2014. I was in grad school at that time and will never forget seeing a demeaning cartoon in the New York Times making fun of India’s Mangalyaan robotic probe into orbit around Mars. The illustration portrayed that India was nowhere close to the elite space club. &nbsp;

Sardonic Much?&nbsp;

Fast forward to 2019. I ask my nieces and a few other high school students about the Vikram Lander and the moon. These kids are quite well-informed and were aware of Chandrayaan 2. But when I asked them why they thought this was significant, I was baffled at the unclarity and weak responses I got. It was quite evident that the importance of space exploration was not at all ‘a thing’ for them. &nbsp;

Since its inception in 1969, ISRO has significantly evolved and has come into the elite space club. Yet, it is not as popular as the USA’s NASA or Russia’s space agency Roscosmos. Why? Well, ISRO was first established after India gained independence. In terms of funding, the government had to justify why spending would be allotted to ISRO versus those in poverty. And for these reasons, ISRO focused on missions that were developmental in nature.

Things like weather forecasting and communication satellites. By doing this on lower budgets, ISRO is one of the most cost-effective space industries on the planet. But now that India has entered the elite space club, it is high time that the people of India- especially the youth- understand the significance and importance of space exploration. To do this, ISRO must focus on the following things. &nbsp;

Marketing &nbsp;

When NASA was founded, the US space program was determined to differentiate itself from the USSR. It would instead be an ‘open program’ in which facts and data would flow freely between the agency and the public. For that, an aggressive public relations team was built. The aim? Not just releasing information but also explaining astronomy, rockets and complicated physics to the lay person clearly and accurately. NASA’s PR created items that addressed reporters needs along with background material. They also produced broadcasts and held media symposiums. Every mission was explained before the launch and reported with text and visuals. An example? Before Apollo 11’s launch, NASA’s public affairs office gave journalists an entire binder with detailed diagrams of the spacesuit, the command module and even oxygen tanks. By doing this in a consistent manner, NASA not only helped the USA enter the elite space club but also sold space education to the masses. &nbsp;

In the same manner, ISRO should consider doing this. Chandrayaan2 has put Indian space exploration on the global radar. ISRO not only launched satellites but also has several cool unique initiatives that engage the youth of the country. The latest student satellite was launched in 2019 itself. ISRO should take up NASA’s approach and aggressively push for more information, statistics and details to get out to the public. It is not just enough to put it on their website. Press releases can be held along with symposiums explaining launches to the masses. In these public relations events and materials, ISRO should also actively engage with the youth. Scientists and engineers should visit schools more often to try and engage youth with space exploration and how they can get involved. &nbsp;

Private Partnerships &nbsp;

Earlier this year, the Central Government approved a commercial enterprise- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)- under India’s Department of Space as an effort to build ISRO-private sector relationships and to expand ISRO commercialisation as well. NSIL helps with technology transfer between ISRP and private players along with promoting space-based products and spin-off technologies. While ISRO currently is and should remain government-funded and managed, getting the private sector to take some of the burdens of space exploration will not diminish ISRO’s reputation. In contrast, it will bolster it with more funding, more ideas and people and more cutting edge technology. With the increased partnership with private players, ISRO can focus on things that will help it grow as an organisation itself and also grow mainstream with the Indian masses. This includes human space flight, space exploration and developing larger and more cutting edge rockets. &nbsp;

Diplomacy &nbsp;

Another thing that ISRO must focus on at the earliest is making deals with foreign markets. This can both be a tool for diplomacy, as well as, bringing in revenue for further missions. With that being said, India needs to increase its number of missions annually if ISRO wants to remain in the same league as the elite space players. Working on space exploration with other countries would not just be great for diplomacy. A great move happened just last week with India launching the CARTOSAT along with American satellites in the same mission. Collaborating more with the global commercial space market will also help keep competitors like China at bay. &nbsp;

ISRO should be proud of itself and citizens should be proud of how ISRO has propelled India's global respect. But think about this. Despite not maximising its potential [yet] in marketing, outreach, private partnerships and foreign collaboration, ISRO STILL ranks in the top five global space players. Now, how can India go from ‘within the top five’ to number 1'? Marketing will educate the masses to the importance of every mission. Youth, in particular, need to be engaged. Private partnerships will not only bring in more innovation and revenue, but will also help ISRO focus on more advanced missions like human space exploration. Finally, collaborating with foreign space players will both increase ISRO productivity and work as a great diplomacy tool. This is the need of the hour for ISRO. This is because there are more space actors than ever before; both government and commercial players. If ISRO does not act quickly, India’s elite status can slide away as quickly as it has risen. &nbsp;

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

2014. I was in grad school at that time and will never forget seeing a demeaning cartoon in the New York Times making fun of India’s Mangalyaan robotic probe into orbit around Mars.

