News Analysis India

Tag: satellite

  • Satellites no longer usable after deviation: ISRO on its maiden SSLV mission

    By PTI

    SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday said the satellites onboard its maiden Small Satellite Launch Vehicle “are no longer usable” after the SSLV-D1 placed them in an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one.

    The space agency said a committee would analyse and make recommendations into today’s episode and with the implementation of those recommendations “ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2.”

    ALSO READ | ISRO’s SSLV lifts-off with student satellite AzaadiSAT then reports ‘data loss’ at terminal stage

    “SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. Satellites are no longer usable. Issue is reasonably identified. Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation,” ISRO said in an update on its official Twitter handle.

    It added a detailed statement by ISRO Chairman S Somanath will be “uploaded soon.”

    In its maiden SSLV mission, the launch vehicle carried The Earth Observation Satellite EOS-02 and the co-passenger student satellites AzaadiSAT.

    SSLV had suffered ‘data loss’ in its terminal stage, after performing “as expected” in all stages. It had earlier after lifted off from the spaceport here on Sunday morning.

    SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday said the satellites onboard its maiden Small Satellite Launch Vehicle “are no longer usable” after the SSLV-D1 placed them in an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one.

    The space agency said a committee would analyse and make recommendations into today’s episode and with the implementation of those recommendations “ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2.”

    ALSO READ | ISRO’s SSLV lifts-off with student satellite AzaadiSAT then reports ‘data loss’ at terminal stage

    “SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. Satellites are no longer usable. Issue is reasonably identified. Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation,” ISRO said in an update on its official Twitter handle.

    It added a detailed statement by ISRO Chairman S Somanath will be “uploaded soon.”

    In its maiden SSLV mission, the launch vehicle carried The Earth Observation Satellite EOS-02 and the co-passenger student satellites AzaadiSAT.

    SSLV had suffered ‘data loss’ in its terminal stage, after performing “as expected” in all stages. It had earlier after lifted off from the spaceport here on Sunday morning.

  • China’s demonstration of physically moving disabled satellite to another orbit new threat: IAF chief

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: China’s latest demonstration of physically moving its disabled satellite to another orbit poses a new threat in the race to weaponise the space domain, Indian Air Force Chief V R Chaudhari said on Thursday.

    Moreover, he said no single service — air force, army or navy — can win wars on its own and this holds good even for the future.

    Last month, China’s Shijian-21 satellite physically moved a disabled Chinese satellite, altering its geostationary orbit.

    This capability of physically altering the orbits of a satellite has earlier been demonstrated by the US only.

    “China’s latest demonstration of physically moving one of its disabled satellites into the graveyard orbit is bringing in newer threats in the race to weaponise the space domain, a domain hitherto considered relatively safe,” Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.

    “The spectrum that we are looking at stretches from kinetic to non-kinetic, lethal to non-lethal and from small drones to hypersonic ballistic missiles. This vast and ever-changing continuum will pose significant challenges for the armed forces of the future,” he added.

    He said the IAF’s training philosophy needs to be modern, flexible and adaptive, with a heavy dose of “jointness”.

    A well-trained air warrior — who is technologically sound yet able to adapt to disruptions — would serve as a force multiplier, the IAF chief mentioned.

    “The next step would be to use our doctrines and well-trained manpower to evolve employment philosophies and CONOPS (Concept of Operations),” he noted This would require joint planning and joint execution of plans, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari stressed.

    “No single service can win wars on its own and this holds good even for the future. This brings me to the next challenge of command and control,” he said.

    The primacy of who will do what cannot be determined by a pro-rata system of who has a larger mass of forces or equipment, the IAF chief mentioned.

    “The thought process must change and it would be important to appreciate the capabilities of each service to make two plus two equal to five.” He stressed the need to develop joint command and control structures for integrated and synergised application of combat power.

    “The fundamental strengths of individual services must be brought together to deter potential enemies or decisively win the nation’s wars. There is a need to wage tomorrow’s wars with pragmatism and not necessarily idealism,” Chaudhari noted.

