India is set to go back to the moon as the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is leaving no stone unturned to return to the Moon with Chandrayaan-3. The launch is scheduled for July 14th at 2:35 PM from SDSC. The payload fairing containing the lunar spacecraft has been installed on the LVM-3 and the satellite launch vehicle as well that will launch it to the moon's orbit.

ISRO: India to be the 4th nation to touch Lunar surface

<p>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed on Thursday that the upcoming moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, is scheduled to be launched on July 14. The launch will take place at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, using ISRO's new heavylift launch vehicle LVM-3, which will carry an integrated module, as per ANI reports.</p>

<p>ISRO&nbsp;took to Twitter to unveil the official launch date for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The agency tweeted, "Announcing the launch of Chandrayaan-3: LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission: The launch is now scheduled for July 14, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST from SDSC, Sriharikota."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Announcing the launch of Chandrayaan-3:<br />
<br />
🚀LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 🛰️Mission:<br />
The launch is now scheduled for<br />
📆July 14, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST<br />
from SDSC, Sriharikota<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for the updates!</p>
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1676918082265321472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Chandrayaan-3 integration completed ahead of launch</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this week, ISRO achieved a significant milestone by integrating the encapsulated assembly of Chandrayaan-3 with the launch vehicle LVM3 at SDSC. This successful integration marks a crucial step forward in preparing for the upcoming mission.</p>

<h2><strong>Demonstrating lunar landing and exploration capabilities</strong></h2>

<p>Chandrayaan-3 serves as a successor to the Chandrayaan-2 mission, with the primary objective of demonstrating end-to-end capabilities in safe lunar landing and exploration. The mission is equipped with scientific instruments designed to study various aspects of the lunar environment, including the thermophysical properties of the lunar regolith, lunar seismicity, lunar surface plasma environment, and elemental composition near the landing site.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India aims for the moon again: ISRO says Chandrayaan 3 good to go&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Overcoming setbacks: Marching forward</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this year, in March, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully completed essential tests, validating its ability to withstand the challenging vibration and acoustic conditions experienced during launch. This achievement showcased the spacecraft's resilience and readiness to tackle the demanding lunar mission.</p>

<p>India's previous lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, launched on July 22, 2019, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota. Unfortunately, the mission encountered a setback when the Vikram lunar lander failed to make a successful landing on the Moon's surface, resulting in a crash on September 6.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/g20-space-economy-leader-meeting-commences-in-indias-aerospace-hub-bengaluru-612564">G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting commences in India's Aerospace hub Bengaluru</a></p>

<p>As ISRO prepares for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the focus remains on overcoming past challenges and realising the ambitious goals of lunar exploration and scientific discovery.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed on Thursday that the upcoming moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, is scheduled to be launched on July 14. The launch will take place at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, using ISRO's new heavylift launch vehicle LVM-3, which will carry an integrated module, as per ANI reports.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed on Thursday that the upcoming moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, is scheduled to be launched on July 14. The launch will take place at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, using ISRO's new heavylift launch vehicle LVM-3, which will carry an integrated module, as per ANI reports. ISRO took to Twitter to unveil the official launch date for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The agency tweeted, "Announcing the launch of Chandrayaan-3: LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission: The launch is now scheduled for July 14, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST from SDSC, Sriharikota." Announcing the launch of Chandrayaan-3: 🚀LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 🛰️Mission: The launch is now scheduled for 📆July 14, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST from SDSC, Sriharikota Stay tuned for the updates! — ISRO (@isro) July 6, 2023 × Chandrayaan-3 integration completed ahead of launch Earlier this week, ISRO achieved a significant milestone by integrating the encapsulated assembly of Chandrayaan-3 with the launch vehicle LVM3 at SDSC. This successful integration marks a crucial step forward in preparing for the upcoming mission. Demonstrating lunar landing and exploration capabilities Chandrayaan-3 serves as a successor to the Chandrayaan-2 mission, with the primary objective of demonstrating end-to-end capabilities in safe lunar landing and exploration. The mission is equipped with scientific instruments designed to study various aspects of the lunar environment, including the thermophysical properties of the lunar regolith, lunar seismicity, lunar surface plasma environment, and elemental composition near the landing site. Also watch | India aims for the moon again: ISRO says Chandrayaan 3 good to go Overcoming setbacks: Marching forward Earlier this year, in March, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully completed essential tests, validating its ability to withstand the challenging vibration and acoustic conditions experienced during launch. This achievement showcased the spacecraft's resilience and readiness to tackle the demanding lunar mission. India's previous lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, launched on July 22, 2019, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota. Unfortunately, the mission encountered a setback when the Vikram lunar lander failed to make a successful landing on the Moon's surface, resulting in a crash on September 6. Also read | G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting commences in India's Aerospace hub Bengaluru As ISRO prepares for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the focus remains on overcoming past challenges and realising the ambitious goals of lunar exploration and scientific discovery. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Countdown begins: ISRO to launch Chandrayaan-3 on July 14 | All details here

India is all set to go back to the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is leaving no stone unturned to the moon with Chandrayaan 3 launch. The tentative launch date is July 13th.

India aims for the moon again: ISRO says Chandrayaan 3 good to go | India News | WION

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms- ISRO has said that the LVM-3 rocket is fully integrated ahead of the Chandrayaan-3 launch which is India's largest rocket. ISRO has not yet officially announced a launch date but if all goes well the launch could be expected around the 13th or the 14th of July.

ISRO LVM-3 fully integrated ahead of Chandrayaan-3 launch

<p>Owing to an unforeseen technical issue, the Indian Space Agency ISRO terminated the test firing of its most-powerful rocket engine midway through. This is a minor setback in ISRO's journey towards testing and operationalising its maiden semi-cryogenic rocket engine&nbsp;which has been under development for several years. According to ISRO, the maiden test firing was meant to last 4.5 seconds and was aimed at testing the subsystems of the newly-developed semi-cryogenic engine. However, due to an unforeseen variation in test parameters at the two seconds mark, ISRO terminated the test as a precautionary measure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The test of an intermediate configuration of the Semi-cryogenic Engine (powered by Kerosene and Liquid oxygen), known as Power Head Test Article (PHTA), was carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The PHTA forms the first hardware test of the engine development programme. Meant to deliver a thrust of 2000 kN, this engine is envisioned as one that would power the booster stages of future launch vehicles and enhance the lifting capability of the existing LVM3 rocket, which is India's heaviest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The objective of the test was to validate the integrated performance of the critical subsystems such as the gas generator, turbo pumps, pre-burner and control components by carrying out a hot-firing for a short duration of 4.5 seconds. The ignition and generation of hot gas within the pre-burner chamber that drives the main turbine to drive the fuel and oxidiser pumps were focussed," ISRO said in a statement.</p>

<p>"The test proceeded as predicted till 1.9 seconds validating the ignition and subsequent performance of PHTA. At 2.0 seconds, an unanticipated spike in the turbine pressure and subsequent loss of turbine speed was observed. As a precautionary step, the test was terminated. Analysis under progress would offer further understanding before proceeding with further hot tests for a longer duration," ISRO added.</p>

<p>ISRO commenced the fuel flow testing of this engine at the IPRC facility in May 2023. A series of test firings were planned as part of the process of proving the performance of the engine. While there has been an anomaly observed in the latest test, it must be acknowledged that engine development and testing is a long-drawn, complicated process that takes significant time and effort.&nbsp;</p>

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Owing to an unforeseen technical issue, the Indian Space Agency ISRO terminated the test firing of its most-powerful rocket engine midway through. This is a minor setback in ISRO's journey towards testing and operationalising its maiden semi-cryogenic rocket engine which has been under development for several years.

Owing to an unforeseen technical issue, the Indian Space Agency ISRO terminated the test firing of its most-powerful rocket engine midway through. This is a minor setback in ISRO's journey towards testing and operationalising its maiden semi-cryogenic rocket engine which has been under development for several years. According to ISRO, the maiden test firing was meant to last 4.5 seconds and was aimed at testing the subsystems of the newly-developed semi-cryogenic engine. However, due to an unforeseen variation in test parameters at the two seconds mark, ISRO terminated the test as a precautionary measure. The test of an intermediate configuration of the Semi-cryogenic Engine (powered by Kerosene and Liquid oxygen), known as Power Head Test Article (PHTA), was carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The PHTA forms the first hardware test of the engine development programme. Meant to deliver a thrust of 2000 kN, this engine is envisioned as one that would power the booster stages of future launch vehicles and enhance the lifting capability of the existing LVM3 rocket, which is India's heaviest. "The objective of the test was to validate the integrated performance of the critical subsystems such as the gas generator, turbo pumps, pre-burner and control components by carrying out a hot-firing for a short duration of 4.5 seconds. The ignition and generation of hot gas within the pre-burner chamber that drives the main turbine to drive the fuel and oxidiser pumps were focussed," ISRO said in a statement. "The test proceeded as predicted till 1.9 seconds validating the ignition and subsequent performance of PHTA. At 2.0 seconds, an unanticipated spike in the turbine pressure and subsequent loss of turbine speed was observed. As a precautionary step, the test was terminated. Analysis under progress would offer further understanding before proceeding with further hot tests for a longer duration," ISRO added. ISRO commenced the fuel flow testing of this engine at the IPRC facility in May 2023. A series of test firings were planned as part of the process of proving the performance of the engine. While there has been an anomaly observed in the latest test, it must be acknowledged that engine development and testing is a long-drawn, complicated process that takes significant time and effort. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ISRO terminates test-firing of most-powerful rocket engine midway; analysis ongoing

<p>In a major technological breakthrough that will eventually add more lifting-power to Indian rockets, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully test-fired its most powerful-yet rocket engine. Chairman ISRO Dr. S. Somanath confirmed the development to WION. The test firing was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex(IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.</p>

<p>Known as a semi-cryogenic engine, this is a type of propulsion technology&nbsp;that is powered by special refined kerosene(dubbed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This semi-cryo engine is designed and developed by&nbsp;ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valimala, Thiruvananthapuram and has also roped in Indian industry to take part in the efforts.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-firm-skyroot-aerospace-test-fires-3-d-printed-cryogenic-engine-spacefaring-rocket-launch-by-2023-end-579750">Indian firm test fires 3-D printed cryogenic engine; spacefaring rocket launch by 2023 end</a></strong></p>

<p>After a series of further tests are conducted and this engine is fully qualified, this 2000kN thrust engine and its stage(associated components, fuel tanks etc.) will be replacing the current L110(liquid-fuel core stage) of India's largest rocket - Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3).</p>

<p>The IPRC facility in Southern India&nbsp;is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust and will support the subsequent testing and qualification of the fully integrated Semi-cryogenic engine and stage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In May this year,&nbsp;ISRO had commenced tests on the Pressure Head Test Article (PHTA), a setup that comprises all engine systems except the thrust chamber. "The test is the first of a series of tests planned to validate the design of the propellant feed system, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo-pumps, the gas generator, and control components," ISRO had said back then.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India: ISRO Rocket Launch | 36 satellites on board lifts off</strong></p>

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<p>During the earlier test, the parameters that led up to the engine start were checked and validated. "After the chill down of the LOX circuit, the feed circuit of kerosene was filled, and LOX was admitted into the gas generator by opening the injection valve. Successful performance of the test article helps derive the sequence of operations for further tests" ISRO had said in May.</p>

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In a major technological breakthrough that will eventually add more lifting-power to Indian rockets, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully test-fired its most powerful-yet rocket engine.

