News Analysis India

Tag: ISRO

  • ISRO Satellite Images Unveil Concerning Expansion of Himalayan Glacial Lake |

    New Delhi: The latest satellite images shared by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)have raised concern globally as it show a significant expansion of the glacial lakes in the Himalayas in the past 3 to 4 decades. According to ISRO’s data, over 600 lakes which amount to 89% of the total glacial lakes on the Himalayas have grown over twice their size in the past 30- 40 years.

    Long-term changes in the Ghepang Ghat glacial lake (Indus River Basin) at an elevation of 4,068 m in Himachal Pradesh, India, show a 178 per cent increase in size from 36.49 to 101.30 hectares between 1989 and 2022. The rate of increase is about 1.96 hectares per year.


    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. Specifically, 130 of these lakes are situated within India, with 65, 7, and 58 lakes located in the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra River basins, respectively, the statement read.

    The Himalayan Mountains are often referred to as the Third Pole because of their extensive glaciers and snow cover. They are considered highly sensitive to changes in the global climate, both in terms of their physical characteristics and their societal impacts.

    Research conducted worldwide has consistently shown that glaciers across the globe have been experiencing unprecedented rates of retreat and thinning since the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century.

    This retreat leads to the formation of new lakes and the enlargement of existing ones in the Himalayan region. These bodies of water, created by the melting of glaciers, are known as glacial lakes and play a crucial role as freshwater sources for rivers in the Himalayan region.

    However, they also pose significant risks, such as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which can have devastating consequences for communities downstream. GLOFs occur when glacial lakes release large volumes of meltwater due to the failure of natural dams, such as those made of moraine or ice, resulting in sudden and severe flooding downstream, ISRO further stated.

    These dam failures can be triggered by various factors, including avalanches of ice or rock, extreme weather events, and other environmental factors. Monitoring and studying the occurrence and expansion of glacial lakes in the Himalayan region is considered challenging due to the inaccessible and rugged terrain.

    Satellite remote sensing technology proves to be an excellent tool for inventory and monitoring due to its wide coverage and revisit capability, the ISRO stated, adding that assessing long-term changes in glacial lakes is crucial for understanding glacier retreat rates, assessing GLOF risks, and gaining insights into climate change impacts.

    Elevation-based analysis further reveals that 314 lakes are located in the 4,000 to 5,000 m range and 296 lakes are above 5,000 m elevation. The glacial lakes are categorized based on their formation process into four broad categories, namely Moraine-dammed (water dammed by moraine), Ice-dammed (water dammed by ice), Erosion (water dammed in depressions formed by erosion), and other glacial lakes. Among the 676 expanding lakes, the majority of them are Moraine-dammed (307) followed by Erosion (265), other (96), and Ice-dammed (8) glacial lakes, respectively, the release further stated.

    Satellite-derived long-term change analyses provide valuable insights for understanding glacial lake dynamics, which are essential for assessing environmental impacts and developing strategies for GLOF risk management and climate change adaptation in glacial environments, it added. 

  • Live Updates: PM Narendra Modi To Make Important Announcement Shortly

    The announcement will come days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections announcement by the Election Commission of India.

  • China flag on rocket a mistake: Tamil Nadu Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan

    Thoothukudi: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan accepted the mistake on Thursday after the Tamil Nadu government was left red-faced after an advertisement for a new Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that featured a rocket with the flag of China.

    Radhakrishnan said that a small mistake was made in the newspaper advertisement by them.

    “A small mistake has been made in the newspaper advertisement given by us regarding the setting up of a rocket launch pad in the Kulasekarapatnam area. The image of the Chinese flag in the advertisement welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a mistake by those who designed the advertisement, which went unnoticed by us,” said the DMK leader.Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Wednesday criticised the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party for using the ‘China flag’ in rocket advertisement promoting the proposed second launch pad of ISRO in the state.

    Annamalai alleged that DMK has been ‘desperate’ to paste stickers since the announcement of the second launch pad coming up in the state was made.

    “This advertisement by DMK Minister Anita Radhakrishnan to leading Tamil dailies today is a manifestation of DMK’s commitment to China and their total disregard for our country’s sovereignty. DMK, a party fighting high on corruption, has been desperate to paste stickers ever since the announcement of ISRO’s second launch pad in Kulasekarapatinam was released,” Annamalai said in a post on X.Earlier, the BJP Tamil Nadu chief further accused the DMK of being the reason Tamil Nadu lost Satish Dhawan Space Centre to Andhra Pradesh”The amount of desperation only proves their attempt to bury their past misdeeds, but we must remind them that DMK was why the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is today in Andhra Pradesh and not Tamil Nadu,” Annamalai said.

