QuoteThe next generation Vikas engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is being flown for the first time. LPSC director V Narayanan told Express that the improved engine would give a significant advantage in terms of enhancing payload capability. “Usually, the chamber pressure is 58 bar, but with the use of high-thrust Vikas engine, we will achieve 62 bar, which is a 6% increase in thrust that gives us 70 kgs of additional payload gain in this mission. Right now, we are going to use the high-thrust Vikas engine only in the second stage. Basically, we are validating it. For Chandrayaan-2 mission, we will be using five such engines aiming for a payload gain of around 250 kgs,” Narayanan said.QuoteNarayanan said this would be the best way of mission planning and optimum utilisation of propellants. “All these new things are being done keeping lunar mission in the mind and ISRO’s bigger game plan to increase GSLV payload capability. For Chandrayaan-2, we are formulating a perfect combination. The four strap-ons and second stage will be boosted with high-thrust Vikas engines; cryogenic upper stage will be loaded with enhanced propellants of 15 tonnes instead of current 12.8 tonnes and will be operated with 9.5 tonne thrust compared to the present 7.5.”Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/mar/28/with-eye-on-lunar-mission-isro-to-test-high-thrust-vikas-engine-1793608.htmlISRO confirms that GSLV F-10 will be first fully upgraded GSLV. All four L40 strapons will have high thrust vikas engines and well as the second stage. The upper stage will have propellant loading increased to 15 tons and thrust of CE-7.5 engine will be increased from present 7.5 tons to 9.5 tons. Payload capability to GTO for GSLV has been increased by 70kg for GSLV F-08 mission to bring the GTO capability of GSLV up from 2.25 tons to 2.32 tons. With additional upgrades on GSLV F-10 mission later this year this will further boost GTO capability by 250 kg to bring GSLV GTO capability to 2.57 tons. In short: Current GSLV GTO capability: 2.25 tons GSLV F-08 GTO capability: 2.32 tons GSLV F-10 GTO capability: 2.57 tons ISRO final goal for GSLV : 3.25 tons to GTO
The next generation Vikas engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is being flown for the first time. LPSC director V Narayanan told Express that the improved engine would give a significant advantage in terms of enhancing payload capability. “Usually, the chamber pressure is 58 bar, but with the use of high-thrust Vikas engine, we will achieve 62 bar, which is a 6% increase in thrust that gives us 70 kgs of additional payload gain in this mission. Right now, we are going to use the high-thrust Vikas engine only in the second stage. Basically, we are validating it. For Chandrayaan-2 mission, we will be using five such engines aiming for a payload gain of around 250 kgs,” Narayanan said.
Narayanan said this would be the best way of mission planning and optimum utilisation of propellants. “All these new things are being done keeping lunar mission in the mind and ISRO’s bigger game plan to increase GSLV payload capability. For Chandrayaan-2, we are formulating a perfect combination. The four strap-ons and second stage will be boosted with high-thrust Vikas engines; cryogenic upper stage will be loaded with enhanced propellants of 15 tonnes instead of current 12.8 tonnes and will be operated with 9.5 tonne thrust compared to the present 7.5.”
Quote from: K210 on 03/28/2018 05:29 amQuoteThe next generation Vikas engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is being flown for the first time. LPSC director V Narayanan told Express that the improved engine would give a significant advantage in terms of enhancing payload capability. “Usually, the chamber pressure is 58 bar, but with the use of high-thrust Vikas engine, we will achieve 62 bar, which is a 6% increase in thrust that gives us 70 kgs of additional payload gain in this mission. Right now, we are going to use the high-thrust Vikas engine only in the second stage. Basically, we are validating it. For Chandrayaan-2 mission, we will be using five such engines aiming for a payload gain of around 250 kgs,” Narayanan said.QuoteNarayanan said this would be the best way of mission planning and optimum utilisation of propellants. “All these new things are being done keeping lunar mission in the mind and ISRO’s bigger game plan to increase GSLV payload capability. For Chandrayaan-2, we are formulating a perfect combination. The four strap-ons and second stage will be boosted with high-thrust Vikas engines; cryogenic upper stage will be loaded with enhanced propellants of 15 tonnes instead of current 12.8 tonnes and will be operated with 9.5 tonne thrust compared to the present 7.5.”Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/mar/28/with-eye-on-lunar-mission-isro-to-test-high-thrust-vikas-engine-1793608.htmlISRO confirms that GSLV F-10 will be first fully upgraded GSLV. All four L40 strapons will have high thrust vikas engines and well as the second stage. The upper stage will have propellant loading increased to 15 tons and thrust of CE-7.5 engine will be increased from present 7.5 tons to 9.5 tons. Payload capability to GTO for GSLV has been increased by 70kg for GSLV F-08 mission to bring the GTO capability of GSLV up from 2.25 tons to 2.32 tons. With additional upgrades on GSLV F-10 mission later this year this will further boost GTO capability by 250 kg to bring GSLV GTO capability to 2.57 tons. In short: Current GSLV GTO capability: 2.25 tons GSLV F-08 GTO capability: 2.32 tons GSLV F-10 GTO capability: 2.57 tons ISRO final goal for GSLV : 3.25 tons to GTOPerhaps this post can be reposted/moved to the GSLV discussion thread here so that we can have all the updates regarding ongoing GSLV upgrades in one place.