In a major technological breakthrough that will eventually add more lifting-power to Indian rockets, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully test-fired its most powerful-yet rocket engine. Chairman ISRO Dr. S. Somanath confirmed the development to WION. The test firing was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex(IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. Known as a semi-cryogenic engine, this is a type of propulsion technology that is powered by special refined kerosene(dubbed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen. This semi-cryo engine is designed and developed by ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valimala, Thiruvananthapuram and has also roped in Indian industry to take part in the efforts. Also read | Indian firm test fires 3-D printed cryogenic engine; spacefaring rocket launch by 2023 end After a series of further tests are conducted and this engine is fully qualified, this 2000kN thrust engine and its stage(associated components, fuel tanks etc.) will be replacing the current L110(liquid-fuel core stage) of India's largest rocket - Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3). The IPRC facility in Southern India is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust and will support the subsequent testing and qualification of the fully integrated Semi-cryogenic engine and stage. In May this year, ISRO had commenced tests on the Pressure Head Test Article (PHTA), a setup that comprises all engine systems except the thrust chamber. "The test is the first of a series of tests planned to validate the design of the propellant feed system, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo-pumps, the gas generator, and control components," ISRO had said back then. Also watch | India: ISRO Rocket Launch | 36 satellites on board lifts off × During the earlier test, the parameters that led up to the engine start were checked and validated. "After the chill down of the LOX circuit, the feed circuit of kerosene was filled, and LOX was admitted into the gas generator by opening the injection valve. Successful performance of the test article helps derive the sequence of operations for further tests" ISRO had said in May. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

More lifting-power for Indian rockets: ISRO test-fires India's most powerful rocket engine

India and the US are working on their most ambitious space venture yet. This was announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent state visit to the US. As part of the joint mission to the ISS, NASA will also provide advanced training to the Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. As of now, the international space station is populated by astronauts from the USA, Russia, Canada, Japan, and the European Union. In recent years, astronauts from Israel, Saudi Arabia, and UAE have also worked at the ISS. Soon, an Indian astronaut could join the ranks.

India & US will undertake joint mission to international space station in 2024

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuid1GdtY1rDSXWE" /><meta charset="utf-8" />As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden state visit to the USA is underway in full swing, there are multiple reports about India and the US furthering cooperation in the space domain. Reports quoting White House sources claimed that Indian Space Agency ISRO and American Space Agency NASA have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024. However, there is no official word on such agreements.</p>

<p>So far, it is only that India and the US will be launching a jointly-built sophisticated earth-imaging satellite known as 'NISAR' NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar.<br />
<br />
Speaking to WION, NISAR Project Scientist Dr. Paul Rosen from NASA-JPL had said that the launch is likely to take place in early-2024.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;ISRO to launch joint Indo-US space mission in early 2024</strong></p>

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<p>For more than 10 years, scientists from both nations have been working on the NISAR project and the satellite has even arrived in India's UR Rao Satellite Centre, in preparation for an early-2024 launch. However, the reports on the NASA-ISRO joint mission to the Space station, if true, open up interesting possibilities and bring to the fore a lot of questions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the time of writing this report, neither the Indian government nor the American government has issued official statements regarding the NASA-ISRO mission to the Space station or India's signing of the Artemis Accords(a set of guidelines for space sustainable, safe space exploration in the 21st century). ISRO and NASA have also not issued any statements regarding the same.<br />
<br />
Notably, even the ISRO Chief Dr. S. Somanath and the Minister of State in India's Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh are not part of the delegation that has accompanied PM Modi. However, it must be kept in mind that the Prime Minister is also in-charge of the Department of Space, thereby making him the seniormost decision-making authority in the space domain.</p>

<h2><strong>Questions,&nbsp;possibilities that arise&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>India's space agency ISRO has been working on the country's ambitious indigenous Human Spaceflight programme known as Gaganyaan. ISRO Chairman, Dr. S. Somanath recently told WION that the Indian Astronaut candidates (crew of Indian Air Force Pilots) have completed the first round of training abroad, completed simulator training in India and are now undergoing theoretical training. He added that the maiden unmanned mission of Gaganyaan would be carried out in early-2024 and the astronaut mission would be attempted in late-2024 or early-2025. India's efforts towards Gaganyaan are being supported by Russia, US, Japan, France, European Union etc.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;ISRO Chief speaks to WION on Astronaut Mission</strong></p>

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<p>Gaganyaan is expected to be a three-day mission where a crew of Indian astronauts housed within a capsule (crew module) will be carried to space on an Indian rocket and brought back to earth. Once in earth orbit, the crew are expected to perform in-orbit experiments during their stay in space and then the crew module would de-orbit and splash down, off the Indian coast.</p>

<p>As India's astronauts gear up for the indigenous Gaganyaan mission, could the ISRO-NASA joint mission to the International Space Station(ISS) in 2024 be a precursor? One such mission to space can help in preparing the Indian crew for their own national mission and give them a feel of travelling to space, living in Low Earth orbit and working there.</p>

<p>While the ISS is originally a co-operative programme between US, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan, astronauts from Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE have flown to the ISS and worked there, as part of private missions. Such a possibility exists for Indian astronauts as well and they could join astronauts from other nations on the ride to the ISS, nestled within the Crew Dragon Capsule that sits atop a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, a $55 million or Rs.440 crore price tag awaits each passenger who wishes to travel to space on a private mission like the Saudi Astronauts did. This $55mn cost is said to cover the two-way transportation, 10-day orbital stay and a 15-week astronaut training programme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO officials have said on various occasions that India's Gaganyaan is not a one-off mission and will have several follow-on missions. As a nation with end-to-end space capability (ability to design, develop, build and launch rockets and satellites indigenously), India aspires to have a sustained human presence in space, possibly an Indian Space Station. Till the time that plan becomes a reality, ISRO-NASA missions to the ISS and similar efforts could provide a great wealth of learnings and experience for India's space science community and aid in developing India's own plans and resources towards sustained human presence in Low Earth Orbit.</p>

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As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden state visit to the USA is underway in full swing, there are multiple reports about India and the US furthering cooperation in the space domain.

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden state visit to the USA is underway in full swing, there are multiple reports about India and the US furthering cooperation in the space domain. Reports quoting White House sources claimed that Indian Space Agency ISRO and American Space Agency NASA have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024. However, there is no official word on such agreements. So far, it is only that India and the US will be launching a jointly-built sophisticated earth-imaging satellite known as 'NISAR' NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar. Speaking to WION, NISAR Project Scientist Dr. Paul Rosen from NASA-JPL had said that the launch is likely to take place in early-2024. Watch: ISRO to launch joint Indo-US space mission in early 2024 × For more than 10 years, scientists from both nations have been working on the NISAR project and the satellite has even arrived in India's UR Rao Satellite Centre, in preparation for an early-2024 launch. However, the reports on the NASA-ISRO joint mission to the Space station, if true, open up interesting possibilities and bring to the fore a lot of questions. At the time of writing this report, neither the Indian government nor the American government has issued official statements regarding the NASA-ISRO mission to the Space station or India's signing of the Artemis Accords(a set of guidelines for space sustainable, safe space exploration in the 21st century). ISRO and NASA have also not issued any statements regarding the same. Notably, even the ISRO Chief Dr. S. Somanath and the Minister of State in India's Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh are not part of the delegation that has accompanied PM Modi. However, it must be kept in mind that the Prime Minister is also in-charge of the Department of Space, thereby making him the seniormost decision-making authority in the space domain. Questions, possibilities that arise India's space agency ISRO has been working on the country's ambitious indigenous Human Spaceflight programme known as Gaganyaan. ISRO Chairman, Dr. S. Somanath recently told WION that the Indian Astronaut candidates (crew of Indian Air Force Pilots) have completed the first round of training abroad, completed simulator training in India and are now undergoing theoretical training. He added that the maiden unmanned mission of Gaganyaan would be carried out in early-2024 and the astronaut mission would be attempted in late-2024 or early-2025. India's efforts towards Gaganyaan are being supported by Russia, US, Japan, France, European Union etc. Watch: ISRO Chief speaks to WION on Astronaut Mission × Gaganyaan is expected to be a three-day mission where a crew of Indian astronauts housed within a capsule (crew module) will be carried to space on an Indian rocket and brought back to earth. Once in earth orbit, the crew are expected to perform in-orbit experiments during their stay in space and then the crew module would de-orbit and splash down, off the Indian coast. As India's astronauts gear up for the indigenous Gaganyaan mission, could the ISRO-NASA joint mission to the International Space Station(ISS) in 2024 be a precursor? One such mission to space can help in preparing the Indian crew for their own national mission and give them a feel of travelling to space, living in Low Earth orbit and working there. While the ISS is originally a co-operative programme between US, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan, astronauts from Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE have flown to the ISS and worked there, as part of private missions. Such a possibility exists for Indian astronauts as well and they could join astronauts from other nations on the ride to the ISS, nestled within the Crew Dragon Capsule that sits atop a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket. However, a $55 million or Rs.440 crore price tag awaits each passenger who wishes to travel to space on a private mission like the Saudi Astronauts did. This $55mn cost is said to cover the two-way transportation, 10-day orbital stay and a 15-week astronaut training programme. ISRO officials have said on various occasions that India's Gaganyaan is not a one-off mission and will have several follow-on missions. As a nation with end-to-end space capability (ability to design, develop, build and launch rockets and satellites indigenously), India aspires to have a sustained human presence in space, possibly an Indian Space Station. Till the time that plan becomes a reality, ISRO-NASA missions to the ISS and similar efforts could provide a great wealth of learnings and experience for India's space science community and aid in developing India's own plans and resources towards sustained human presence in Low Earth Orbit. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Indian astronauts going to the Int'l Space Station in 2024? Here are the possibilities

For more than four years the Indian space agency ISRO has been working on its most ambitious Mission yet known as Gaganyaan 3. This Mission will involve sending Indian astronauts to space and returning them to Earth safely all of this uses indigenous technology to know how far the astronaut's training has progressed listening to our correspondent Siddharth MP who spoke exclusively to ISRO Chief Dr S Somnath.