    “When the first launch pad of ISRO was conceptualised, TN was the first choice of ISRO. TN CM Annadurai, who could not attend the meeting because of severe shoulder pain, deputed Mathiyazhagan, one of his ministers, for the meeting,” the post further mentioned.

    “ISRO officials were kept waiting for a long time, and Mathiyazhagan was finally brought to the meeting in an “inebriated state” and was incoherent throughout the meeting. And this was the treatment our country’s space programme received 60 years ago. DMK hasn’t changed much and has only become worse!,” he added.

    The controversy erupted following a newspaper advertisement by the DMK government promoting the laying of the foundation stone for ISRO’s second launch pad complex in Kulsekarapatinam, which showcased a ‘China flag’ among rockets from other countries in the background.

    Meanwhile, #Thankyoukanimozhi was trending on the micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday, lauding DMK MP from Thoothukudi, Kanimozhi, for her efforts towards bringing ISRO’s second launch pad to Kulasekarapatinam.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday criticised the DMK government over the newspaper advertisement while he was addressing a gathering in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli.

    “DMK is a party that does not work but stands ahead to take false credit. These people paste their stickers on our schemes. Now they have crossed the limits, they have pasted China’s sticker to take credit for the ISRO launch pad in Tamil Nadu,” PM Modi said while addressing a gathering in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.

    The Prime Minister alleged that the DMK is ‘not ready’ to accept India’s progress in the space sector.

    “They are not ready to accept India’s progress in the space sector and with the taxes that you pay, they give advertisements and do not even include a picture of India’s space in it. They did not want to present India’s space success in front of the world, they insulted our scientists, our space sector, and your tax money. Now it’s high time that the DMK is punished for their deeds,” PM Modi said.

    The Prime Minister was on a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, during which he launched multiple development projects in the state.

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

  • First Look Of Ram Temple From Space Shared By ISRO; Check Photos

    The images were taken on December 16 and due to dense fog, the latest images are not available.

  • ISRO Rockets Into New Year: XPoSat Launch Today, Check Timing And More Here |

    New Delhi: In a historic move, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch a space mission on January 1, deploying the PSLV-DL variant rocket carrying the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) and 10 additional payloads. Previously, ISRO conducted space missions in January using its PSLV and GSLV rockets, but never on the inaugural day of the calendar year.

    At 9.10 a.m. the Indian rocket PSLV-DL variant with the code PSLV-C58, standing 44.4-metre tall and weighing 260 ton, will blast off from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, in Andhra Pradesh XPoSat weighing about 740 kg and 10 scientific payloads fixed to the PSLV Orbital Platform.

    PSLV-C58/  XPoSat Mission:
    The launch of the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) is set for January 1, 2024, at 09:10 Hrs. IST from the first launch-pad, SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota.https://t.co/gWMWX8N6Iv

    The launch can be viewed LIVE
    from 08:40 Hrs. IST on
    YouTube:… pic.twitter.com/g4tUArJ0Ea
    — ISRO (@isro) December 31, 2023

    At about 21 minutes into its flight, the rocket will orbit XPoSat at an altitude of about 650 km. In its normal configuration, the PSLV is a four-stage/engine expendable rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels, alternatively, with six booster motors strapped onto the first stage to give higher thrust during the initial flight moments.

    The ISRO has five types of PSLV rockets — Standard, Core Alone, XL, DL, and QL. The major difference between them is the number of strap-on boosters used which, in turn, largely depends on the weight of the satellites to be orbited.

    The PSLV uses 6,4,2 solid rocket strap-on motors to augment the thrust provided by the first stage in PSLV-XL, QL & DL variants, respectively. However, strap-ons are not used in the core-alone version (PSLV-CA).

  • ISRO successfully conducts test vehicle mission ahead of human space flight programme

    By PTI

    SRIHARIKOTA: Nerves gave way to smiles at the spaceport here as delays and an anomaly-triggered ‘hold’ forced ISRO scientists to revise the launch schedule of a test vehicle carrying payloads related to the country’s ambitious human space flight mission, Gaganyaan which soared into skies after initial hiccups.

    Students gather for the launch of ISRO’s TV-D1 test flight of Mission Gaganyaan, at Satish Dhawan Space Station, in Sriharikota | PTI

    Following a two-hour delay and nerve-wracking moments after the engine of TV-D1 failed to ignite initially, ISRO scientists put the mission on course 75 minutes later when they launched the rocket with precision and achieved the goal of Crew Module and Crew Escape separation that was welcomed with loud cheers at the Mission Control Center here.