  • ISRO launches PSLV-C51 carrying Brazil’s Amazonia-1, 18 other satellites

    Express News Service
    BENGALURU: India’s Polar rocket on Sunday successfully launched Amazonia-1 satellite of Brazil from the spaceport, in the first mission of the year for space agency ISRO from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:24 am.

    The 637-kg Amazonia-1, which became the first Brazilian satellite to be launched from India, is an optical earth observation satellite of National Institute for Space Research (INPE). It is the first dedicated PSLV commercial mission by New Space India Limited (NSIL)– commercial arm of Department of Space.This is also the first time Brazil is launching its satellite on an Indian rocket. It is the first satellite that is completely designed, tested, integrated and operated by National Institute for Space Research (INPE) Brazil. 

    Amazonia-1 carries with it a wide field camera with 850 km swath and 60m resolution. It has two solar panels to charge its Lithium Ion Batteries. The optical Earth observation satellite has a lifespan of more than four years. 

    Stunning glimpses of today’s lift-off#PSLVC51 #Amazonia1 #NSIL #INSPACe pic.twitter.com/MQJzAROxaV
    — ISRO (@isro) February 28, 2021

    It will be another satellite for Brazil to monitor the Amazon region and the deforestation therein. It is meant to help analyse diversified agriculture across the area of Brazil. 

    ALSO WATCH: 

    Brazilian minister for Science and Technology and Innovation Marcos Pontes said “many years have gone into the satellite and the moment represented the pinnacle of all efforts by many from the National Institute of Space Research, Brazil and the Brazilian Space Agency.”

    Pontes said “the satellite has a very crucial mission in Brazil — it is another satellite to monitor the Amazon and other biomes in Brazil and represents new era of Brazilian industry for satellite development. He said the multi mission platform can be used for other satellites.”

    He said they couldn’t have chosen a better place than India. He further added that this was an important step in the partnership of the two states. 

    “I am extremely happy to declare that PSLV-C51 successfully launched in precise orbit Aamazonia-1 today. The satellite is in very good health and solar panels have been deployed,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan announced amid applause from the scientists.

    This is the first commercial launch of NSIL. NSIL CMD Narayanan said that in the peak of COVID-19, Indian space sector stepped out from the old to the new. NSIL under department of Space had its presence in the earlier three PSLV missions through customer auxiliary payloads, he said this was the first dedicated mission of NSIL with the launch of first totally-Brazilian built Earth Observation Satellite. 

    NSIL will also provide tracking service from its facility

    The mission is being undertaken under a commercial arrangement with Space Flight Inc USA and injected 18 other satellites in their respective orbits. These include a cluster of 12 satellites by SpaceBee, USA, one ARC satellite by DRDO, one satellite by Spacekits India, three satellited developed by students from Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Sriperambudur, G H Raisoni College of Engineering Nagpur, and Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology Coimbatore. 

    Hands full this year, says Sivan 

    Our hands are full this year, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Sivan on Sunday. He was speaking at the launch of Amazonia-1, . Sivan said that ISRO has 14 missions lined up this year. 

    “As many as seven are launch vehicle missions and six are satellite missions. One is the unmanned Gaganyaan mission slated at the end of 2021,” he said. “ISRO will rise to the occasion and achieve these targets towards meeting national demands,” he said. 

    Warning people that the pandemic was not over yet, he said that the work at the organisation would go on while maintaining all quality norms. 

  • ISRO launches PSLV-C51 carrying 19 satellites

    By ANI
    NeELLORE: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C51 carrying Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite and 18 other satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

    PSLV-C51 launched Amazonia-1, an optical earth observation satellite, and 18 other satellites on Sunday at 10:24 am.

    A Brazilian delegation was present at Satish Dhawan Space Centre for the launch. ISRO chief K. Sivan was also present.

    PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under the Department of Space. The NSIL is undertaking this mission under a commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc. USA.

    Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This satellite would further strengthen the existing structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the Brazilian territory.

    Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51), which is the 53rd mission of PSLV launched Amazonia-1 of Brazil as the primary satellite. A total of 18 Co-passenger satellites were also lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:24 am on Sunday.

    The 18 co-passenger satellites include four from IN-SPACe (three UNITYsats from the consortium of three Indian academic institutes and One Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 14 from NSIL.