ISRO Chief speaks to WION on Astronaut Mission

Jointly developed by scientists from the US and India, the much-awaited NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR, has landed in India. The mega scientific payload was being integrated at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

WION exclusive: ISRO to launch joint Indo-US space mission in early 2024

In July 2023, India will be launching a spacecraft to land on the moon. The mission is known as Chandrayaan-3 and then it will be a spacecraft mission to study the Sun from afar it is known as Aditya L1. On the sidelines of ISRO's first-ever International Conference on Spacecraft Mission Operations, the ISRO Chief Dr. Somnath spoke to WION's Siddharth MP.

Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has arrived at spaceport Sriharikota: ISRO chief to WION

Chandrayaan-3 is India's third lunar mission | ISRO Latest

<p>India's third Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-3 will have an orbiter (designated as Propulsion Module), but this orbiter won't carry scientific payloads, as was done during Chandrayaan-2. This means that the orbiter weighs lesser than that of its predecessor. However,&nbsp;the payload mass reduced from the orbiter has been added to the Chandrayaan-3 Lunar lander. The Indian Lunar spacecraft comprises three parts - Orbiter, Lander, and Rover.</p>

<p>"The added mass on the Lunar lander comprises more fuel, more ruggedisation, measures for failure tolerance and strengthening of landing legs and increased scientific payloads, larger solar panels for better power generation," Dr&nbsp;S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO told WION. He was responding to WION's question on whether the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft would weigh lesser than its predecessor (which weighed around 3.6 tonnes or 3,600kgs).</p>

<p>Addressing media on the sidelines of ISRO's maiden International Conference on Spacecraft Mission Operations, the Chief of the Indian Space Agency said that Chandrayaan-3 is to be launched in the 1-week window that begins on July 12<sup>th</sup>,&nbsp;if all were to go as per plan.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/openais-ceo-sam-altman-meets-pm-modi-heres-what-was-discussed-602248">OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman meets PM Modi, here's what was discussed</a></p>

<p>Deep space missions are launched within a specific window (period of time), keeping in mind various factors including the dynamic position of the destination (with respect to Earth), the time taken to travel to the destination, the steps involved, the rocket being used, the purpose of the mission, the movement and impact of other heavenly bodies, etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elaborating on the status of Chandrayaan-3, he added that the spacecraft was undergoing testing of its propulsion module (orbiter), lander, and rover, while the LVM3 rocket is also being integrated. "India's largest rocket LVM3 will be integrated and ready for Chandrayaan-3 by June-end, whereas by early July the spacecraft would be ready," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Queried about how confident the positive mission outcome of Chandrayaan-3 is, Dr&nbsp;Somanath told WION that he is always confident, but space is an unforgiving domain, where only rigorous testing and clear decision-making yield favourable results. Smilingly, making a mention of luck being involved, he said that "even luck comes out of hard work and the perseverance to do the right thing at the right time".</p>

<p>India's latest Lunar mission will take the same path and trajectory as its predecessor, as it is a tried and tested route to the moon, which is at a distance of 3,84,000 kms from Earth. The journey is expected to take around a month and a half, as a circuitous route would be followed. In September 2019, India's second Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-2 crash-landed on the lunar surface, minutes before it was expected to make a controlled vertical landing at the Lunar South Pole. With a successful Lunar landing, India hopes to join the list of nations that includes the US, Russia, and China.&nbsp;</p>

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India's third Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-3 will have an orbiter (designated as Propulsion Module), but this orbiter won't carry scientific payloads, as was done during Chandrayaan-2.

India's third Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-3 will have an orbiter (designated as Propulsion Module), but this orbiter won't carry scientific payloads, as was done during Chandrayaan-2. This means that the orbiter weighs lesser than that of its predecessor. However, the payload mass reduced from the orbiter has been added to the Chandrayaan-3 Lunar lander. The Indian Lunar spacecraft comprises three parts - Orbiter, Lander, and Rover. "The added mass on the Lunar lander comprises more fuel, more ruggedisation, measures for failure tolerance and strengthening of landing legs and increased scientific payloads, larger solar panels for better power generation," Dr S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO told WION. He was responding to WION's question on whether the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft would weigh lesser than its predecessor (which weighed around 3.6 tonnes or 3,600kgs). Addressing media on the sidelines of ISRO's maiden International Conference on Spacecraft Mission Operations, the Chief of the Indian Space Agency said that Chandrayaan-3 is to be launched in the 1-week window that begins on July 12th, if all were to go as per plan. Also read | OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman meets PM Modi, here's what was discussed Deep space missions are launched within a specific window (period of time), keeping in mind various factors including the dynamic position of the destination (with respect to Earth), the time taken to travel to the destination, the steps involved, the rocket being used, the purpose of the mission, the movement and impact of other heavenly bodies, etc. Elaborating on the status of Chandrayaan-3, he added that the spacecraft was undergoing testing of its propulsion module (orbiter), lander, and rover, while the LVM3 rocket is also being integrated. "India's largest rocket LVM3 will be integrated and ready for Chandrayaan-3 by June-end, whereas by early July the spacecraft would be ready," he said. Queried about how confident the positive mission outcome of Chandrayaan-3 is, Dr Somanath told WION that he is always confident, but space is an unforgiving domain, where only rigorous testing and clear decision-making yield favourable results. Smilingly, making a mention of luck being involved, he said that "even luck comes out of hard work and the perseverance to do the right thing at the right time". India's latest Lunar mission will take the same path and trajectory as its predecessor, as it is a tried and tested route to the moon, which is at a distance of 3,84,000 kms from Earth. The journey is expected to take around a month and a half, as a circuitous route would be followed. In September 2019, India's second Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-2 crash-landed on the lunar surface, minutes before it was expected to make a controlled vertical landing at the Lunar South Pole. With a successful Lunar landing, India hopes to join the list of nations that includes the US, Russia, and China. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Chandrayaan-3 intended to be launched between July 12  and 19: ISRO chairman to WION

Israel shocked favourites Brazil 3-2 and advanced to the semifinals of the Under-20 World Cup in San Juan. The tense encounter featured extra-time goals and two penalty shots wasted by Israel.

Israel shock Brazil to reach U20 World Cup semifinals

<p>In India, while using a navigation/maps application on your mobile device, your gadget is using signals from the Amercian Global Positioning system (constellation of satellites) or perhaps the equivalent Russian Glonass system. For several years, India's scaled-down version of GPS, known as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) has been operational. However, the civilian services offered by NavIC are not compatible with most mobile phones (which form a large segment of users). In less than two years, this is set to change and your gadgets will be able to provide more accurate positioning and navigation, thanks to a new fleet of Indian satellites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NVS-01, the first among the new series of five satellites was launched by the Indian Space Agency, earlier this week. Every six months from now, a new satellite will be added, until the fleet of five is completed. At present, India uses its Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series of satellites for civilian and defence navigation, positioning, and timing services in the Indian mainland and even 1500 km beyond India's borders. “NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features. This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services,” ISRO had said.</p>

<p>ISRO chairman Dr S. Somanath explained to WION that the original series of NavIC satellites had a shortcoming — they operated only in the L5-band and S-band frequencies. This was because India hadn't received the International Telecommunication Union authorisation for using the L1 and L2 frequency bands, which are widely used worldwide for navigation services. It was after the European constellation Galileo was granted permission to use the L1 band, that India also requested for the same and obtained it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Now that L1 band is available on the NVS-01 satellite(and will be available on subsequent NVS satellites), it is an interoperable frequency and can be used across all chipsets(of mobile devices), provided they use our signal architecture,"&nbsp;Dr Somanath told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, the Indian government and ISRO had been making efforts to make chipmakers and phone manufacturers adopt the L5 and S bands frequencies(which the original NavIC series used). However, this was met with various roadblocks as L5 and S were not civilian-use frequencies. Therefore, phone makers had to put in additional chipsets and hardware to make their devices NavIC-compatible, thus making their devices costlier. A mix of such technological and cost reasons meant that phone makers did not widely adopt NavIC and millions of Indian smartphone users couldn't benefit from it.</p>

<p>"Henceforth, with NavIC being operational on the L1 frequency band and when all other satellites in the NVS fleet are service-ready, naturally all our mobile phones can be made compatible with NavIC. This is possible without any additional investment and extra hardware from the manufacturer's end," Dr. Somanath concluded.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
"For NavIC to work on our devices, phone manufacturers will have to roll out some software updates alone. Hereafter, no hardware-based changes or new chips will be required, as all mobile chipsets are compatible with the L1 band that the NVS series of satellites will be using," Nilesh M. Desai, Director of ISRO's Space Applications Centre told WION. Based in Ahmedabad, ISRO's SAC is responsible for designing and developing space-borne instruments for ISRO missions and the development and operationalisation of applications of space technology for societal benefits.</p>

<p>At present, NavIC services are being used in L5 and S-band frequencies for select civilian purposes. This is being done using custom-made devices in certain phones, and fixed receivers. Such receivers are used for train tracking, transportation fleet monitoring, fishing boat monitoring, geofencing etc.&nbsp;</p>

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In India, while using a navigation/maps application on your mobile device, your gadget is using signals from the Amercian Global Positioning system (constellation of satellites) or perhaps the equivalent Russian Glonass system.