2014. I was in grad school at that time and will never forget seeing a demeaning cartoon in the New York Times making fun of India’s Mangalyaan robotic probe into orbit around Mars. The illustration portrayed that India was nowhere close to the elite space club. Sardonic Much? Fast forward to 2019. I ask my nieces and a few other high school students about the Vikram Lander and the moon. These kids are quite well-informed and were aware of Chandrayaan 2. But when I asked them why they thought this was significant, I was baffled at the unclarity and weak responses I got. It was quite evident that the importance of space exploration was not at all ‘a thing’ for them. Since its inception in 1969, ISRO has significantly evolved and has come into the elite space club. Yet, it is not as popular as the USA’s NASA or Russia’s space agency Roscosmos. Why? Well, ISRO was first established after India gained independence. In terms of funding, the government had to justify why spending would be allotted to ISRO versus those in poverty. And for these reasons, ISRO focused on missions that were developmental in nature. Things like weather forecasting and communication satellites. By doing this on lower budgets, ISRO is one of the most cost-effective space industries on the planet. But now that India has entered the elite space club, it is high time that the people of India- especially the youth- understand the significance and importance of space exploration. To do this, ISRO must focus on the following things. Marketing When NASA was founded, the US space program was determined to differentiate itself from the USSR. It would instead be an ‘open program’ in which facts and data would flow freely between the agency and the public. For that, an aggressive public relations team was built. The aim? Not just releasing information but also explaining astronomy, rockets and complicated physics to the lay person clearly and accurately. NASA’s PR created items that addressed reporters needs along with background material. They also produced broadcasts and held media symposiums. Every mission was explained before the launch and reported with text and visuals. An example? Before Apollo 11’s launch, NASA’s public affairs office gave journalists an entire binder with detailed diagrams of the spacesuit, the command module and even oxygen tanks. By doing this in a consistent manner, NASA not only helped the USA enter the elite space club but also sold space education to the masses. In the same manner, ISRO should consider doing this. Chandrayaan2 has put Indian space exploration on the global radar. ISRO not only launched satellites but also has several cool unique initiatives that engage the youth of the country. The latest student satellite was launched in 2019 itself. ISRO should take up NASA’s approach and aggressively push for more information, statistics and details to get out to the public. It is not just enough to put it on their website. Press releases can be held along with symposiums explaining launches to the masses. In these public relations events and materials, ISRO should also actively engage with the youth. Scientists and engineers should visit schools more often to try and engage youth with space exploration and how they can get involved. Private Partnerships Earlier this year, the Central Government approved a commercial enterprise- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)- under India’s Department of Space as an effort to build ISRO-private sector relationships and to expand ISRO commercialisation as well. NSIL helps with technology transfer between ISRP and private players along with promoting space-based products and spin-off technologies. While ISRO currently is and should remain government-funded and managed, getting the private sector to take some of the burdens of space exploration will not diminish ISRO’s reputation. In contrast, it will bolster it with more funding, more ideas and people and more cutting edge technology. With the increased partnership with private players, ISRO can focus on things that will help it grow as an organisation itself and also grow mainstream with the Indian masses. This includes human space flight, space exploration and developing larger and more cutting edge rockets. Diplomacy Another thing that ISRO must focus on at the earliest is making deals with foreign markets. This can both be a tool for diplomacy, as well as, bringing in revenue for further missions. With that being said, India needs to increase its number of missions annually if ISRO wants to remain in the same league as the elite space players. Working on space exploration with other countries would not just be great for diplomacy. A great move happened just last week with India launching the CARTOSAT along with American satellites in the same mission. Collaborating more with the global commercial space market will also help keep competitors like China at bay. ISRO should be proud of itself and citizens should be proud of how ISRO has propelled India's global respect. But think about this. Despite not maximising its potential [yet] in marketing, outreach, private partnerships and foreign collaboration, ISRO STILL ranks in the top five global space players. Now, how can India go from ‘within the top five’ to number 1'? Marketing will educate the masses to the importance of every mission. Youth, in particular, need to be engaged. Private partnerships will not only bring in more innovation and revenue, but will also help ISRO focus on more advanced missions like human space exploration. Finally, collaborating with foreign space players will both increase ISRO productivity and work as a great diplomacy tool. This is the need of the hour for ISRO. This is because there are more space actors than ever before; both government and commercial players. If ISRO does not act quickly, India’s elite status can slide away as quickly as it has risen. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How ISRO can be the number one player in the game

Indian Space Research Organisation&rsquo;s PSLV-C40 rocket carried the Cartosat 2 series satellite along with 30 other satellites of foreign and Indian origin. It was by far the longest mission placing satellites in two different orbits.