    TV D1 Mission was fully achieved, ISRO announced.

    Mission GaganyaanTV D1 Test Flight is accomplished.Crew Escape System performed as intended.Mission Gaganyaan gets off on a successful note. @DRDO_India@indiannavy#Gaganyaan
    — ISRO (@isro) October 21, 2023
    The payloads later splashed into the sea as planned, a development that witnessed jubilation. The Gaganyaan programme aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for three days and bring them safely back to Earth.

    Initially slated for 8 a.m., on Saturday, the launch suffered delays twice, totaling 45 minutes, before an anomaly forced a rescheduling for 10 a.m.

    READ MORE | With ‘Gaganyaan’ in the works, ISRO and NASA aim to send Indian astronaut to ISS in 2024 Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    SRIHARIKOTA: Nerves gave way to smiles at the spaceport here as delays and an anomaly-triggered ‘hold’ forced ISRO scientists to revise the launch schedule of a test vehicle carrying payloads related to the country’s ambitious human space flight mission, Gaganyaan which soared into skies after initial hiccups.

    Students gather for the launch of ISRO’s TV-D1 test flight of Mission Gaganyaan, at Satish Dhawan Space Station, in Sriharikota | PTI

    Following a two-hour delay and nerve-wracking moments after the engine of TV-D1 failed to ignite initially, ISRO scientists put the mission on course 75 minutes later when they launched the rocket with precision and achieved the goal of Crew Module and Crew Escape separation that was welcomed with loud cheers at the Mission Control Center here.

    TV D1 Mission was fully achieved, ISRO announced.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Mission Gaganyaan
    TV D1 Test Flight is accomplished.
    Crew Escape System performed as intended.
    Mission Gaganyaan gets off on a successful note. @DRDO_India@indiannavy#Gaganyaan
    — ISRO (@isro) October 21, 2023
    The payloads later splashed into the sea as planned, a development that witnessed jubilation. The Gaganyaan programme aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for three days and bring them safely back to Earth.

    Initially slated for 8 a.m., on Saturday, the launch suffered delays twice, totaling 45 minutes, before an anomaly forced a rescheduling for 10 a.m.

    READ MORE | With ‘Gaganyaan’ in the works, ISRO and NASA aim to send Indian astronaut to ISS in 2024 Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • ISRO begins countdown for the launch of uncrewed test flight mission on October 21

    By PTI

    SRIHARIKOTA:  ISRO on Friday said the 13-hour countdown for the launch of an uncrewed flight test, marching towards the ambitious mission of sending Indian astronauts into space, commenced on Friday.

    A single-stage liquid propulsion rocket, equipped with a Crew Module and Crew Escape System, is slated for a lift-off from the first launch pad at the spaceport here at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

    Mission Gaganyaan:TV-D1 Test FlightThe countdown leading to the launch at 08:00 Hrs. IST on October 21, 2023, has commenced.Brochure: https://t.co/2A5nlqEb2I#Gaganyaan
    — ISRO (@isro) October 20, 2023
    The test vehicle mission is aimed at studying the safety of the crew module and crew escape system in bringing Indian astronauts back to Earth in the eventual Gaganyaan mission.

    The Gaganyaan mission aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400km for a three-day mission and bring them safely back to Earth in 2025.

    On Saturday, ISRO would attempt a successful launch of its Test Vehicle – Demonstration (TV-D1), the single-stage liquid propulsion rocket.

    The test vehicle mission with this crew module is a significant milestone for the overall Gaganyaan programme as a nearly complete system is integrated for the test tomorrow.

    “TV-D1- Test Flight. The countdown leading to the launch at 08.00hrs IST on October 21, has commenced at 7pm” ISRO said on its website on Friday.

    The success of this test flight would set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and uncrewed missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan programme, ISRO said.

    The crew module and the crew escape system are the payloads in the rocket.

    The crew module is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment in space for the crew.

    It consists of a pressurised metallic ‘inner structure’ and an unpressurised ‘external structure’ with ‘thermal protection systems’.

    In the first test flight on Saturday, the crew module would capture flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems onboard, enabling the scientists to gain knowledge on the performance of the vehicle.

    The entire test flight sequence on Saturday is expected to be brief as the Test Vehicle Abort Mission (TV-D1) will launch the crew escape system and crew module at an altitude of 17 km which are expected to make a safe touchdown in the sea, about 10 km from Sriharikota on India’s eastern coast.