In India, while using a navigation/maps application on your mobile device, your gadget is using signals from the Amercian Global Positioning system (constellation of satellites) or perhaps the equivalent Russian Glonass system. For several years, India's scaled-down version of GPS, known as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) has been operational. However, the civilian services offered by NavIC are not compatible with most mobile phones (which form a large segment of users). In less than two years, this is set to change and your gadgets will be able to provide more accurate positioning and navigation, thanks to a new fleet of Indian satellites. NVS-01, the first among the new series of five satellites was launched by the Indian Space Agency, earlier this week. Every six months from now, a new satellite will be added, until the fleet of five is completed. At present, India uses its Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series of satellites for civilian and defence navigation, positioning, and timing services in the Indian mainland and even 1500 km beyond India's borders. “NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features. This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services,” ISRO had said. ISRO chairman Dr S. Somanath explained to WION that the original series of NavIC satellites had a shortcoming — they operated only in the L5-band and S-band frequencies. This was because India hadn't received the International Telecommunication Union authorisation for using the L1 and L2 frequency bands, which are widely used worldwide for navigation services. It was after the European constellation Galileo was granted permission to use the L1 band, that India also requested for the same and obtained it. "Now that L1 band is available on the NVS-01 satellite(and will be available on subsequent NVS satellites), it is an interoperable frequency and can be used across all chipsets(of mobile devices), provided they use our signal architecture," Dr Somanath told WION. Earlier, the Indian government and ISRO had been making efforts to make chipmakers and phone manufacturers adopt the L5 and S bands frequencies(which the original NavIC series used). However, this was met with various roadblocks as L5 and S were not civilian-use frequencies. Therefore, phone makers had to put in additional chipsets and hardware to make their devices NavIC-compatible, thus making their devices costlier. A mix of such technological and cost reasons meant that phone makers did not widely adopt NavIC and millions of Indian smartphone users couldn't benefit from it. "Henceforth, with NavIC being operational on the L1 frequency band and when all other satellites in the NVS fleet are service-ready, naturally all our mobile phones can be made compatible with NavIC. This is possible without any additional investment and extra hardware from the manufacturer's end," Dr. Somanath concluded. "For NavIC to work on our devices, phone manufacturers will have to roll out some software updates alone. Hereafter, no hardware-based changes or new chips will be required, as all mobile chipsets are compatible with the L1 band that the NVS series of satellites will be using," Nilesh M. Desai, Director of ISRO's Space Applications Centre told WION. Based in Ahmedabad, ISRO's SAC is responsible for designing and developing space-borne instruments for ISRO missions and the development and operationalisation of applications of space technology for societal benefits. At present, NavIC services are being used in L5 and S-band frequencies for select civilian purposes. This is being done using custom-made devices in certain phones, and fixed receivers. Such receivers are used for train tracking, transportation fleet monitoring, fishing boat monitoring, geofencing etc. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Exclusive: Your mobile could soon use India's NavIC satellite signals for navigation

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its next generation of navigation satellites on Monday. With this India has demonstrated the ability to evolve as it alerts from previous rocket failures in August 2021.

ISRO Chief Dr. S Somnath speaks to WION, says 'India has means to make indigenous systems global'

<p>An international&nbsp;team of scientists led by Professor Abhijit Chakraborty of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad identified the densest alien planet, 13 times the size of Jupiter.</p>

<p>This is the third exoplanet identified by PRL scientists. The discovery was detailed in the journal Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics Letters.</p>

<p>Scientists from India, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States utilised the indigenous PRL Advanced Radial-velocity Abu-sky Search spectrograph (PARAS) at Mt. Abu's Gurushikhar Observatory to precisely determine the planet's mass. The exoplanet weighs 14 g/cm3.</p>

<h2><strong>A Look at TOI 4603b</strong></h2>

<p>The newly found planet orbits a star known as TOI4603 or HD 245134, and Nasa's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has previously identified the star as a prospective home for a secondary body of unknown type. The body has now been identified as a planet and given the designation TOI 4603b or HD 245134b, reported India Today.</p>

<p>The planet is 731 light years distant from Earth and revolves around its star every 7.24 days. With a temperature of 1396 degrees Celsius, the planet is scorching.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/uae-set-to-land-spacecraft-on-asteroid-between-mars-and-jupiter-in-2034-598273">UAE set to land spacecraft on asteroid between Mars and Jupiter in 2034</a></p>

<p>As per the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), what distinguishes this finding is that it falls into the transition mass region between huge giant planets and low-mass brown dwarfs.</p>

<p>The masses of these planets vary from 11 to 16 times that of Jupiter, and fewer than five exoplanets in this mass range are currently known.</p>

<p>While the quest for life beyond Earth continues, scientists have identified over 5,000 exoplanets beyond the solar system with varying natures, features, and atmospheres.</p>

<p>The recently discovered exoplanet TOI 4603b is one of the most massive and dense giant planets, orbiting its home star at a distance less than one-tenth that of our Sun.</p>

<p>"The detection of such systems provides valuable insights into the formation, migration, and evolution mechanisms of massive exoplanets," ISRO&nbsp;said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-james-webb-telescope-spots-saturns-moon-blasting-huge-plumes-of-life-containing-water-into-space-597526">NASA's James Webb Telescope spots Saturn's moon blasting 'huge plumes' of life-containing water into space</a></p>

<h2 itemprop="headline"><strong>New Earth-sized planet discovered</strong></h2>

<p>A new Earth-sized planet has been discovered approximately 90 light-years away&nbsp;from us. In astronomical terms, that's right next door. Furthermore, it may be capable of maintaining life, reported New Atlas.</p>

<p>Astronomers discovered LP 791-18d using ground- and space-based investigations by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and its now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope.</p>

<p>LP 791-18d circles a tiny red dwarf star approximately 90 light-years distant in the constellation Crater in the southern celestial hemisphere. The scientists that discovered the planet calculated its mass by comparing the time it takes the planet to orbit its home star. These orbits are caused by the gravitational attraction of the other planets in the system.</p>

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An international team of scientists led by Professor Abhijit Chakraborty of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad identified the densest alien planet, 13 times the size of Jupiter.

An international team of scientists led by Professor Abhijit Chakraborty of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad identified the densest alien planet, 13 times the size of Jupiter. This is the third exoplanet identified by PRL scientists. The discovery was detailed in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters. Scientists from India, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States utilised the indigenous PRL Advanced Radial-velocity Abu-sky Search spectrograph (PARAS) at Mt. Abu's Gurushikhar Observatory to precisely determine the planet's mass. The exoplanet weighs 14 g/cm3. A Look at TOI 4603b The newly found planet orbits a star known as TOI4603 or HD 245134, and Nasa's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has previously identified the star as a prospective home for a secondary body of unknown type. The body has now been identified as a planet and given the designation TOI 4603b or HD 245134b, reported India Today. The planet is 731 light years distant from Earth and revolves around its star every 7.24 days. With a temperature of 1396 degrees Celsius, the planet is scorching. ALSO READ | UAE set to land spacecraft on asteroid between Mars and Jupiter in 2034 As per the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), what distinguishes this finding is that it falls into the transition mass region between huge giant planets and low-mass brown dwarfs. The masses of these planets vary from 11 to 16 times that of Jupiter, and fewer than five exoplanets in this mass range are currently known. While the quest for life beyond Earth continues, scientists have identified over 5,000 exoplanets beyond the solar system with varying natures, features, and atmospheres. The recently discovered exoplanet TOI 4603b is one of the most massive and dense giant planets, orbiting its home star at a distance less than one-tenth that of our Sun. "The detection of such systems provides valuable insights into the formation, migration, and evolution mechanisms of massive exoplanets," ISRO said. ALSO READ | NASA's James Webb Telescope spots Saturn's moon blasting 'huge plumes' of life-containing water into space New Earth-sized planet discovered A new Earth-sized planet has been discovered approximately 90 light-years away from us. In astronomical terms, that's right next door. Furthermore, it may be capable of maintaining life, reported New Atlas. Astronomers discovered LP 791-18d using ground- and space-based investigations by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and its now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope. LP 791-18d circles a tiny red dwarf star approximately 90 light-years distant in the constellation Crater in the southern celestial hemisphere. The scientists that discovered the planet calculated its mass by comparing the time it takes the planet to orbit its home star. These orbits are caused by the gravitational attraction of the other planets in the system. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Indian scientists discover gigantic alien planet, 13 times bigger than Jupiter

In a huge achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully launched the first of the second-generation satellites for its navigation constellation. Molly Gambhir tells you why this is significant.

Gravitas: India launches next-gen navigational satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday successfully placed NVS-1, the first of the second-generation satellite series, into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

ISRO successfully launches next-generation navigation satellite NVS-01

<p>India's space agency, ISRO, successfully launched a satellite crucial to the country's satellite navigation system using the GSLV rocket.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations, <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a>, on the successful launch of GSLV-F12/NVS-01 Mission 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/cr2195goNk">pic.twitter.com/cr2195goNk</a></p>
— Indian Aerospace Defence News - IADN (@NewsIADN) <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsIADN/status/1663052833770590208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The NVS-01 satellite is the initial satellite in the second-generation navigation satellite series developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in Bengaluru. Currently, India relies on its NavIC series of satellites to provide navigation, positioning, and timing services for civilian and defence purposes within India and up to 1500 kilometres beyond its borders.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mysterious-venice-canal-stuns-locals-as-patch-takes-on-fluorescent-green-hue-597632">Mysterious! Venice canal stuns locals as patch takes on fluorescent green hue</a></p>

<p>The NVS series of satellites aims to support and expand the capabilities of NavIC with improved features. These satellites will introduce L1 band signals to broaden the range of services offered. Notably, the NVS-01 satellite will also include an indigenous atomic clock, a significant milestone for ISRO.</p>

<p>Atomic clocks are extremely accurate timekeeping devices deployed within satellites. They provide time measurements with precision down to the nanosecond, which is equivalent to one billionth of a second. This level of precision is crucial in ensuring accurate positioning services.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-secures-approval-for-second-hydropower-project-in-nepal-strengthening-bilateral-energy-cooperation-597637">India secures approval for second hydropower project in Nepal, strengthening bilateral energy cooperation</a></p>

<p>When utilising satellite-based positioning and navigation services, our position is determined by calculating the distance from multiple satellites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This calculation involves multiplying the time it takes for signals to travel with the speed of the signal, which is nearly the speed of light. In such calculations involving large values, even a tiny variation of a billionth of a second can result in an incorrect distance measurement, leading to inaccuracies in positioning by several meters or even tens of meters.</p>

<p>To address this, the presence of atomic clocks becomes essential. These clocks are designed to operate for several years without experiencing errors in timekeeping at the nanosecond level. Their exceptional accuracy ensures that precise time measurements are maintained consistently, allowing for accurate distance calculations and reliable positioning services.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Turkey Elections 2023: Erdogan back for another five years</strong></p>

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<p>In a statement to reporters before the launch, Dr. S. Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, revealed that only four of India's current NavIC satellites were operational. Instead of replacing the three non-functional satellites from the previous generation, ISRO has decided to launch a set of five next-generation NavIC satellites, with NVS-01 being the first among them.</p>

<p>The reason behind launching a new fleet of five satellites is that the existing constellation is expected to reach the end of its mission life in a few years. Therefore, it is not advisable to simply replace the old fleet. The plan is to launch two next-generation NavIC satellites annually.</p>

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India's space agency, ISRO, successfully launched a satellite crucial to the country's satellite navigation system using the GSLV rocket. Congratulations, @isro, on the successful launch of GSLV-F12/NVS-01 Mission 🇮🇳 pic.

