BENGALURU: Isro's plan to develop technology that will allow two space vehicles to attach in orbit and also transfer material between them — described in technical terms as spacecraft docking and berthing — has been cleared by the department of space with a grant of Rs 10 crore. The technology will eventually allow Isro to transfer humans in space, but the immediate goal is to enable the refuelling of spacecraft to give them a longer life and transfer other crucial systems to spacecraft in orbit.Senior scientist T K Anuradha had confirmed to TOI that experiments to this end were under way at the Isro Space Application Centre (Isac), Bengaluru, in 2016. Isro has already completed some ground simulations. A senior scientist said, "The plan is to launch two small spacecraft to test the technology in space. India operates a huge constellation of satellites and this technology will allow Isro to enhance their lives by refuelling them. It'll also reduce space debris." The scientist added, "In most cases, the payloads on our satellites are still functioning when the satellite is decommissioned because it has expended its fuel. In future, we could enhance the life of satellites multiple times."India is yet to become a member of the International Space Station, and human space programme is not in its immediate plans, but the eventual aim of the docking system is to send and bring back people from space. Former Isro chairman U R Rao, the chairman of Isro advisory committee, said, "It (the technology) could be used to transport people to space stations — bring back old people and put in newer ones — or even send people in to replace equipment on spacecraft and so on."Isro has to overcome many challenges before it can attempt the transfer of people in space. For one, Isro must be equipped with capabilities that allow two spacecraft to find each other and remain in the same orbit. Rao said docking has to be automatic and many functions have to be executed by robots. There's also the challenge of managing the speeds of spacecraft when they near each other and to then dock safely.Isro, according to documents in TOI's possession, is also building a special bus and payload module that will allow replacement of equipment on satellites in space.
ISRO has already developed critical technologies toward its astronaut program: the space suit is ready, a crew module was tested in 2014 and the drawings on how to ferry a crew of two to three astronauts into space from India are ready.After government clearance, it would still take ISRO seven years of hard work to be able to ferry Indian into space. Every such launch will cost Rs. 300 crore.After six successful attempts, the rocket will be human rated.This is definitely less than 15 years which is how long it took ISRO to make this beast. ISRO suggests that the first person to fly into space from India be a woman. The last Indian to fly into space was Squadron leader Rakesh Sharma. He went into space as part of a joint programme by ISRO and the Soviet Intercosmos space programme way back in 1984. He had spent eight days in space. Former Chairman of ISRO Dr K Kasturirangan has said: "the success of GSLV Mk III will usher a new era of our self- reliance." This rocket has impressive vital stats too. At 43 meters, it is higher than a 13 storied building. The GSLV MK III can carry six-10 tons of payload into low earth orbits.With this launch, ISRO also enters the heavyweight club of world rockets. At 640 tons, its heaviest monster weighs as much as five fully loaded Jumbo Jets.
Another news report from last year quoted S Somanath as putting a figure of INR 40,000 crore that the govt needs to approve for the agency to formally start a full-fledged human spaceflight programme. At current exchange rates, it translates to over USD 6 billion, nearly three times the yearly budget of ISRO. It remains to be seen if the govt would be ready to make financial commitments on that scale for a programme with dubious near term benefits, at least under the current state of the economy.
Quote from: vineethgk on 06/04/2017 03:26 amAnother news report from last year quoted S Somanath as putting a figure of INR 40,000 crore that the govt needs to approve for the agency to formally start a full-fledged human spaceflight programme. At current exchange rates, it translates to over USD 6 billion, nearly three times the yearly budget of ISRO. It remains to be seen if the govt would be ready to make financial commitments on that scale for a programme with dubious near term benefits, at least under the current state of the economy.But perhaps "formally" is the key word here. It looks like ISRO will continue to develop all the key elements required for a human space flight program, until they're just a screw-turn away. At that point it will be a fait d'accompli, no longer requiring as steep a price tag, and might be easier to pitch to the public. Personally, I don't feel public opinion is the real obstacle - it's mainly govt fears of partisan political sniping.
Another thing I'd like to ask - how many more unmanned test flights will ISRO's Crew Module have to undergo, before it can carry live passengers? There's already been the suborbital flight of the Crew Module aboard the LVM3-X/CARE mission, but surely that's not enough, is it? China did 4 unmanned flights of Shenzhou before flying live passengers. How many more should India do?
Why not involve one of the mideast countries like UAE from the financing angle?UAE i believe has previously shown interest in a collabaration with India in space matters.One crew member could be from UAE for the flights.
Would an initial orbital flight be expected to do just a single orbit? What would such an initial manned flight be expected to look like? Presumably the Crew Capsule won't be mounted the way it was in the LVM3-X/CARE mission (upside-down inside a fairing) and will instead have the classical tractor-LAS-rocket mounted on top of the capsule, which would be mounted where the payload fairing would normally be. Are there any illustrations available of such a flight-configuration (ie, of capsule mounted on Mk3)? Because given how small the capsule is compared to the standard fairing, it's probably going to give Mk3 a shrunken-head look.I've read in recent articles that ISRO would like India's first astronaut to be a woman - does this mean the first flight will be a single individual? (I guess it makes sense to not risk multiple lives on an initial flight, even though the capsule is supposed to be able to hold 3 people)Any other useful criteria for India's first indigenously-launched astronaut? (I assume it'll be an air force pilot, even though some people have said it should be an engineer)