&nbsp;

This satellite in the Cartosat 2 series, which is made with the objective of providing high-resolution scene-specific spot imagery which will be used for Land Information System (LIS) as well as Geographical Information System (GIS)-based applications.&nbsp;

This satellite, weighing 710 kg, is carrying on board the state-of-art technology in terms of panchromatic (PAN) camera that take black and white pictures of the earth in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The swath covered by this high-resolution PAN camera is 9.6 km and their spatial resolution is less than 1 metre.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India&rsquo;s neighbour and arch rival Pakistan has raised questions over the usage of the satellite by India and showed its concern which is not without reason.

&nbsp;

Islamabad&rsquo;s Foreign Office spokesperson said New Delhi must refrain from putting the new satellite to military use which could create trouble in the region. He said, &ldquo;All space technologies, including earth observation satellites, are inherently dual use and can be employed for both civilian and military purposes and therefore it is essential that such pursuits are not directed towards a build-up of destabilizing military capabilities, which can negatively impact the regional strategic stability.&rdquo;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The sources say that the ability of this satellite to steer up to 45 degrees along as well as across the track, is what sets it apart from the previous in series. This ability combined with high-resolution imagery adds power to the celestial vision. Now the observatories in India need not waste time giving orbital corrections to be over the area of interest, instead, the steering itself could do the trick. In short, it implies that larger areas in real time can now be scanned, almost eliminating the shadow periods. Monitoring of missile and nuclear activities as also the terror infrastructures in Pakistan will now be under constant Indian watch by the combined surveillance of Cartosat 2, EROS A and RISAT satellites.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Cartosat-2&#39;s panchromatic camera can produce images better than 1 meter in resolution. To be precise, the resolution is .8 meters which is even better when compared to the 82 cm panchromatic resolution offered by the Ikonos satellite. India had been previously purchasing images from Ikonos at about US$20 per square kilometre; the use of Cartosat-2, now provides imagery at 20 times lower cost. At the time of Cartosat-2&#39;s launch, India was buying images worth about ₹20 crore per year from the American Ikonos operated by Digital Globe.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Today&rsquo;s launch of Cartosat 2 satellite enhances India&rsquo;s military capabilities in its space-based assets manifolds. With GSAT-7 and GSAT-6, satellites are being developed for strategic purposes. The earlier remote-sensing satellites (sub-metre resolution, matching with the best in the world) launched by ISRO as dual-purpose satellites like the technology experimental satellite (TES, 2000) and the four cartographic satellites (CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A and 2B in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010) places itself in the elite club.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

With Israeli assistance, India has also launched two Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites called RISAT II (2009) and RISAT I (2011). These satellites visit the target area every 3-4 days. At any given moment and time there always exists surveillance over sensitive areas which has further enhanced by today&rsquo;s launch.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Cartosat 2 satellites will give images with a resolution of .8 metres, save 20 Cr INR each year and enhance India's military capabilities in the space.

Indian Space Research Organisation’s PSLV-C40 rocket carried the Cartosat 2 series satellite along with 30 other satellites of foreign and Indian origin. It was by far the longest mission placing satellites in two different orbits. This satellite in the Cartosat 2 series, which is made with the objective of providing high-resolution scene-specific spot imagery which will be used for Land Information System (LIS) as well as Geographical Information System (GIS)-based applications. This satellite, weighing 710 kg, is carrying on board the state-of-art technology in terms of panchromatic (PAN) camera that take black and white pictures of the earth in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The swath covered by this high-resolution PAN camera is 9.6 km and their spatial resolution is less than 1 metre. India’s neighbour and arch rival Pakistan has raised questions over the usage of the satellite by India and showed its concern which is not without reason. Islamabad’s Foreign Office spokesperson said New Delhi must refrain from putting the new satellite to military use which could create trouble in the region. He said, “All space technologies, including earth observation satellites, are inherently dual use and can be employed for both civilian and military purposes and therefore it is essential that such pursuits are not directed towards a build-up of destabilizing military capabilities, which can negatively impact the regional strategic stability.” The sources say that the ability of this satellite to steer up to 45 degrees along as well as across the track, is what sets it apart from the previous in series. This ability combined with high-resolution imagery adds power to the celestial vision. Now the observatories in India need not waste time giving orbital corrections to be over the area of interest, instead, the steering itself could do the trick. In short, it implies that larger areas in real time can now be scanned, almost eliminating the shadow periods. Monitoring of missile and nuclear activities as also the terror infrastructures in Pakistan will now be under constant Indian watch by the combined surveillance of Cartosat 2, EROS A and RISAT satellites. Cartosat-2's panchromatic camera can produce images better than 1 meter in resolution. To be precise, the resolution is .8 meters which is even better when compared to the 82 cm panchromatic resolution offered by the Ikonos satellite. India had been previously purchasing images from Ikonos at about US$20 per square kilometre; the use of Cartosat-2, now provides imagery at 20 times lower cost. At the time of Cartosat-2's launch, India was buying images worth about ₹20 crore per year from the American Ikonos operated by Digital Globe. Today’s launch of Cartosat 2 satellite enhances India’s military capabilities in its space-based assets manifolds. With GSAT-7 and GSAT-6, satellites are being developed for strategic purposes. The earlier remote-sensing satellites (sub-metre resolution, matching with the best in the world) launched by ISRO as dual-purpose satellites like the technology experimental satellite (TES, 2000) and the four cartographic satellites (CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A and 2B in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010) places itself in the elite club. With Israeli assistance, India has also launched two Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites called RISAT II (2009) and RISAT I (2011). These satellites visit the target area every 3-4 days. At any given moment and time there always exists surveillance over sensitive areas which has further enhanced by today’s launch. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: ISRO satellites give India panopticon surveillance over targets

