-
India May Fly Experiments on ISS
by
LendMeYourYears
on 09 Jul, 2011 22:57
-
-
#1
by
Space Pete
on 09 Jul, 2011 23:14
-
-
#2
by
SpacemanInSPACE
on 10 Jul, 2011 01:47
-
This is great news, can't wait to see how India will contribute!
-
#3
by
robertross
on 10 Jul, 2011 02:35
-
The title of the thread is not correct. This is not finalized (as I've read/heard to date).
It should be "India asked to become an ISS Partner".
-
#4
by
PeterAlt
on 10 Jul, 2011 03:12
-
Hmm... I wonder exactly how they could contribute. Contribution of a few instruments should not entitle them to full partner status. I wonder what instruments are needed exactly. Contributions in the form of real hardware, such as an Indian research module or logistical equipment such as a resupply vehicle should be the requirements for full partnership status, as each existing partner has contributed some big ticket item like these. Even Brazil - as a partner, - with its contribution of the Express Logistics Carriers etc., is a big help and worth for station.
-
#5
by
Jim
on 10 Jul, 2011 03:32
-
Brazil did not supply the ELC's.
A module or transport vehicle is NOT required for Partner status. See Canada
-
#6
by
Ben E
on 10 Jul, 2011 12:34
-
They could always provide an Indian takeaway module...
-
#7
by
clongton
on 10 Jul, 2011 13:51
-
Interesting news indeed. I've always thought that India would be the next major space-faring nation. Looking forward to how this evolves.
-
#8
by
LendMeYourYears
on 10 Jul, 2011 17:02
-
Thanks for the new thread mod!
ISRO's space program originated, and has always been driven by remote sensing needs to augment communication, tele-education, resource mapping to augment other economic/developmental activities, given the smaller budget, and greater scrutiny of allocation of money.
Chandrayaan was a big departure from that - towards solar system science. Granted it was probably easier to convince our government with the geopolitical scenario. It's good to note though, and probably relieving to all space-buffs back home that it wasn't a flash in the pan [I know they've definitely doing Chandrayaan II, albeit delayed now, and were doing feasibility studies of Aditya (a Solar observatory)]. This continues in the same vein. But it's a great thing that we're doing space-science collaboratively, as it ties in the government to the commitments ISRO makes to the international partnership, and it won't be something that different governments will just undo. (Tongue in cheek references for those that want it
)
But like I said - even if it takes time to realise space hardware, the security regulations that it releases Indian citizens from- in terms of working on such projects - is a HUGE breath of fresh air...and my frustrated self will personally testify to that.
-
#9
by
stealthyplains
on 10 Jul, 2011 17:16
-
great news.
-
#10
by
JazzFan
on 11 Jul, 2011 01:05
-
I wonder how long it will take for a vote to accept or delcline their request? This could be an opportunity to add ISS functions that the other partners did not have time or money to accomplish.
-
#11
by
LendMeYourYears
on 11 Jul, 2011 11:55
-
I wonder how long it will take for a vote to accept or delcline their request? This could be an opportunity to add ISS functions that the other partners did not have time or money to accomplish.
There's a mistake in the name of the thread. According to the Chairman (in this interview), the ISS has
invited space-faring nations to participate in the ISS program. So India has been invited. Don't think procedures will take long, if this was an invitation for participation. However, ISRO would like to take some time to study the possibilities and in what capacity they would want to get involved. He does say that they will be interested in Earth Observation Science (and building instruments for such).
-
#12
by
hop
on 11 Jul, 2011 16:53
-
There's a mistake in the name of the thread. According to the Chairman (in this interview), the ISS has invited space-faring nations to participate in the ISS program. So India has been invited.
I think there is some doubt about what this actually means, since none of the existing partners have said anything about it. One would expect there to be some official announcements if they had been accepted as a full partner.
Has India actually been invited to be a partner, or been invited to talk about becoming a partner, or invited to participate in some way without being a full partner ? It's not really clear.
-
#13
by
Danderman
on 11 Jul, 2011 22:17
-
There is some chance that this is all translation error; that someone noted in an interview that the ISS partnership has historically offered other nations a chance to participate, and, the ISRO chair simply responded that it might be interesting for ISRO to participate. The rest could be simple hype.
-
#14
by
Moe Grills
on 11 Jul, 2011 22:58
-
Of course it's good news.
And to the person who asked how much are the Indians going to contribute to the ISS?
Well...think of this metaphor.
A baby does not run the first few months, nor even walk, but
crawls.
Before the Indian space agency contributes billions of Rupees, & advanced hardware to the ISS, they have to crawl before the run, proverbially speaking.
BTW. Will the proposed Indian manned spacecraft be able to dock with the ISS?
-
#15
by
baldusi
on 11 Jul, 2011 23:24
-
Most probably they will offer some experiments at first, to get a handle of the ISS "culture". Then they might talk about putting some instrument. And then the ISS will be dumped to the sea.
They will probably try to get into whatever international project is after the 2020.
-
#16
by
yg1968
on 11 Jul, 2011 23:47
-
That is good news!
-
#17
by
LendMeYourYears
on 12 Jul, 2011 00:58
-
There is some chance that this is all translation error; that someone noted in an interview that the ISS partnership has historically offered other nations a chance to participate, and, the ISRO chair simply responded that it might be interesting for ISRO to participate. The rest could be simple hype.
The proverbial devil lying in the details, in terms of how it's phrased. In the interview, the chairman refers to a meeting last year (doesn't mention which ones) where ISS partners cemented plans to keep it going till 2020 at which there was "an offer to space-faring nations to participate in a variety of experiments that they are planning." In addition, there was "an invitation from the partners to India to do[sic] experiments using instruments put on the ISS". He also states that ISRO is studying these possibilities.