India's space agency, ISRO, successfully launched a satellite crucial to the country's satellite navigation system using the GSLV rocket. Congratulations, @isro, on the successful launch of GSLV-F12/NVS-01 Mission 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/cr2195goNk — Indian Aerospace Defence News - IADN (@NewsIADN) May 29, 2023 × The NVS-01 satellite is the initial satellite in the second-generation navigation satellite series developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in Bengaluru. Currently, India relies on its NavIC series of satellites to provide navigation, positioning, and timing services for civilian and defence purposes within India and up to 1500 kilometres beyond its borders. Also Read | Mysterious! Venice canal stuns locals as patch takes on fluorescent green hue The NVS series of satellites aims to support and expand the capabilities of NavIC with improved features. These satellites will introduce L1 band signals to broaden the range of services offered. Notably, the NVS-01 satellite will also include an indigenous atomic clock, a significant milestone for ISRO. Atomic clocks are extremely accurate timekeeping devices deployed within satellites. They provide time measurements with precision down to the nanosecond, which is equivalent to one billionth of a second. This level of precision is crucial in ensuring accurate positioning services. Also Read | India secures approval for second hydropower project in Nepal, strengthening bilateral energy cooperation When utilising satellite-based positioning and navigation services, our position is determined by calculating the distance from multiple satellites. This calculation involves multiplying the time it takes for signals to travel with the speed of the signal, which is nearly the speed of light. In such calculations involving large values, even a tiny variation of a billionth of a second can result in an incorrect distance measurement, leading to inaccuracies in positioning by several meters or even tens of meters. To address this, the presence of atomic clocks becomes essential. These clocks are designed to operate for several years without experiencing errors in timekeeping at the nanosecond level. Their exceptional accuracy ensures that precise time measurements are maintained consistently, allowing for accurate distance calculations and reliable positioning services. Watch | Turkey Elections 2023: Erdogan back for another five years × In a statement to reporters before the launch, Dr. S. Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, revealed that only four of India's current NavIC satellites were operational. Instead of replacing the three non-functional satellites from the previous generation, ISRO has decided to launch a set of five next-generation NavIC satellites, with NVS-01 being the first among them. The reason behind launching a new fleet of five satellites is that the existing constellation is expected to reach the end of its mission life in a few years. Therefore, it is not advisable to simply replace the old fleet. The plan is to launch two next-generation NavIC satellites annually. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

ISRO achieves milestone with successful launch of next-gen navigation satellite on GSLV rocket

ISRO successfully launches next-generation navigation satellite NVS-1

The Indian Space Research Organisation conducted the fifth launch of 2023 as it lifted off a 2232-kilogram satellite, part of its NavIC series, into space. The NVS-1 launched onboard GSLV F12 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

ISRO launches GSLV in text-book mission, deploys next-gen NVS-1 Navic satellite

<p>The Indian space agency ISRO will be carrying out its fourth launch mission of calendar year 2023, at 10:42am (local time) on Monday, May 29. In this launch mission, ISRO's medium-lift launcher, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) will be placing a 2,332kg navigation satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit(GTO).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The GTO is a temporary parking orbit, into which the satellite will be hurled by the rocket. There on, the satellite will independently use its onboard propulsion systems to perform orbit-raising manoeuvres and reach its intended orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NVS-01 is the first in the series of second-generation navigation satellites built by ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. At present, India uses its Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series of satellites for civilian and defence navigation, positioning, and timing services in the Indian mainland and even 1500 kms beyond India's borders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features. This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services. For the first time, an indigenous atomic clock will be flown in NVS-01," ISRO said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Atomic clocks are highly precise timekeeping instruments that are placed within satellites. They offer measurements of time that are precise down to a billionth of a second (nanosecond). Such precision is crucial because they help in offering accurate positioning services. While using satellite-based positioning and navigation services, our position(of the GPS receiver) is determined with respect to its distance from multiple satellites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When such a calculation happens, the distance is derived by multiplying the time (taken for signal to travel) and the speed of the signal (almost similar to speed of light). In such cases, (when large values are being multiplied) even a variation of a billionth of a second can lead to an inaccurate distance value (by a few meters or tens of meters). Hence it is necessary to have atomic clocks that can work for several years without even nanosecond-level errors in timekeeping.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, the NavIC series of satellites were known as IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System). It provides two types of services- Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users and Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorised users.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to ISRO, some of the applications of IRNSS/NavIC system are Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation, Disaster Management, Vehicle tracking and fleet management, Precise Timing etc. According to ISRO, NavIC SPS signals are interoperable with other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals such as - GPS, Glonass, Galileo, and BeiDou.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO's current series of eight NavIC satellites were placed in orbit in a phased manner between the years 2013 and 2018 using PSLV rockets. All satellites in the first-generation NavIC series weighed 1,425kg and carried foreign-origin atomic clocks. All IRNSS/NavIC series satellites carried two types of payloads – navigation payload and ranging payload. The navigation payload of transmits signals for the determination of position, velocity and time. Rubidium atomic clocks are part of the navigation payload of the satellite. The ranging payload of these satellites consists of a C-band transponder which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.</p>

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The Indian space agency ISRO will be carrying out its fourth launch mission of calendar year 2023, at 10:42am (local time) on Monday, May 29. In this launch mission, ISRO's medium-lift launcher, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) will be placing a 2,332kg navigation satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit(GTO).

The Indian space agency ISRO will be carrying out its fourth launch mission of calendar year 2023, at 10:42am (local time) on Monday, May 29. In this launch mission, ISRO's medium-lift launcher, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) will be placing a 2,332kg navigation satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit(GTO). The GTO is a temporary parking orbit, into which the satellite will be hurled by the rocket. There on, the satellite will independently use its onboard propulsion systems to perform orbit-raising manoeuvres and reach its intended orbit. NVS-01 is the first in the series of second-generation navigation satellites built by ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. At present, India uses its Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series of satellites for civilian and defence navigation, positioning, and timing services in the Indian mainland and even 1500 kms beyond India's borders. "NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features. This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services. For the first time, an indigenous atomic clock will be flown in NVS-01," ISRO said. Atomic clocks are highly precise timekeeping instruments that are placed within satellites. They offer measurements of time that are precise down to a billionth of a second (nanosecond). Such precision is crucial because they help in offering accurate positioning services. While using satellite-based positioning and navigation services, our position(of the GPS receiver) is determined with respect to its distance from multiple satellites. When such a calculation happens, the distance is derived by multiplying the time (taken for signal to travel) and the speed of the signal (almost similar to speed of light). In such cases, (when large values are being multiplied) even a variation of a billionth of a second can lead to an inaccurate distance value (by a few meters or tens of meters). Hence it is necessary to have atomic clocks that can work for several years without even nanosecond-level errors in timekeeping. Earlier, the NavIC series of satellites were known as IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System). It provides two types of services- Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users and Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the authorised users. According to ISRO, some of the applications of IRNSS/NavIC system are Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation, Disaster Management, Vehicle tracking and fleet management, Precise Timing etc. According to ISRO, NavIC SPS signals are interoperable with other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals such as - GPS, Glonass, Galileo, and BeiDou. ISRO's current series of eight NavIC satellites were placed in orbit in a phased manner between the years 2013 and 2018 using PSLV rockets. All satellites in the first-generation NavIC series weighed 1,425kg and carried foreign-origin atomic clocks. All IRNSS/NavIC series satellites carried two types of payloads – navigation payload and ranging payload. The navigation payload of transmits signals for the determination of position, velocity and time. Rubidium atomic clocks are part of the navigation payload of the satellite. The ranging payload of these satellites consists of a C-band transponder which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ISRO's GSLV to launch next-gen navigation satellite NVS-01 on May 29

<p>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated the series of tests required for qualifying and validating its most-powerful liquid-fuelled engine yet, one that is powered by special refined kerosene (dubbed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen. Once ready, this 2000kN engine and its stage(associated components, fuel tanks etc.) will be replacing the current L110(core stage) of India's largest rocket - Launch Vehicle Mark 3(LVM3). This is meant to significantly add to the lifting power of the LVM3 rocket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the procedure followed in such cases, ISRO carried out tests on the Pressure Head Test Article(PHTA), a setup that comprises all engine systems except the thrust chamber. "The test is the first of a series of tests planned to validate the design of the propellant feed system, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo-pumps, the gas generator, and control components," ISRO said. In a major success for ISRO, this initial test is said to be a grand success and paves the way for up to seven or eight tests, which will also include the test firing of the new engine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As part of Monday's test, the parameters that led up to the engine start were checked and validated. "After the chill down of the LOX circuit, the feed circuit of kerosene was filled, and LOX was admitted into the gas generator by opening the injection valve. Successful performance of the test article helps derive the sequence of operations for further tests" ISRO said.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ISRO commences testing its Semi-cryogenic engines.<br />
<br />
The very first test conducted on May 10, 2023, at IPRC, Mahendragiri, is successful.<br />
<br />
A step towards developing a 2000 kN thrust engine for future launch vehicles. <a href="https://t.co/cFM5wmmMwk">https://t.co/cFM5wmmMwk</a> <a href="https://t.co/t9b8u56WFg">pic.twitter.com/t9b8u56WFg</a></p>
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1656496313285087232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>WION has learnt that the turbo pump (a component used to pump fuel or oxidizer to the thrust chamber) used in the Semi-cryogenic engine is of 36Megawatt power, which is more than seven times higher than the turbopump used on ISRO's legacy Vikas engine that uses a 5Megawatt turbopump.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valimala, Thiruvananthapuram, has undertaken the design and development of this Semi-cryogenic engine and has also roped in Indian industry to take part in the efforts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The test was carried out at the newly-established test facility at IPRC, Mahendragiri, which is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust and will support the subsequent testing and qualification of the fully integrated Semi-cryogenic engine and stage. This test has demonstrated the successful performance of the test facility and power head test article in the maiden attempt itself.&nbsp;</p>

