels. Indias EDUSAT (Educational applications, but they also offered military spin-
Satellite), launched aboard the GSLV in 2004, was offs. In 1996 New Delhis Ministry of Defence
intended for adult literacy and distance learning temporarily blocked the use of IRS-1C by Indias
applications in rural areas. It augmented and would environmental and agricultural ministries in order
eventually replace such capabilities already to monitor ballistic missiles near Indias borders. In
provided by INSAT-3B. 1997 the Indian air forces Airpower Doctrine
aspired to use space assets for surveillance and
The IRS satellites have found applications with the
battle management.
Indian Natural Resource Management program,
with regional Remote Sensing Service Centers in Institutions like the Indira Gandhi National Open
five Indian cities, and with Remote Sensing University (IGNOU) and the Indian Institute of
Application Centers in twenty Indian states that use Technology use satellites for scholarly applications
IRS images for economic development Between 1975 and 1976, India conducted its
applications. These include environmental largest sociological program using space
monitoring, analyzing soil erosion and the impact technology, reaching 2400 villages through video
of soil conservation measures, forestry programming in local languages aimed at
management, determining land cover for wildlife educational development via ATS-6 technology
sanctuaries, delineating groundwater potential developed by NASA. This experimentnamed
zones, flood inundation mapping, drought Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
monitoring, estimating crop acreage and deriving (SITE)conducted large scale video broadcasts
agricultural production estimates, fisheries resulting in significant improvement in rural
monitoring, mining and geological applications education
such as surveying metal and mineral deposits, and
urban planning. ISRO has applied its technology to "telemedicine",
directly connecting patients in rural areas to
Indias satellites and satellite launch vehicles have medical professionals in urban locations via
had military spin-offs. While Indias 93124 mile satellites. Since high-quality healthcare is not
(150250 km) range Prithvi missile is not derived universally available in some of the remote areas of
India, the patients in remote areas are diagnosed links gene-level information of plant species with
and analyzed by doctors in urban centres in real spatial information in a BIOSPEC database of the
time via video conferencing. The patient is then ecological hot spot regions, namely northeastern
advised medicine and treatment. The patient is then India, Western Ghats, Western Himalayas and
treated by the staff at one of the 'super-specialty Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This has been made
hospitals' under instructions from the doctor. possible with collaboration between the
Mobile telemedicine vans are also deployed to visit Department of Biotechnology and ISRO."
locations in far-flung areas and provide diagnosis
and support to patients. The Indian IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT-1) was equipped
with high-resolution panchromatic equipment to
ISRO has also helped implement India's enable it for cartographic purposes. IRS-P5
Biodiversity Information System, completed in (CARTOSAT-1) was followed by a more advanced
October 2002. Nirupa Sen details the program: model named IRS-P6 developed also for
"Based on intensive field sampling and mapping agricultural applications.]The CARTOSAT-2
using satellite remote sensing and geospatial project, equipped with single panchromatic camera
modelling tools, maps have been made of which supported scene-specific on-spot images,
vegetation cover on a 1 : 250,000 scale. This has succeed the CARTOSAT-1 project.
been put together in a web-enabled database which
Global cooperation
ISRO has had the benefit of International cooperation since inception.

Establishment of TERLS, conduct of SITE & STEP, launches of Aryabhata, Bhaskara, APPLE, IRS-IA
and IRS-IB/ satellites, manned space mission, etc. involved international cooperation.

ISRO operates LUT/MCC under the international COSPAS/SARSAT Programme for Search and
Rescue.

India has established a Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific
(CSSTE-AP) that is sponsored by the United Nations.

India hosted the Second UN-ESCAP Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable
Development in Asia and the Pacific in November 1999.

India is a member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Cospas-
Sarsat, International Astronautical Federation, Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), Inter-Agency
Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), International Space University, and the Committee on
Earth Observation Satellite (CEOS).

Chandrayaan-1 carried scientific payloads from NASA, ESA and the Bulgarian Space Agency.

The Russian Space Agency is cooperating with India in developing the rover for Chandrayaan-2 and
also in the Indian manned mission.

The United States on 24 January 2011, removed several Indian government defense-related companies,
including ISRO, from the so-called Entity List, in an effort to drive hi-tech trade and forge closer
strategic ties with India.

Conclusion
From the early cash-strapped days, ISRO has strategically built up an indigenous space capability and has
become a strong player in the global space arena. It was initially aided in the same by other foreign space
powers, and is now helping other countries in various ways such as carrying their payloads, launching mini-
satellites etc. The pursuit of fundamental knowledge has been a key driver behind the space programme,
apart from the tangible socio-economic benefits provided by it. The Chandrayaan mission is another such
pursuit and marks the zenith of Indias space programme.