    They would later be retrieved by the Navy from the Bay of Bengal.

    Through this campaign, scientists aim to ensure the safety of the crew who would actually be sent in the crew module on an LVM-3 rocket during the Gaganyaan mission. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    SRIHARIKOTA:  ISRO on Friday said the 13-hour countdown for the launch of an uncrewed flight test, marching towards the ambitious mission of sending Indian astronauts into space, commenced on Friday.

    A single-stage liquid propulsion rocket, equipped with a Crew Module and Crew Escape System, is slated for a lift-off from the first launch pad at the spaceport here at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

    Mission Gaganyaan:
    TV-D1 Test Flight
    The countdown leading to the launch at 08:00 Hrs. IST on October 21, 2023, has commenced.
    Brochure: https://t.co/2A5nlqEb2I#Gaganyaangoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
    — ISRO (@isro) October 20, 2023
    The test vehicle mission is aimed at studying the safety of the crew module and crew escape system in bringing Indian astronauts back to Earth in the eventual Gaganyaan mission.

    The Gaganyaan mission aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400km for a three-day mission and bring them safely back to Earth in 2025.

    On Saturday, ISRO would attempt a successful launch of its Test Vehicle – Demonstration (TV-D1), the single-stage liquid propulsion rocket.

    The test vehicle mission with this crew module is a significant milestone for the overall Gaganyaan programme as a nearly complete system is integrated for the test tomorrow.

    “TV-D1- Test Flight. The countdown leading to the launch at 08.00hrs IST on October 21, has commenced at 7pm” ISRO said on its website on Friday.

    The success of this test flight would set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and uncrewed missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan programme, ISRO said.

    The crew module and the crew escape system are the payloads in the rocket.

    The crew module is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment in space for the crew.

    It consists of a pressurised metallic ‘inner structure’ and an unpressurised ‘external structure’ with ‘thermal protection systems’.

    In the first test flight on Saturday, the crew module would capture flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems onboard, enabling the scientists to gain knowledge on the performance of the vehicle.

    The entire test flight sequence on Saturday is expected to be brief as the Test Vehicle Abort Mission (TV-D1) will launch the crew escape system and crew module at an altitude of 17 km which are expected to make a safe touchdown in the sea, about 10 km from Sriharikota on India’s eastern coast.

    They would later be retrieved by the Navy from the Bay of Bengal.

    Through this campaign, scientists aim to ensure the safety of the crew who would actually be sent in the crew module on an LVM-3 rocket during the Gaganyaan mission. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • ISRO gears up for maiden human space flight programme with launch of test vehicle mission

    By PTI

    SRIHARIKOTA: The launch of a single-stage liquid rocket on Saturday will signal ISRO’s journey towards its ambitious human space flight programme, Gaganyaan when the first crew module test to ensure the safety of astronauts will be conducted by the space agency here.

    ISRO aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for a three-day Gaganyaan mission and bring them safely back to Earth.

    Unlike other missions by the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency, ISRO would attempt a successful launch of its Test Vehicle (TV-D1), a single-stage liquid rocket, scheduled to lift off from the first launch pad at this spaceport at 8 am on October 21.

    The Test Vehicle mission with this Crew Module is a significant milestone for the overall Gaganyaan programme as a nearly complete system is integrated for a flight test.

    The success of this test flight would set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and unmanned missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan programme with Indian astronauts, which is expected to take shape in 2025.

    The Crew Module System is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment in space for the crew.

    It is of double-walled construction consisting of a pressurised metallic ‘inner structure’ and an unpressurised ‘external structure’ with ‘thermal protection systems’.

    It houses the crew interfaces, life support system, avionics, and deceleration systems.

    It is also designed for re-entry to ensure the safety of the crew during the descent till touchdown.

    The Crew Module underwent various testing at ISRO centres before it was integrated into the launch complex in Sriharikota, located about 135 km east of Chennai.

    The entire test flight sequence on Saturday is expected to be brief as the Test Vehicle Abort Mission (TV-D1) will launch the Crew Escape Systems and Crew Module at an altitude of 17 km which are expected to make a safe touchdown in the sea, about 10 km from the eastern coast of Sriharikota.

    They would be later retrieved by the Navy from the Bay of Bengal.

    The TV-D1 vehicle uses a modified VIKAS engine with a Crew Module and Crew Escape System mounted at its foreend.