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated the series of tests required for qualifying and validating its most-powerful liquid-fuelled engine yet, one that is powered by special refined kerosene (dubbed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated the series of tests required for qualifying and validating its most-powerful liquid-fuelled engine yet, one that is powered by special refined kerosene (dubbed as 'ISROsene') and super-cooled liquid oxygen. Once ready, this 2000kN engine and its stage(associated components, fuel tanks etc.) will be replacing the current L110(core stage) of India's largest rocket - Launch Vehicle Mark 3(LVM3). This is meant to significantly add to the lifting power of the LVM3 rocket. As per the procedure followed in such cases, ISRO carried out tests on the Pressure Head Test Article(PHTA), a setup that comprises all engine systems except the thrust chamber. "The test is the first of a series of tests planned to validate the design of the propellant feed system, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo-pumps, the gas generator, and control components," ISRO said. In a major success for ISRO, this initial test is said to be a grand success and paves the way for up to seven or eight tests, which will also include the test firing of the new engine. As part of Monday's test, the parameters that led up to the engine start were checked and validated. "After the chill down of the LOX circuit, the feed circuit of kerosene was filled, and LOX was admitted into the gas generator by opening the injection valve. Successful performance of the test article helps derive the sequence of operations for further tests" ISRO said. ISRO commences testing its Semi-cryogenic engines. The very first test conducted on May 10, 2023, at IPRC, Mahendragiri, is successful. A step towards developing a 2000 kN thrust engine for future launch vehicles. https://t.co/cFM5wmmMwk pic.twitter.com/t9b8u56WFg — ISRO (@isro) May 11, 2023 × WION has learnt that the turbo pump (a component used to pump fuel or oxidizer to the thrust chamber) used in the Semi-cryogenic engine is of 36Megawatt power, which is more than seven times higher than the turbopump used on ISRO's legacy Vikas engine that uses a 5Megawatt turbopump. ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valimala, Thiruvananthapuram, has undertaken the design and development of this Semi-cryogenic engine and has also roped in Indian industry to take part in the efforts. The test was carried out at the newly-established test facility at IPRC, Mahendragiri, which is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust and will support the subsequent testing and qualification of the fully integrated Semi-cryogenic engine and stage. This test has demonstrated the successful performance of the test facility and power head test article in the maiden attempt itself. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ISRO successfully completes maiden test of Semi-cryo engine Power Head

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch two Singapore satellites on board PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 on Saturday at 2.19 pm from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

India: ISRO to launch PSLV-C55 mission with 2 Singaporean satellites

India: ISRO's successful lift off of PSLV-C55 mission

The 228-ton PSLV, on its 57th flight, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space in Sriharikota into an eastward low inclination orbit. The two satellites belong to Singapore and combined weighed 757 kilograms.

India: ISRO's PSLV-C55 lifts off with two Singaporean satellites

<p>The Indian Space Agency (ISRO) commenced the countdown for the Saturday launch of its PSLV rocket carrying two Singaporean satellites. The 25 hours 30 minutes countdown commenced at 12:50 on Friday,&nbsp;and the vehicle liftoff will happen at 2:20 pm (Indian time) on Saturday. This will be the 57<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;flight of India's PSLV rocket, at present the oldest and most-flown rocket in the country's fleet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The primary passenger satellites is TeLEOS-2, a 741kg satellite developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering. Once deployed and operational, it will be used to support the all-weather, day and night, satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore. TeLEOS-2 carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload.</p>

<p>The secondary passenger is LUMELITE-4, a 16-kg satellite developed by Singaporean academia. LUMELITE-4 is developed for the technological demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). It aims to augment Singapore’s e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community.</p>

<p>In addition to the two primary satellites, there are seven non-separating payloads that are on-board the PSLV rocket. These experiments would be housed within the fourth&nbsp;and final stage of the rocket.&nbsp;According to ISRO,&nbsp;PSLV-C55 mission will carry out in-orbit scientific experiments by using the spent PS4 stage as an orbital platform. This is the third time that PS4 will be used after satellite separations as a platform for experiments.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-polish-climber-rescues-indian-mountaineer-anurag-maloo-from-depths-of-annapurna-crevasse-584813">Polish climber rescues Indian mountaineer Anurag Maloo from depths of Annapurna crevasse</a></p>

<p>Earlier this week, ISRO anounced that the PSLV vehicle in its core-alone configuration (without strap on boosters) would lift-off from the first launch pad in Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, at 2:19pm. The two satellites will be placed in a circular obrit, 586kms above the earth's surface. However, the launch is now learnt to have been delayed by a minute. What's in a minute you may ask. In orbital rocketry, a minute could mean the difference between catastrophe and celebration.</p>

<h2><strong>How are rocket launch timings determined?</strong></h2>

<p>There is an entire branch of space science known as 'Orbital Mechanics' that is used to determine what is known as a 'Launch window', a period of time within which a certain launch must happen. Launch windows depend on a plethora of factors - place of launch, type of orbit intended, final destination, whether the satellite is headed for another planet, number of satellites being carried, the time of the year, position of the relevant heavenly bodies and also minimal risk of space debris.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We know that&nbsp;Low Earth orbit is getting increasingly populated with constellations of communication satellites from various firms, and also pre-existing satellites, space debris and much more. Under such circumstances, space agencies look at the safest time of flight, when there is nil risk of collission or proximate approaches with space debris. Even, millimetre-sized debris can pose a major threat to space assets, as the debris in Low Earth orbit circles the earth at speeds close to 27,000kmph. A collission at such speeds could have unimaginable impacts.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How ISRO monitors space debris, safeguards space assets?</strong></h2>

<p>The Indian Space agency has a facility aimed at performing what in simple terms can be explained as a holistic 'Traffic Management in Space' and to ensure the sustainable use of space. Known as the&nbsp;'ISRO System for Safe &amp; Sustainable Operations Management' (IS4OM), the new facility based in Bengaluru will perform a host of functions - safeguarding India's space assets, protecting them from space debris, predicting the orbital movement of debris, predicting likely collisions and coordinating with global agencies for all of the above.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is not about (space)traffic management alone, it is about keeping orbits available to everyone, operating in space without causing problems to one another and ensuring sustainable use" explained ISRO Chairman, Dr&nbsp;S. Somanath had earlier told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elaborating on the different functions of 'IS40M', Dr&nbsp;Somanath said, "Firstly it is about using radars and optical observation to watch and tag objects in space, then we will have to&nbsp;consider the effect of earth's gravitational pull, impact of sun and moon etc. and&nbsp;predict the movement of the said object/debris. Based on this, we will have to look for possibilities of collisions. This entire process has to be carried out on a daily basis. In case an object poses a threat to our satellite, we must accordingly move our satellite out of harm's way and also inform foreign agencies(whose satellites are in the vicinity) about our collision avoidance maneuver."</p>

<p>In addition to this, the objects that are likely to fall back onto earth), asteroids that are on collision course with earth will also have to be tracked. These are complex calculations and are error-prone, owing to the large number of factors involved, thus necessitating various corrections.&nbsp;Dr&nbsp;Somanath added that these mathematical models used to calculate and project the path of debris and their impact etc. are indigenously developed and even if a country wanted, such models are not available for purchase in the International market.</p>

<p>On India's capabilities, he had explained that India has radars that are&nbsp;meant to observe satellites and the Indian space agency is also installing optical tracking facilities. However, the Indian space agency&nbsp;does not have all facilities required to track objects of 10cm size and for this it relies on data provided by foreign agencies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The Indian Space Agency (ISRO) commenced the countdown for the Saturday launch of its PSLV rocket carrying two Singaporean satellites. The 25 hours 30 minutes countdown commenced at 12:50 on Friday, and the vehicle liftoff will happen at 2:20 pm (Indian time) on Saturday.

The Indian Space Agency (ISRO) commenced the countdown for the Saturday launch of its PSLV rocket carrying two Singaporean satellites. The 25 hours 30 minutes countdown commenced at 12:50 on Friday, and the vehicle liftoff will happen at 2:20 pm (Indian time) on Saturday. This will be the 57th flight of India's PSLV rocket, at present the oldest and most-flown rocket in the country's fleet. The primary passenger satellites is TeLEOS-2, a 741kg satellite developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering. Once deployed and operational, it will be used to support the all-weather, day and night, satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore. TeLEOS-2 carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload. The secondary passenger is LUMELITE-4, a 16-kg satellite developed by Singaporean academia. LUMELITE-4 is developed for the technological demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). It aims to augment Singapore’s e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping community. In addition to the two primary satellites, there are seven non-separating payloads that are on-board the PSLV rocket. These experiments would be housed within the fourth and final stage of the rocket. According to ISRO, PSLV-C55 mission will carry out in-orbit scientific experiments by using the spent PS4 stage as an orbital platform. This is the third time that PS4 will be used after satellite separations as a platform for experiments. ALSO READ | Polish climber rescues Indian mountaineer Anurag Maloo from depths of Annapurna crevasse Earlier this week, ISRO anounced that the PSLV vehicle in its core-alone configuration (without strap on boosters) would lift-off from the first launch pad in Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, at 2:19pm. The two satellites will be placed in a circular obrit, 586kms above the earth's surface. However, the launch is now learnt to have been delayed by a minute. What's in a minute you may ask. In orbital rocketry, a minute could mean the difference between catastrophe and celebration. How are rocket launch timings determined? There is an entire branch of space science known as 'Orbital Mechanics' that is used to determine what is known as a 'Launch window', a period of time within which a certain launch must happen. Launch windows depend on a plethora of factors - place of launch, type of orbit intended, final destination, whether the satellite is headed for another planet, number of satellites being carried, the time of the year, position of the relevant heavenly bodies and also minimal risk of space debris. We know that Low Earth orbit is getting increasingly populated with constellations of communication satellites from various firms, and also pre-existing satellites, space debris and much more. Under such circumstances, space agencies look at the safest time of flight, when there is nil risk of collission or proximate approaches with space debris. Even, millimetre-sized debris can pose a major threat to space assets, as the debris in Low Earth orbit circles the earth at speeds close to 27,000kmph. A collission at such speeds could have unimaginable impacts. How ISRO monitors space debris, safeguards space assets? The Indian Space agency has a facility aimed at performing what in simple terms can be explained as a holistic 'Traffic Management in Space' and to ensure the sustainable use of space. Known as the 'ISRO System for Safe & Sustainable Operations Management' (IS4OM), the new facility based in Bengaluru will perform a host of functions - safeguarding India's space assets, protecting them from space debris, predicting the orbital movement of debris, predicting likely collisions and coordinating with global agencies for all of the above. "This is not about (space)traffic management alone, it is about keeping orbits available to everyone, operating in space without causing problems to one another and ensuring sustainable use" explained ISRO Chairman, Dr S. Somanath had earlier told WION. Elaborating on the different functions of 'IS40M', Dr Somanath said, "Firstly it is about using radars and optical observation to watch and tag objects in space, then we will have to consider the effect of earth's gravitational pull, impact of sun and moon etc. and predict the movement of the said object/debris. Based on this, we will have to look for possibilities of collisions. This entire process has to be carried out on a daily basis. In case an object poses a threat to our satellite, we must accordingly move our satellite out of harm's way and also inform foreign agencies(whose satellites are in the vicinity) about our collision avoidance maneuver." In addition to this, the objects that are likely to fall back onto earth), asteroids that are on collision course with earth will also have to be tracked. These are complex calculations and are error-prone, owing to the large number of factors involved, thus necessitating various corrections. Dr Somanath added that these mathematical models used to calculate and project the path of debris and their impact etc. are indigenously developed and even if a country wanted, such models are not available for purchase in the International market. On India's capabilities, he had explained that India has radars that are meant to observe satellites and the Indian space agency is also installing optical tracking facilities. However, the Indian space agency does not have all facilities required to track objects of 10cm size and for this it relies on data provided by foreign agencies. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Explained: ISRO starts countdown for launch of 'PSLV-C55', but why the one-minute delay?

