Events & Issues

New Delhi, 7 April 2008

Manned Space Mission

ISRO SET FOR 2015 TAKEOFF

By Radhakrishna Rao

In a significant development, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed the project report on the proposed Indian manned space mission slated for a takeoff in 2015. According to its chairman G.Madhavan Nair, the report will soon be submitted to the Government for approval. “We are basically targeting a seven-year period, planning to launch the mission in 2015 for which there is good clarity on the roadmap such as the technologies required, the estimated Rs.10,0000-million for the mission, the agencies who would be participating and so on,” observed Nair.

However, Nair denied speculation that India had held discussions with Russia to send an Indian cosmonaut or to train the Indians for the manned mission. Incidentally, China had received extensive Russian support for its manned mission by way of technology employed for the manned capsule and training of Chinese astronaut candidates at the Russian Star City.

The project report, as envisaged now, assesses the technologies involved and facilities planned to be set up for the realization of the manned mission. As it is, ISRO has already joined hands with the Bangalore-based Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM), an outfit functioning under the Indian Air Force to set up some of the high-end facilities to train the potential Indian astronauts for the proposed manned flight. It may be recalled that between 2003 and 2007, ISRO had carried out extensive studies to analyse the technological challenges involved in the manned space mission and the required capacities to undertake it.

While ISRO has several matured technologies to undertake the mission, the project report notes there is need to develop new and innovative technologies to ensure foolproof life support system, safety, reliability and an escape system for the crew.

Nair also revealed that ISRO would explore the possibility of cooperating with competent foreign space agencies for the mission. He drove home the point that the crucial aspects of the manned space mission would be the successful performance of the autonomous spacecraft with astronauts on board that would orbit the earth and return to earth safely

As envisaged now, the 4-tonne class Indian manned capsule would be launched into a near-earth orbit by means of the heavy lift off GSLV-MK-III space vehicle which is expected to be ready for routine operations before the end of this decade. The 629-tonne heavy GSLV-MK-III is robust enough to launch a 10-tonne class payload into a near earth orbit. The Indian manned mission would be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota Island on the eastern coast.

The current year’s budgetary allocation for space activities, which marks a 25 per cent jump over the previous year, makes a substantial financial commitment to initiate work on the manned space mission. The genesis of the mission goes back to November 2006, when around one hundred scientists and researchers, hailing from a variety of organizations and specializing in different disciplines, had lent whole-hearted support to ISRO’s venture. They, however, had insisted on the need for perfect safety and reliability aspects, taking into account the human element.

It is widely perceived that ISRO was nudged into taking up an Indian manned mission only after China launched two successful manned capsules during the first half of this decade. However, ISRO has for the time being made it plain that there is no proposal   to initiate action for a manned mission to the moon. Incidentally, our unmanned scientific mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-1, is now getting ready for takeoff mid-year.

This first-ever Indian probe into the moon would be launched by means of an augmented version of the four-stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) into a 240 x 24,000-km orbit. From here, the spacecraft will make use of its own onboard propulsion system to reach the 100-km orbit around the moon.

The mission goal of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft is to carry out the physical and chemical mapping of the lunar surface. It is expected that the mission will be able to provide clues about the existence of helium and water resources on the surface of the moon. Chandrayaan-1 will carry out a number of scientific experiments as well as the payloads contributed by foreign countries to study the various features of the moon. In addition, it will feature a Moon Impact Probe (MIP) as technology forerunner for the future lunar landing missions that ISRO may take up in the future. A Deep Space Network (DSN) to support Chandrayaan-1 and futuristic planetary missions have already been commissioned at Bylalu village near Bangalore.

Meanwhile, ISRO is planning to launch an advanced remote sensing satellite Cartosat-2A by means of PSLV from SDSC, by end-April. Weighing around 680-kg, the satellite would be launched along with a 100-kg experimental remote-sensing probe Third World Satellite (TWSAT) and eight nano satellites. Cartosat-2A, a follow up to Cartosat-2 launched in January 2007, is widely perceived to be a space platform that would be used extensively by the Defence forces.

Cartosat-2A will carry a less than one metre resolution panchromatic camera capable of providing scene specific spot imageries for cartographic applications. According to sources in ISRO, TWSAT is the first satellite  in the micro satellite series envisaged to provide a 100-kg.class platform  to carry payloads for earth imaging, space science, atmospheric and ocean studies .The data from TWSAT would be  made available free of cost to the developing countries.

The launch and successful retrieval of Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE) by ISRO in January 2007 has provided significant inputs for developing the manned capsule. The SRE launched as a piggyback payload by means of PSL has helped ISRO acquire expertise in the area of re-entry which is crucial for a successful manned mission. In order to sharpen its technological edge for the upcoming manned mission, ISRO would launch its second space capsule recovery probe before the end of this decade.

Another important space mission that ISRO would undertake during the current year is the launch of G-Sat-4 technology demonstrator communications satellite by means of the three stage GSLV(Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) featuring a full Indian Cryogenic upper stage. So far the GSLV missions launched by ISRO featured Russian-supplied upper cryogenic engine stage. As such the launch of fully Indian GSLV would mark a major milestone for the Indian space programme. ---INFA

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