    The vehicle is 34.9 metres tall and has a lift-off weight of 44 tonnes.

    ALSO READ | Gaganyaan: First unmanned flight abort test on Oct 25

    The structure of the TV-D1 flight is a single-walled unpressurised aluminium structure with a simulated thermal protection system.

    The Test Vehicle D1 mission aims for an in-flight abort demonstration of the Crew Escape System with the newly developed Test Vehicle followed by Crew Module separation and safe recovery.

    Mission objectives include flight demonstration and evaluation of test vehicles, crew escape systems, Crew Module characteristics, and deceleration systems demonstration at higher altitudes and its recovery.

    Through this campaign, scientists aim to ensure the safety of the crew who would be actually sent in the Crew Module on an LVM-3 rocket on the Gaganyaan mission.

    Scientists have also lined up a series of tests with the beginning of the TV-D1 flight programme on Saturday.

    ISRO Chairman S Somanath had recently said similar kinds of abort missions would be conducted much before the human space flight programme.

    The prerequisites for the Gaganyaan mission include the development of many critical technologies, including human-rated launch vehicles for carrying the crew safely into space, a life support system to provide an earth-like environment to the crew in space, and crew emergency escape provision.

    The rocket to be launched into space would be a human-rated LVM 3 — a vehicle that would carry the Orbital Module to an intended Low Earth Orbit of 400 km on the Gaganyaan mission.

    However, for the Test Vehicle Abort Mission 1(TV-D1), the Crew Module is an unpressurised version and it has the overall size and weight of the actual Crew Module on the Gaganyaan mission.

    The Crew Module has all the systems for deceleration and recovery, a set of parachutes among many others.

    In the first test flight on Saturday, the Crew Module would capture the flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems onboard to serve the scientists. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    SRIHARIKOTA: The launch of a single-stage liquid rocket on Saturday will signal ISRO’s journey towards its ambitious human space flight programme, Gaganyaan when the first crew module test to ensure the safety of astronauts will be conducted by the space agency here.

    ISRO aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for a three-day Gaganyaan mission and bring them safely back to Earth.

    Unlike other missions by the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency, ISRO would attempt a successful launch of its Test Vehicle (TV-D1), a single-stage liquid rocket, scheduled to lift off from the first launch pad at this spaceport at 8 am on October 21.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Test Vehicle mission with this Crew Module is a significant milestone for the overall Gaganyaan programme as a nearly complete system is integrated for a flight test.

    The success of this test flight would set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and unmanned missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan programme with Indian astronauts, which is expected to take shape in 2025.

    The Crew Module System is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment in space for the crew.

    It is of double-walled construction consisting of a pressurised metallic ‘inner structure’ and an unpressurised ‘external structure’ with ‘thermal protection systems’.

    It houses the crew interfaces, life support system, avionics, and deceleration systems.

    It is also designed for re-entry to ensure the safety of the crew during the descent till touchdown.

    The Crew Module underwent various testing at ISRO centres before it was integrated into the launch complex in Sriharikota, located about 135 km east of Chennai.

    The entire test flight sequence on Saturday is expected to be brief as the Test Vehicle Abort Mission (TV-D1) will launch the Crew Escape Systems and Crew Module at an altitude of 17 km which are expected to make a safe touchdown in the sea, about 10 km from the eastern coast of Sriharikota.

    They would be later retrieved by the Navy from the Bay of Bengal.

    The TV-D1 vehicle uses a modified VIKAS engine with a Crew Module and Crew Escape System mounted at its foreend.

    The vehicle is 34.9 metres tall and has a lift-off weight of 44 tonnes.

    ALSO READ | Gaganyaan: First unmanned flight abort test on Oct 25

    The structure of the TV-D1 flight is a single-walled unpressurised aluminium structure with a simulated thermal protection system.

    The Test Vehicle D1 mission aims for an in-flight abort demonstration of the Crew Escape System with the newly developed Test Vehicle followed by Crew Module separation and safe recovery.

    Mission objectives include flight demonstration and evaluation of test vehicles, crew escape systems, Crew Module characteristics, and deceleration systems demonstration at higher altitudes and its recovery.

    Through this campaign, scientists aim to ensure the safety of the crew who would be actually sent in the Crew Module on an LVM-3 rocket on the Gaganyaan mission.

    Scientists have also lined up a series of tests with the beginning of the TV-D1 flight programme on Saturday.

    ISRO Chairman S Somanath had recently said similar kinds of abort missions would be conducted much before the human space flight programme.