<p>Instead of performing the entire process of assembling and integrating a spacefaring rocket at a single facility, what if you could split up the work among two facilities and do it faster? This is the same approach that ISRO has followed for readying its most-reliable rocket for the PSLV-C55 mission that has been scheduled for launch on Saturday, April 22.</p>

<p>In its 57<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;flight, the PSLV will be carrying two satellites from Singapore. TeLEOS-2, an all-weather, day-night imaging satellite that is meant for use by the Singapore Government and Lumelite-4, a satellite built by academia from Singapore are to be placed in orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Assembling and integrating a launch vehicle is a tedious and time-consuming process that requires&nbsp; significant manpower. Depending on the size of the rocket, the integration procedure could take anywhere between a week to three months.</p>

<p>For instance, ISRO's newest rocket SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle) is designed for quick assembly and integration, it can be done within a week. However, the larger rockets such as PSLV and GSLV would need anywhere between 30 to 60 days to be assembled and integrated, by hundreds of personnel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Generally, ISRO assembles the PSLV rocket at the launchpad, with the support of a Mobile Service Tower. This meant that the launchpad would remain occupied for the entire duration of the rocket's assembly and integration.</p>

<p>When launchpads are occupied for so long and the assembly of rockets can be done only at the launchpad, fewer launches are carried out. This means loss of time and money(the potential revenue that can be earned by performing more commercial launches).&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the latest launch, WION has learnt that ISRO operationalized a new PSLV Integration Facility(PIF), where the first and second stage of the four-stage PSLV rocket can be integrated and kept ready. This means that half the rocket is ready, even before it can be taken to the launchpad.</p>

<p>Therefore, only the third and fourth stage and satellites have to be integrated at the launchpad and it would significantly reduce the time period that the launchpad is occupied. Owing to the PIF, PSLV first and second stages can be kept ready and as and when required, ISRO would be able to increase the frequency of launch of&nbsp; its smaller vehicles like SSLV and PSLV.&nbsp;</p>

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Instead of performing the entire process of assembling and integrating a spacefaring rocket at a single facility, what if you could split up the work among two facilities and do it faster?

Instead of performing the entire process of assembling and integrating a spacefaring rocket at a single facility, what if you could split up the work among two facilities and do it faster? This is the same approach that ISRO has followed for readying its most-reliable rocket for the PSLV-C55 mission that has been scheduled for launch on Saturday, April 22. In its 57th flight, the PSLV will be carrying two satellites from Singapore. TeLEOS-2, an all-weather, day-night imaging satellite that is meant for use by the Singapore Government and Lumelite-4, a satellite built by academia from Singapore are to be placed in orbit. Assembling and integrating a launch vehicle is a tedious and time-consuming process that requires significant manpower. Depending on the size of the rocket, the integration procedure could take anywhere between a week to three months. For instance, ISRO's newest rocket SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle) is designed for quick assembly and integration, it can be done within a week. However, the larger rockets such as PSLV and GSLV would need anywhere between 30 to 60 days to be assembled and integrated, by hundreds of personnel. Generally, ISRO assembles the PSLV rocket at the launchpad, with the support of a Mobile Service Tower. This meant that the launchpad would remain occupied for the entire duration of the rocket's assembly and integration. When launchpads are occupied for so long and the assembly of rockets can be done only at the launchpad, fewer launches are carried out. This means loss of time and money(the potential revenue that can be earned by performing more commercial launches). For the latest launch, WION has learnt that ISRO operationalized a new PSLV Integration Facility(PIF), where the first and second stage of the four-stage PSLV rocket can be integrated and kept ready. This means that half the rocket is ready, even before it can be taken to the launchpad. Therefore, only the third and fourth stage and satellites have to be integrated at the launchpad and it would significantly reduce the time period that the launchpad is occupied. Owing to the PIF, PSLV first and second stages can be kept ready and as and when required, ISRO would be able to increase the frequency of launch of its smaller vehicles like SSLV and PSLV. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: ISRO can now assemble and launch PSLV rockets faster. Here's how

The Indian Space Research Organisation on Sunday successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX). The test was conducted at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka, the national agency headquartered here said.

India's unmanned autonomous space vehicle, as light as an SUV

<p dir="ltr">Spaceplanes are highly sophisticated aerospace vehicles - while within the earth's atmosphere, they can glide and land on an airstrip like a plane and while in space, they can manoeuvre like a spacecraft. The most common spaceplanes are the 1980s-era American-origin Space Shuttle and the Soviet-origin Buran. But neither of these giant astronaut-ferrying spaceplanes are in operation. In 2023, only the US and China are known to operate autonomous and reusable spaceplanes. India could soon be the third entrant into this exclusive club, thanks to its indigenous spaceplane known as 'Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator' (RLV-TD). This prototype has been developed by the Indian space agency ISRO and its testing is being carried out with the support of Indian Defence lab DRDO and the Indian Air Force.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What a wow moment, a 20yr old dream becomes a reality for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> 🇮🇳🇮🇳🚀🚀🚀<br />
<br />
Here’s the RLV-TD <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indian</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> plane autonomously coming in to land and touching down at speeds close to 350kmph… it was a flawless landing and the plane is in impeccable condition <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a> <a href="https://t.co/kuIDo2GqqP">pic.twitter.com/kuIDo2GqqP</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1642392331860213761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>America has been operating the 'Boeing X-37B' spaceplane for nearly a decade and the plane has proven its ability to remain in space for more than 900days, in a single trip. As per reports, China is widely regarded to operate its own spaceplane, but details are very sketchy. Given that spaceplanes have both civil and military applications, it is certain that no country would ever reveal the real intent and nature of operations being carried out by these autonomous aerospace vehicles.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>How do Spaceplanes reach Earth orbit and return ?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">Spaceplanes are not standalone vehicles, they ride piggyback on a large rocket during their onward journey . It is the rocket which actually carries the spaceplane to an orbit around the earth. Once in earth orbit, the spaceplane is on its own. It performs its mission and then de-orbits(manoeuvres to re-enter the earth) and gets drawn by earth's gravitational pull and re-enters the earth's atmosphere, where it encounters temperatures close to 2000degrees Celsius. As the plane descends into the denser layers of the earth's atmosphere, it uses its control surfaces (rudder, aileron, elevator) to glide and make a runway landing.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>How far has India come ? What is India's reusable vehicle like ?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">On April 2,&nbsp;2023, the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) demonstrated the precise runway landing of an unmanned, fully autonomous, indigenous space plane. The space plane was dropped mid-air from an altitude of 4.5 kms, by an Indian Air Force 'Chinook' tandem-rotor helicopter. After being dropped, the space plane glided down and covered a distance of nearly 4.6kms, while performing autonomous navigation, guidance and control calculations. Finally, the plane manoeuvred deftly and landed precisely on a runway at a high-speeds of 350kmph. Top ISRO officials leading the project had told WION that the plane landed just as planned, perfectly along the runway centreline. The landing was so perfect that the spaceplane is said&nbsp;to be in impeccable condition, at the Aeronautical Test Range tarmac in Chitradurga, Karnataka.</p>

<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-a00feaf4-7fff-7695-a152-df232b39ad50">I</b>n a first in the world, a winged body has been carried to an altitude of 4.5 kms by a helicopter and released for carrying out an autonomous landing on a runway. RLV is essentially a space plane with a low lift-to-drag-ratio requiring an approach at high glide angles that necessitated a landing at high velocities of 350 kmph" said the Indian Space agency, ISRO. The Indian spaceplane prototype weighs 1.6tons(similar to that of a SUV), and&nbsp;measures 6.5meters in length and 3.6meters in breadth. The idea for ISRO's spaceplane was born nearly two decades ago and development work has been going on for more than ten years. The recent unmanned landing is a validation of how far ISRO has come in mastering sophisticated autonomous technologies and the avionics, computing systems that make it possible.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Explaining the progress of 'RLV-TD' testing to WION, ISRO, VSSC Director, Dr&nbsp;S. Unnikrishnan Nair said that the same RLV-TD vehicle had earlier(in 2016) successfully been carried to 65kms altitude by a rocket. From there, the vehicle re-entered the denser parts of the atmospshere at Hypersonic speeds, almost five times the speed of sound (hypersonic speed or Mach5) and finally made a splashdown landing in the Bay of Bengal(simulated runway). However, the ocean landing was a preliminary step and the precise runway landing is a really sophisticated and technologically complex feat that takes forward the progress of making the spaceplane a reality, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-348a7e35-7fff-cd81-da1e-a7a9eb2dddfe">What's next for 'RLV-TD' ?&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p dir="ltr">So far, the RLV has shown that it can be flown to the upper atmopshere on a rocket and can come back and make a precise, autonomous runway landing. What remains to be done is, for the RLV to reach space(on a rocket), orbit the earth, carry out experiments, de-orbit, re-enter the earth's atmopshere.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">ISRO Chairman, Dr&nbsp;S. Somanath said that the RLV-TD is a great opportunity for India to develop an 'ORV'(orbital landing experiment) and that this work was already progressing. 'ORV' is an experiment where the space plane is flown to space atop a rocket and then brought back to land on a runway, completely autonomously. "This RLV landing is taking us closer to developing a reusable rocket/landing craft for very specific mission goals" he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">Dr&nbsp;Unnikrishnan Nair told WION that the present 'RLV-TD' vehicle was meant for demonstration purpose and the actual vehicle would be about 1.6times larger in size. The actual RLV plane is meant to be launched to space atop a modified-GSLV&nbsp;rocket, he said. It is envisioned that the spaceplane would be able to sustain in orbit for almost a month, he added.</p>