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with 31 satellites, including three Indian and 28 of six other nations from its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

Shortly after lift-off, ISRO said that PSLV-C40 successfully placed weather observation <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-you-need-to-know-about-cartosat-2-series-satellite-launched-by-isro-today-29296">Cartosat-2 series satellite</a> into sun synchronous orbit.

&quot;During the last PSLV launch we had problems, today what has happened proves that the problem was properly addressed and rectified. Happy to give this new year gift to the country,&quot; ISRO chief AS Kiran Rao said afte the launch.

The 44.4-metre tall PSLV-C40 roared into a clear sky after a perfect lift-off at 9.29am after a 28-hour countdown and placed the satellites into orbit after seventeen and a half minutes.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-satellite-launch-live-india-to-launch-100th-satellite-today-29290">Also Read: How the satellite launch happened</a>

This was the 42nd mission of ISRO&#39;s trusted workhorse PSLV-C40 and 100th satellite launch from ISRO.

The co-passenger satellites comprise one micro and nano satellite each from India as well as three micro and 25 nanosatellites from six countries - Canada, Finland, France, Korea, the United Kingdom and United States of America.

The total weight of all the 31 satellites carried on-board PSLV-C40 is about 1,323 kg.

The 28 international customer satellites were launched as part of the commercial arrangements between ISRO and its commercial arm &#39;Antrix Corporation Ltd&#39;.

According to ISRO, the Cartosat-2 series satellite launch is a follow-on mission with the primary objective of providing high resolution scene specific spot imageries.

This was the first launch for ISRO in 2018 following the unsuccessful mission of navigation satellite IRNSS-1H last year.

On August 31, 2017 India&#39;s mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 failed after the heat shield did not separate in the final leg of the launch sequence and as a result, the satellite IRNSS-1H got stuck in the fourth stage of the rocket.

(With inputs from agencies)

This was the 42nd mission of ISRO's trusted workhorse PSLV-C40 and 100th satellite launch from ISRO.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with 31 satellites, including three Indian and 28 of six other nations from its spaceport Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Shortly after lift-off, ISRO said that PSLV-C40 successfully placed weather observation Cartosat-2 series satellite into sun synchronous orbit. "During the last PSLV launch we had problems, today what has happened proves that the problem was properly addressed and rectified. Happy to give this new year gift to the country," ISRO chief AS Kiran Rao said afte the launch. The 44.4-metre tall PSLV-C40 roared into a clear sky after a perfect lift-off at 9.29am after a 28-hour countdown and placed the satellites into orbit after seventeen and a half minutes. Also Read: How the satellite launch happened This was the 42nd mission of ISRO's trusted workhorse PSLV-C40 and 100th satellite launch from ISRO. The co-passenger satellites comprise one micro and nano satellite each from India as well as three micro and 25 nanosatellites from six countries - Canada, Finland, France, Korea, the United Kingdom and United States of America. The total weight of all the 31 satellites carried on-board PSLV-C40 is about 1,323 kg. The 28 international customer satellites were launched as part of the commercial arrangements between ISRO and its commercial arm 'Antrix Corporation Ltd'. According to ISRO, the Cartosat-2 series satellite launch is a follow-on mission with the primary objective of providing high resolution scene specific spot imageries. This was the first launch for ISRO in 2018 following the unsuccessful mission of navigation satellite IRNSS-1H last year. On August 31, 2017 India's mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 failed after the heat shield did not separate in the final leg of the launch sequence and as a result, the satellite IRNSS-1H got stuck in the fourth stage of the rocket. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: ISRO's PSLV-C40 successfully launches 31 satellites from Sriharikota

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How ISRO can be the number one player in the game

Opinion: ISRO satellites give India panopticon surveillance over targets

Watch: ISRO's PSLV-C40 successfully launches 31 satellites from Sriharikota