    The prerequisites for the Gaganyaan mission include the development of many critical technologies, including human-rated launch vehicles for carrying the crew safely into space, a life support system to provide an earth-like environment to the crew in space, and crew emergency escape provision.

    The rocket to be launched into space would be a human-rated LVM 3 — a vehicle that would carry the Orbital Module to an intended Low Earth Orbit of 400 km on the Gaganyaan mission.

    However, for the Test Vehicle Abort Mission 1(TV-D1), the Crew Module is an unpressurised version and it has the overall size and weight of the actual Crew Module on the Gaganyaan mission.

    The Crew Module has all the systems for deceleration and recovery, a set of parachutes among many others.

    In the first test flight on Saturday, the Crew Module would capture the flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems onboard to serve the scientists. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Chandrayaan-3: ISRO chairman says ‘no certainty’ over waking up moon lander and rover

    By Express News Service

    KOCHI: A day after former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar spelt out there is no hope of waking up the Chandrayaan-3’s moon lander and rover, the present chairman of the space research organisation S Somnath hinted about a possibility, but no certainty over re-establishing contact with the rover Pragyan and lander Vikram.

    Speaking to PTI on Friday, Space Commission member and former chairman of ISRO Kiran Kumar ruled out the possibility of waking up the moon lander and rover.

    “No, no, there won’t be any more hope of reviving. Now, if it should have happened, it should have happened by now. There is (now) no chance at all,” Kiran Kumar was quoted as saying by the PTI.

    Speaking after he was awarded the Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Puraskar instituted by Kakkanad, the Kochi-based Vikram Sarabhai Science Foundation (VSSF), Somnath pointed out that India’s third lunar mission’s objective was achieved in 14 days, after which it entered sleep mode. One day on the Moon is equivalent to 14 days on Earth.

    However, on re-establishing contact with the rover and lander, which had gone into sleep mode on September 2, Somnath said, “There’s a possibility, but there’s no certainty”.

    Somanath, the driving force behind Chandrayaan 3, which etched India’s name on the moon and in the annals of history, also reminisced about his early days at ISRO. “When I first became a part of ISRO, it was during a challenging period for the organization. I remember being mocked by people while taking the bus, reminding me of our setbacks and failures,” he told a large gathering of students, who assembled at the Vikram Sarabhai Science School, Kakkanad, for the eighth VSSF Science Conclave.

    Replying to a related query, Somanath said the hardest challenge he faced during the Chandrayaan 3 mission was the soft landing. “There were a lot of factors to be considered to make the landing.”

    Many wonder how ISRO, a government entity, operates with such passion and dedication. “Several factors contribute to this. Firstly, the autonomy granted to it plays a pivotal role. Secondly, the organizational structure effectively takes into account the insights of scientists and acts upon them. Lastly, the thrill of witnessing an idea transform from a mere concept to a finalized product is undeniably one of the most satisfying experiences one can have,” the ISRO chief said.

    Somnath advised the students to focus on a particular field of study and gain deep knowledge rather than trying to gain knowledge in all fields of science. “An important quality students should have is a good reading habit. They should also have a commitment to society and know what’s happening around them,” Somnath, a native of Alappuzha, said.

     He also emphasized the need for reforms in the field of education. “Only individuals genuinely interested in science should pursue advanced studies in it. While everyone should receive a basic education in science, higher education in this field should be reserved for those who are truly passionate and qualified. Today, we observe many engineering graduates, yet their employability is often low. There needs to be a genuine interest in it rather than just employability,” he said.

    Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Puraskar award comprises a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a citation, which was handed to Somanath. The event saw virtual participation from G Madhavan Nair, a former ISRO chairman. Other dignitaries included V P Joy, former chief secretary of the Kerala government; Indira Rajan, the CEO of VSSF; Umesh N.S.K., the Ernakulam district collector; and E Nandhakumar, along with representatives from various entities.

    KOCHI: A day after former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar spelt out there is no hope of waking up the Chandrayaan-3’s moon lander and rover, the present chairman of the space research organisation S Somnath hinted about a possibility, but no certainty over re-establishing contact with the rover Pragyan and lander Vikram.

    Speaking to PTI on Friday, Space Commission member and former chairman of ISRO Kiran Kumar ruled out the possibility of waking up the moon lander and rover.