Wouldn't be surprised if it was specific invitation for certain studies etc. Woulndn't be surprised that it's not been announced formally though. I guess they're waiting for ISRO. (ISRO itself hasn't issued a statement remember, this is just an interview with a news channel).
-
#18
by
Danderman
on 12 Jul, 2011 01:34
-
Will the proposed Indian manned spacecraft be able to dock with the ISS?
What is the proposed Indian manned spacecraft?
-
#19
by
Riley1066
on 12 Jul, 2011 16:49
-
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
-
#20
by
Lurker Steve
on 12 Jul, 2011 17:07
-
Brazil did not supply the ELC's.
A module or transport vehicle is NOT required for Partner status. See Canada
But Canada has supplied the vast majority of the robotics on the station. It's pretty difficult to see how the ISS would have been completed without the combination of the Shuttle and Station robotic arms to move components and people around to various places on the station.
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
-
#21
by
Jim
on 12 Jul, 2011 17:37
-
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
-
#22
by
Danderman
on 12 Jul, 2011 17:48
-
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
This is 180 degrees from what the Indians would accept. AFAIK, no one has ever "bought in" to participating in ISS.
-
#23
by
Jim
on 12 Jul, 2011 17:54
-
Brazil did not supply the ELC's.
A module or transport vehicle is NOT required for Partner status. See Canada
But Canada has supplied the vast majority of the robotics on the station. It's pretty difficult to see how the ISS would have been completed without the combination of the Shuttle and Station robotic arms to move components and people around to various places on the station.
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
Why does it need to be a "but"? My point stands alone. There are other ways to contribute without a module or transport vehicle.
-
#24
by
Moe Grills
on 12 Jul, 2011 18:01
-
Will the proposed Indian manned spacecraft be able to dock with the ISS?
What is the proposed Indian manned spacecraft?
Wikipedia has a lot of info on the (ISRO) and their future proposed projects. Typing in "Indian Human Spaceflight Program" in your search window will give you promising hits; a long list of them.
-
#25
by
Lurker Steve
on 12 Jul, 2011 18:50
-
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
This is 180 degrees from what the Indians would accept. AFAIK, no one has ever "bought in" to participating in ISS.
The ISS doesn't need any new modules. If they started design / construction today, it wouldn't be complete until after the ISS was de-orbited. The ISS doesn't need more logistics flights, unless the ESA isn't going to supply additional ATVs.
But both the Russians, ESA, and North American space programs need cash.
What other materials/services do you propose they are capable of supplying in the near future ?
-
#26
by
Robotbeat
on 12 Jul, 2011 18:53
-
Well, good news! Hope it gets China (and thus the US) all upity and ready to spend more resources in space.
Coopetition.
-
#27
by
hop
on 12 Jul, 2011 21:21
-
Hope it gets China (and thus the US) all upity and ready to spend more resources in space.
Wishful thinking in the extreme. China is already building a space station, following plans they spelled out years ago. Indian participation in ISS is unlikely to affect this at all. Even if it did, some minor variation to the Chinese station plans wouldn't (and shouldn't) affect US space policy.
All this assuming that this "news" represents something significant at all, which is far from certain...
-
#28
by
Robotbeat
on 12 Jul, 2011 23:07
-
Hope it gets China (and thus the US) all upity and ready to spend more resources in space.
Wishful thinking in the extreme. China is already building a space station, following plans they spelled out years ago. Indian participation in ISS is unlikely to affect this at all. Even if it did, some minor variation to the Chinese station plans wouldn't (and shouldn't) affect US space policy.
All this assuming that this "news" represents something significant at all, which is far from certain...
Of course I know it's wishful thinking.
-
#29
by
Riley1066
on 13 Jul, 2011 11:28
-
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
They still show the ZOE on the ISS ground track maps ... and they still consistently lose signal in that region ... so I'm not sure what you mean about the ZOE being closed ... still seems to be a major gap in coverage in that area ... and if India is going to be a partner ... I'd think they'd want that rectified ...
-
#30
by
Jim
on 13 Jul, 2011 12:15
-
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
They still show the ZOE on the ISS ground track maps ... and they still consistently lose signal in that region ... so I'm not sure what you mean about the ZOE being closed ... still seems to be a major gap in coverage in that area ... and if India is going to be a partner ... I'd think they'd want that rectified ...
[/quote}
The "ZOE" still exists because TDRSS East and West can't reach it, but TDRSS -ZOE can reach it. It isn't a "gap" and anyways most of the loss of signal is due to station attitude with the shuttle attached. Even with ZOE, the coverage of the orbits is more than 90%. There is nothing to rectify.
-
#31
by
psloss
on 13 Jul, 2011 12:26
-
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
They still show the ZOE on the ISS ground track maps ... and they still consistently lose signal in that region ... so I'm not sure what you mean about the ZOE being closed ... still seems to be a major gap in coverage in that area ... and if India is going to be a partner ... I'd think they'd want that rectified ...
To add (perhaps) to what Jim said as an example, yesterday during the EVA the Station had S-band via TDRS-Z, while the orbiter had S-band and Ku-band through the same. Those were the periods where we only "had" live orbiter TV.
-
#32
by
Space Pete
on 21 Jul, 2011 16:08
-
Some more detailed news on this:
"Recognising the research opportunities available on the International Space Station, both sides agreed to explore the possibilities of joint experiments," said a joint statement signed after the 2nd India-US Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.
More here:
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/india-us-may-collaborate-on-iss-experiments/758981.html--------------------
Edit: Also, changed thread title to something more appropriate.
Especially for the work opportunities this opens up for Indians to work on some of these instruments.
) 