V Adimurthy, advisor to Isro and former Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) chairman, confirmed that the orbital debris re-entered the space atmosphere on April 3 evening. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian for Astrophysics tweeted, “The 1-tonne PS4 rocket stage from @ISRO’s 2012 PSLVC19 launch reentered over the central Atlantic at 1406 UTC Apr 3.”
A senior VSSC official told Manorama Online that the project aims to provide the ecosystem for companies which are interested in joining the space efforts. “No investment will be made by the ISRO in the project. But the companies opening units in the park will get expert advice from the organization. Moreover, we will ensure that the companies have the right environment for functioning. If the companies are interested, ISRO will also purchase their products,” he said.
As several organizations dealing with aerospace, including VSSC, are already functioning in Kerala, the park will be a big success, feels the state government.
Space agencies of India and France have been holding discussions to work on inter-planetary missions to Mars and Venus, a French source said. This comes almost a month after the two sides agreed on a joint statement for an enhanced space cooperation. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and French National Space Agency (CNES) had agreed to work together on autonomous navigation of rovers on Moon, Mars and other planets, and aero braking technologies for planetary exploration.
“Venus is under-explored compared to Mars. This is why we want to concentrate on Venus. ISRO has confirmed this priority for them. Discussions are also going on for the future Indian Mars mission,” said a CNES official.
In particular, CNES could provide support to ISRO for the navigation of future moon rovers while the two will jointly work on the models to study Mars and Venus atmospheres, the CNES official said. CNES could be involved in the definition of the scientific goals and preparatory studies for the future planetary missions of ISRO and both agencies will study the possibility of embarking French science instruments on board the future interplanetary (Moon, Mars and asteroids) Indian missions, the official said.
Heaving a sigh of relief, top sources at SAC said there was no damage to satellite payloads housed at the centre. However, that is where the good news ends.Top sources at SAC said the fire has caused serious damage to the "antenna test facility" as some specialised equipment have been damaged.
A major fire was reported yesterday in the antenna test facility at ISRO's Space Applications Centre which develops and tests satellite payloads. The satellite payloads that were under test at the facility are reportedly safe, but many specialized equipments may have been damaged.QuoteHeaving a sigh of relief, top sources at SAC said there was no damage to satellite payloads housed at the centre. However, that is where the good news ends.Top sources at SAC said the fire has caused serious damage to the "antenna test facility" as some specialised equipment have been damaged.Source
ISRO, in collaboration with RRI, has initiated a mega project called "Quantum Experiments Using Satellite Technology (QUEST)". Sinha, along with members of her "Quantum Information and Computing Lab" and theory colleagues at RRI, will play a key role in developing these technologies in the coming years, with support from ISRO.
"Once RRI is ready with an experimental payload, we will launch it on board one of our satellite missions," M. Sankaran, deputy director of ISRO Satellite Centre in Bengaluru and one of the conference participants, told this correspondent.
Using its world's first quantum satellite called "Micius", China had already demonstrated transmission of images from the country to Austria and researchers at the National University of Singapore had built a nano-satellite with a quantum communication payload.
In the season of thunderstorms that are putting human lives at risk, the country's eyes in the sky are helping warn citizens about extreme weather events. Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) plays a significant role in weather prediction as it provides satellite data to India Meterological Department (IMD) and processes weather data for public consumption.Isro’s two key centres, Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC) and Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), are engaged in satellite data collection and processing related to weather, respectively.
Tapan Misra, director of SAC, told TOI, "We first collect data from different meteorological satellites like Insat-3D, 3DR and Scatsat. We then make correction in this data, which usually gets distorted due to atmospheric disturbances and other factors. We then send data to IMD. We also write software, which are then used by IMD and NRSC. Though day-to-day processing of satellite data are done directly by IMD and NRSC, some experimental atmospheric data is uploaded by our Ahmedabad centre on our website MOSDAC, which can be used by users for scientific research and study related to climatic condition."
Santanu Chowdhury, director of Hyderabad-based NRSC, told TOI, "We process data of other satellites like Resourcesat-2A. The data relating to weather, land and forest are processed and then put on our portal Bhuvan. We also do ocean-colouring monitoring."Senior Isro scientist and former NRSC director YVN Krishnamurthy told TOI, "Insat-3D has a sounder with which we can make a profile of clouds, just as we measure cloud cover, water vapour and humidity. Scatsat-1 satellite provides wind vector data products for weather forecasting, cyclone detection and tracking services to users. Krishnamurthy said, "Technically, India is strong but we need to strengthen our response mechanism. In some areas where freak weather conditions do not appear frequently, the state’s response mechanism is poor."