    “No, no, there won’t be any more hope of reviving. Now, if it should have happened, it should have happened by now. There is (now) no chance at all,” Kiran Kumar was quoted as saying by the PTI.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Speaking after he was awarded the Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Puraskar instituted by Kakkanad, the Kochi-based Vikram Sarabhai Science Foundation (VSSF), Somnath pointed out that India’s third lunar mission’s objective was achieved in 14 days, after which it entered sleep mode. One day on the Moon is equivalent to 14 days on Earth.

    However, on re-establishing contact with the rover and lander, which had gone into sleep mode on September 2, Somnath said, “There’s a possibility, but there’s no certainty”.

    Somanath, the driving force behind Chandrayaan 3, which etched India’s name on the moon and in the annals of history, also reminisced about his early days at ISRO. “When I first became a part of ISRO, it was during a challenging period for the organization. I remember being mocked by people while taking the bus, reminding me of our setbacks and failures,” he told a large gathering of students, who assembled at the Vikram Sarabhai Science School, Kakkanad, for the eighth VSSF Science Conclave.

    Replying to a related query, Somanath said the hardest challenge he faced during the Chandrayaan 3 mission was the soft landing. “There were a lot of factors to be considered to make the landing.”

    Many wonder how ISRO, a government entity, operates with such passion and dedication. “Several factors contribute to this. Firstly, the autonomy granted to it plays a pivotal role. Secondly, the organizational structure effectively takes into account the insights of scientists and acts upon them. Lastly, the thrill of witnessing an idea transform from a mere concept to a finalized product is undeniably one of the most satisfying experiences one can have,” the ISRO chief said.

    Somnath advised the students to focus on a particular field of study and gain deep knowledge rather than trying to gain knowledge in all fields of science. “An important quality students should have is a good reading habit. They should also have a commitment to society and know what’s happening around them,” Somnath, a native of Alappuzha, said.

     He also emphasized the need for reforms in the field of education. “Only individuals genuinely interested in science should pursue advanced studies in it. While everyone should receive a basic education in science, higher education in this field should be reserved for those who are truly passionate and qualified. Today, we observe many engineering graduates, yet their employability is often low. There needs to be a genuine interest in it rather than just employability,” he said.

    Vikram Sarabhai Vigyan Puraskar award comprises a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a citation, which was handed to Somanath. The event saw virtual participation from G Madhavan Nair, a former ISRO chairman. Other dignitaries included V P Joy, former chief secretary of the Kerala government; Indira Rajan, the CEO of VSSF; Umesh N.S.K., the Ernakulam district collector; and E Nandhakumar, along with representatives from various entities.

  • Gaganyaan mission: Crew safety test to be undertaken shortly, says ISRO

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: The preparations for the Gaganyaan mission are in full swing. The project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a 3-member crew to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.

    The Crew Module (CM) for the mission is in different stages of development. The first development flight Test Vehicle (TV-D1) is in the final stages of preparation. The Test Vehicle is a single-stage liquid rocket developed for this abort mission. The payloads consist of the Crew Module and Crew Escape Systems (CES) with their fast-acting solid motors, along with CM fairing (CMF) and Interface Adapters. 

    This flight will simulate the abort condition during the ascent trajectory corresponding to a Mach number of 1.2 encountered in the Gaganyaan mission. CES with CM will be separated from the Test Vehicle at an altitude of about 17 km. Subsequently, the abort sequence will be executed autonomously commencing with the separation of CES and deployment of the series of parachutes, finally culminating in the safe touchdown of CM in the sea, about 10 km from the coast of Sriharikota, the ISRO said. 

    Private participation or role of KCP Ltd

    Meanwhile, as a part of the ongoing works relating to the mission, the Chennai-based heavy engineering unit of KCP Ltd on Saturday officially handed over the crew module structure for the Integrated Air-Drop Test. 

    R Hutton, Acting Director of ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), received the module from Indira Dutt, chairman and managing director of KCP Group, and lauded the engineering prowess of the firm, whose association with ISRO spans over three decades. 

    On the sidelines, Hutton said the integrated air-drop test is one of the important exercises in evaluating the various systems of Gaganyaan. 

    “What we are seeing today is a single-wall crew module. In the original module, it will be a dual wall. The purpose of this module is to validate the parachute system that we will be using for deceleration.  There will be different kinds of parachutes that we will be using at different altitudes and at a specific sequence. Using this module, we will be validating the end-to-end sequential performance of the parachute system.”

    To a query, Hutton said, when the crew module is orbiting the earth, it will be traveling at 7.5 km per second and that speed has to be brought down to 8.5 meters per second for a safe touchdown. This is the physiological limits of the crew members. For the test, this crew module will be dropped vertically by an Indian Air Force Chinook heavy-lift helicopter from an altitude of about 4 km. 