<p dir="ltr">On the recent test and the homegrown systems for the same, ISRO said "The runway landing experiment (LEX) utilised several indigenous systems. Localized Navigation systems based on pseudolite systems, instrumentation, and sensor systems, etc. were developed by ISRO. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the landing site with a Ka-band Radar Altimeter provided accurate altitude information". The RLV LEX demanded several state-of-the-art technologies including accurate Navigation hardware and software, Pseudolite system, Ka-band Radar Altimeter, NavIC receiver, indigenous Landing Gear, Aerofoil honey-comb fins and brake parachute system, the Indian space agency added.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-a8ba8c31-7fff-c78b-f173-9a032ec064ca">Advantages of Autonomous Reusable spaceplanes&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p dir="ltr">The Space shuttle was a reusable space plane, but it cost a huge deal of money to operate. The main role of the space shuttle was to ferry cargo and astronauts to the International space station and bring them back. The shuttle also performed a variety of roles such as placing satellites in orbit, constructing and servicing the International Space station, carrying out space science experiments etc. While the shuttle did render great service to international space missions and transported cargo and astronauts to low earth orbit, it was prohibitively expensive as the per flight cost is estimated at $1.6bn. The shuttle's ferrying role has been replaced by SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets and Crew dragon capsules.</p>

<p dir="ltr">It must also be noted that there were two catastrophic disasters involving the shuttle, which led to the loss of 14 crew members in total and billions of dollars worth of equipment. When it comes to unmanned and autonomous solutions, the cost is much lower and so are risks. Putting humans on-board an aerospace vehicle makes the mission much more complicated, heavy and expensive, as hundreds of technologies have to be developed and installed for the safe travel and return of the humans.</p>

<p dir="ltr">With an unmanned platform, it is possible to carry out civilian and military experiments in space and bring the plane back. Even in case of a mission failure, there is no loss of precious human life and trained scientific talent. The development of reusable rockets that are capable of vertical landing (as demonstrated by SpaceX), also complements the existence of spaceplanes that can land on a runway. Having such a combination of reusable rocket and reusable space plane can even help perform space missions without leaving behind space debris.&nbsp;</p>

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Spaceplanes are highly sophisticated aerospace vehicles - while within the earth's atmosphere, they can glide and land on an airstrip like a plane and while in space, they can manoeuvre like a spacecraft.

Spaceplanes are highly sophisticated aerospace vehicles - while within the earth's atmosphere, they can glide and land on an airstrip like a plane and while in space, they can manoeuvre like a spacecraft. The most common spaceplanes are the 1980s-era American-origin Space Shuttle and the Soviet-origin Buran. But neither of these giant astronaut-ferrying spaceplanes are in operation. In 2023, only the US and China are known to operate autonomous and reusable spaceplanes. India could soon be the third entrant into this exclusive club, thanks to its indigenous spaceplane known as 'Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator' (RLV-TD). This prototype has been developed by the Indian space agency ISRO and its testing is being carried out with the support of Indian Defence lab DRDO and the Indian Air Force. What a wow moment, a 20yr old dream becomes a reality for #isro #india 🇮🇳🇮🇳🚀🚀🚀 Here’s the RLV-TD #indian #space plane autonomously coming in to land and touching down at speeds close to 350kmph… it was a flawless landing and the plane is in impeccable condition @isro pic.twitter.com/kuIDo2GqqP — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) April 2, 2023 × America has been operating the 'Boeing X-37B' spaceplane for nearly a decade and the plane has proven its ability to remain in space for more than 900days, in a single trip. As per reports, China is widely regarded to operate its own spaceplane, but details are very sketchy. Given that spaceplanes have both civil and military applications, it is certain that no country would ever reveal the real intent and nature of operations being carried out by these autonomous aerospace vehicles. How do Spaceplanes reach Earth orbit and return ? Spaceplanes are not standalone vehicles, they ride piggyback on a large rocket during their onward journey . It is the rocket which actually carries the spaceplane to an orbit around the earth. Once in earth orbit, the spaceplane is on its own. It performs its mission and then de-orbits(manoeuvres to re-enter the earth) and gets drawn by earth's gravitational pull and re-enters the earth's atmosphere, where it encounters temperatures close to 2000degrees Celsius. As the plane descends into the denser layers of the earth's atmosphere, it uses its control surfaces (rudder, aileron, elevator) to glide and make a runway landing. How far has India come ? What is India's reusable vehicle like ? On April 2, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) demonstrated the precise runway landing of an unmanned, fully autonomous, indigenous space plane. The space plane was dropped mid-air from an altitude of 4.5 kms, by an Indian Air Force 'Chinook' tandem-rotor helicopter. After being dropped, the space plane glided down and covered a distance of nearly 4.6kms, while performing autonomous navigation, guidance and control calculations. Finally, the plane manoeuvred deftly and landed precisely on a runway at a high-speeds of 350kmph. Top ISRO officials leading the project had told WION that the plane landed just as planned, perfectly along the runway centreline. The landing was so perfect that the spaceplane is said to be in impeccable condition, at the Aeronautical Test Range tarmac in Chitradurga, Karnataka. In a first in the world, a winged body has been carried to an altitude of 4.5 kms by a helicopter and released for carrying out an autonomous landing on a runway. RLV is essentially a space plane with a low lift-to-drag-ratio requiring an approach at high glide angles that necessitated a landing at high velocities of 350 kmph" said the Indian Space agency, ISRO. The Indian spaceplane prototype weighs 1.6tons(similar to that of a SUV), and measures 6.5meters in length and 3.6meters in breadth. The idea for ISRO's spaceplane was born nearly two decades ago and development work has been going on for more than ten years. The recent unmanned landing is a validation of how far ISRO has come in mastering sophisticated autonomous technologies and the avionics, computing systems that make it possible. Explaining the progress of 'RLV-TD' testing to WION, ISRO, VSSC Director, Dr S. Unnikrishnan Nair said that the same RLV-TD vehicle had earlier(in 2016) successfully been carried to 65kms altitude by a rocket. From there, the vehicle re-entered the denser parts of the atmospshere at Hypersonic speeds, almost five times the speed of sound (hypersonic speed or Mach5) and finally made a splashdown landing in the Bay of Bengal(simulated runway). However, the ocean landing was a preliminary step and the precise runway landing is a really sophisticated and technologically complex feat that takes forward the progress of making the spaceplane a reality, he added. What's next for 'RLV-TD' ? So far, the RLV has shown that it can be flown to the upper atmopshere on a rocket and can come back and make a precise, autonomous runway landing. What remains to be done is, for the RLV to reach space(on a rocket), orbit the earth, carry out experiments, de-orbit, re-enter the earth's atmopshere. ISRO Chairman, Dr S. Somanath said that the RLV-TD is a great opportunity for India to develop an 'ORV'(orbital landing experiment) and that this work was already progressing. 'ORV' is an experiment where the space plane is flown to space atop a rocket and then brought back to land on a runway, completely autonomously. "This RLV landing is taking us closer to developing a reusable rocket/landing craft for very specific mission goals" he said. Dr Unnikrishnan Nair told WION that the present 'RLV-TD' vehicle was meant for demonstration purpose and the actual vehicle would be about 1.6times larger in size. The actual RLV plane is meant to be launched to space atop a modified-GSLV rocket, he said. It is envisioned that the spaceplane would be able to sustain in orbit for almost a month, he added. On the recent test and the homegrown systems for the same, ISRO said "The runway landing experiment (LEX) utilised several indigenous systems. Localized Navigation systems based on pseudolite systems, instrumentation, and sensor systems, etc. were developed by ISRO. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the landing site with a Ka-band Radar Altimeter provided accurate altitude information". The RLV LEX demanded several state-of-the-art technologies including accurate Navigation hardware and software, Pseudolite system, Ka-band Radar Altimeter, NavIC receiver, indigenous Landing Gear, Aerofoil honey-comb fins and brake parachute system, the Indian space agency added. Advantages of Autonomous Reusable spaceplanes The Space shuttle was a reusable space plane, but it cost a huge deal of money to operate. The main role of the space shuttle was to ferry cargo and astronauts to the International space station and bring them back. The shuttle also performed a variety of roles such as placing satellites in orbit, constructing and servicing the International Space station, carrying out space science experiments etc. While the shuttle did render great service to international space missions and transported cargo and astronauts to low earth orbit, it was prohibitively expensive as the per flight cost is estimated at $1.6bn. The shuttle's ferrying role has been replaced by SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets and Crew dragon capsules. It must also be noted that there were two catastrophic disasters involving the shuttle, which led to the loss of 14 crew members in total and billions of dollars worth of equipment. When it comes to unmanned and autonomous solutions, the cost is much lower and so are risks. Putting humans on-board an aerospace vehicle makes the mission much more complicated, heavy and expensive, as hundreds of technologies have to be developed and installed for the safe travel and return of the humans. With an unmanned platform, it is possible to carry out civilian and military experiments in space and bring the plane back. Even in case of a mission failure, there is no loss of precious human life and trained scientific talent. The development of reusable rockets that are capable of vertical landing (as demonstrated by SpaceX), also complements the existence of spaceplanes that can land on a runway. Having such a combination of reusable rocket and reusable space plane can even help perform space missions without leaving behind space debris. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Explained: Why India's fully-autonomous, re-usable spaceplane is a significant aerospace tech leap

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