The effort is to replace the conventional hydrazine rocket fuel, a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical, with a greener propellant for future missions. Initial tests by a research team at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) here have shown promising results in the formulation and associated tests of a propellant blend based on hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN).
The LPSC team comprising Arpita Dash, B. Radhika and R. Narayan formulated the HAN-based monopropellant and carried out a variety of tests to investigate its characteristics, like thermal and catalytic decomposition and compatibility with different materials.
The in-house formulation consists of HAN, ammonium nitrate, methanol and water. While methanol was added to reduce combustion instability, the choice of AN was dictated by its capacity to control the burn rate and lower the freezing point of the propellant.
LPSC is planning further tests in flight configuration.
Amidst a galaxy of propulsion technology experts and lead scientists, Nambi Narayanan was the cynosure of all eyes. As propulsion expert AE Muthunayagam hinted out that over the years Isro with its lead centre LPSC had made rapid strides due to the remarkable contributions of his colleagues particularly one of them who was first to develop liquid propulsion, former LPSC director RV Perumal muttered why not name him then.By then Muthunayagam mentioned that he had worked shoulder to shoulder with Nambi Narayanan who was behind the development of liquid propulsion and Vikas engine. It was those dreams of Nambi Narayanan that offered the wings to develop and introduce liquid fuel rocket technology in India in the early 1970s that propelled Isro’s PSLV rocket.
Later, it gradually built its momentum for the launch of GSLV-Mark II with the first indigenous cryogenic engine. Then Nambi Narayanan stood up to accept the honour and he received a rousing reception. From its humble beginning as Liquid Propulsion Systems Unit (LPSU) which occupied one block of PSLV office space building at Valiamala, it evolves into Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) on 1 June 1987 after the successful test of the first liquid engine called Vikas engine in honour of the space science stalwart and Isro founder director Vikram Sarabhai.
Then the first liquid stage for the fourth stage (PS4 stage) of PSLV rocket was successful, then the liquid apogee motor (LAM) for spacecraft propulsion system was developed in 1989, and step by step it was developed to propel GSLV rockets. Then from liquid boosters, the first cryogenic engine upper stage was tested in 2002, and it was upgraded further to develop the advanced C25 upper stage cryogenic engine that propelled GSLV Mark III into space in Feb 2015. Isro former chairman K Radhakrishnan also recalled the efforts of propulsion experts, task masters and mentors behind the development of LPSC that propels ISRO. He said Nambi Narayanan is the spirit and resource behind developing the liquid engine from the earlier solid propellants.Now, LPSC is developing the 800 Newton liquid main engine propellant for Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission slated for launch in October.
Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave the financial approval of Rs 10,911 crore for the launch of 30 PSLV and 10 GSLV Mk III rockets in the next four years.
"With the Cabinet approval of Rs 4,338 crore for 10 launches of Isro's heaviest rocket GSLV Mk III (Isro's fat boy) in the next four years, we will be able to launch heavier satellites weighing over 4 tonne.", minister of state in PMO Jitendra Singh said.
Singh said, "The Cabinet has also given clearance for 30 launches of PSLV rockets with the financial sanction of Rs 6,573 crore."
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to offer students from developing countries an eight-week training programme that will equip them to build small satellites.Students are expected from 45 countries, with ISRO footing their expenses. They will be trained at the space agency's U.R. Rao Space Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru.
ISRO chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan announced the launch of the programme - INDOUNSSP: Capacity Building Programme on Small Satellite Development - at the ongoing UNISPACE Symposium being held in Vienna between 18 June and 21 June. "India is proud to announce an excellent capacity building programme," Sivan said at the symposium. "It is mainly to give opportunity for students from other countries to come to India and get involved in learning of space technology as well as getting hands-on experience in building satellites."
Sivan also said that if these satellites meet quality standards, ISRO will launch them. URSC chairman M. Annadurai said the objective of the training programme is to enable students from countries that have limited knowledge or exposure to small satellites to build them efficiently. Each participating country is expected to nominate two students: A mechanical engineer and an electrical engineer. They will be selected in batches of 30 each year, from 15 countries, and split into three teams of 10 students.
ISRO will work in conjunction with the trainees. Functioning nanosats will be launched by the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on PSLVs and will hold payloads developed independently by ISRO itself. In the past, ISRO has guided the realisation and launch of five student satellites, all from India, and has also conducted satellite training programmes for 19 developing countries.
Slides from "Vision for Indian Space Program" presentation.