    According to the firm, this crew module structure weighs 3.1 tonnes, measures 3.1 metre in diameter, stands 2.6 metre tall, and is made using a light alloy of aluminum and 15CDV6 steel. The KCP will be manufacturing another crew module for ISRO which will be delivered by March 2024 after incorporating any necessary changes that the space agency suggests. 

    ALSO READ | Gaganyaan crew wrap up phase-1 training

    Meanwhile, ISRO announced that it was gearing up for the first Test Vehicle Abort mission-1, which will carry an unpressurized crew module. It has completed its integration and testing and is ready to be shipped to the launch complex in Sriharikota. 

    “This unpressurized crew module version has to have an overall size and mass of the actual Gaganyaan Crew Module (CM). It houses all the systems for the deceleration and recovery. With its complete set of parachutes, recovery aids, actuation systems and pyros. The avionics systems in CM are in a dual redundant mode configuration for navigation, sequencing, telemetry, instrumentation and power. The Crew Module in this mission is extensively instrumented to capture the flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems. The Crew Module will be recovered after touchdown in the Bay of Bengal, using a dedicated vessel and diving team from the Indian Navy,” the ISRO said.

    CHENNAI: The preparations for the Gaganyaan mission are in full swing. The project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a 3-member crew to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.

    The Crew Module (CM) for the mission is in different stages of development. The first development flight Test Vehicle (TV-D1) is in the final stages of preparation. The Test Vehicle is a single-stage liquid rocket developed for this abort mission. The payloads consist of the Crew Module and Crew Escape Systems (CES) with their fast-acting solid motors, along with CM fairing (CMF) and Interface Adapters. 

    This flight will simulate the abort condition during the ascent trajectory corresponding to a Mach number of 1.2 encountered in the Gaganyaan mission. CES with CM will be separated from the Test Vehicle at an altitude of about 17 km. Subsequently, the abort sequence will be executed autonomously commencing with the separation of CES and deployment of the series of parachutes, finally culminating in the safe touchdown of CM in the sea, about 10 km from the coast of Sriharikota, the ISRO said. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Private participation or role of KCP Ltd

    Meanwhile, as a part of the ongoing works relating to the mission, the Chennai-based heavy engineering unit of KCP Ltd on Saturday officially handed over the crew module structure for the Integrated Air-Drop Test. 

    R Hutton, Acting Director of ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), received the module from Indira Dutt, chairman and managing director of KCP Group, and lauded the engineering prowess of the firm, whose association with ISRO spans over three decades. 

    On the sidelines, Hutton said the integrated air-drop test is one of the important exercises in evaluating the various systems of Gaganyaan. 

    “What we are seeing today is a single-wall crew module. In the original module, it will be a dual wall. The purpose of this module is to validate the parachute system that we will be using for deceleration.  There will be different kinds of parachutes that we will be using at different altitudes and at a specific sequence. Using this module, we will be validating the end-to-end sequential performance of the parachute system.”

    To a query, Hutton said, when the crew module is orbiting the earth, it will be traveling at 7.5 km per second and that speed has to be brought down to 8.5 meters per second for a safe touchdown. This is the physiological limits of the crew members. For the test, this crew module will be dropped vertically by an Indian Air Force Chinook heavy-lift helicopter from an altitude of about 4 km. 

    According to the firm, this crew module structure weighs 3.1 tonnes, measures 3.1 metre in diameter, stands 2.6 metre tall, and is made using a light alloy of aluminum and 15CDV6 steel. The KCP will be manufacturing another crew module for ISRO which will be delivered by March 2024 after incorporating any necessary changes that the space agency suggests. 

    ALSO READ | Gaganyaan crew wrap up phase-1 training

    Meanwhile, ISRO announced that it was gearing up for the first Test Vehicle Abort mission-1, which will carry an unpressurized crew module. It has completed its integration and testing and is ready to be shipped to the launch complex in Sriharikota. 

    “This unpressurized crew module version has to have an overall size and mass of the actual Gaganyaan Crew Module (CM). It houses all the systems for the deceleration and recovery. With its complete set of parachutes, recovery aids, actuation systems and pyros. The avionics systems in CM are in a dual redundant mode configuration for navigation, sequencing, telemetry, instrumentation and power. The Crew Module in this mission is extensively instrumented to capture the flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems. The Crew Module will be recovered after touchdown in the Bay of Bengal, using a dedicated vessel and diving team from the Indian Navy,” the ISRO said.