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#380
by
sanman
on 22 Aug, 2018 02:03
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Human Spaceflight director; Astronaut program
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#381
by
SciNews
on 22 Aug, 2018 09:08
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#382
by
sanman
on 23 Aug, 2018 14:00
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#383
by
sanman
on 25 Aug, 2018 14:07
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https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/whats-next-for-indias-new-space-ambitions/...
Amid the focus on the details and future prospects, it is important to keep in mind that India’s human space mission is important for a few different reasons. For one, in terms of space technology, this is the obvious next step. India cannot afford not to develop the technological capacity for manned space flight because that will represent a major drawback in Indian space capabilities. Even if the direct benefits of such advancement may not be as great in the short-term, this is a necessary longer-term investment.
Second, there is a competitive aspect to space advancement that is important too. While India was able to develop its own space program so far without reference to others, space is increasingly an arena of competition. India’s quest to undertake human space flight and its earlier Moon and Mars missions are also important in the context of global governance of outer space. These missions prove the growing sophistication of India’s space program and ensures a seat at the high table of global governance of outer space. This is a significant objective too.
Of course, there is a national security aspect too. India is concerned about the budding arms race in outer space and the emerging trends in weaponizing outer space. India will want to ensure that it has the technological capacity if the current trends continue, and manned missions is one possible aspect of this.
Finally, though there is substantial public support for the space program, these kinds of spectacular operations will ensure continued enthusiasm for a vital Indian technology success story. When there are large demands on the national exchequer from various sections, it is necessary to ensure that such support continues. As a corollary, such missions will also help in motivating India’s youth to focus on space and science, which is an example of the inter-generational impact of this initiative that cannot be ignored.
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#384
by
sanman
on 26 Aug, 2018 07:01
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The Space Review has put up an informative article by Dr Ajay Lele on how India's Human Spaceflight Program got to this current juncture:
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3553/1
The article mentions that Indian manned spaceflight might arrive too late to allow significant participation in the ISS, if at all, since ISS is due to be decommissioned in the mid-2020s.
Is it possible that ISRO might still be able to participate in the Lunar Orbital Gateway instead? Because if India were to ever undertake a manned lunar mission down the road, then the Lunar Orbital Gateway could make this a lot easier.
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#385
by
sanman
on 27 Aug, 2018 05:56
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Isro will complete Gaganyaan mission as per schedule: Raghavan
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-will-complete-gaganyaan-mission-as-per-schedule-raghavan/articleshow/65554520.cmsNEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation will complete its first manned space mission on schedule as the programme was finalised a few years ago, K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government of India, has stressed.
"This mission is not happening out of the blue, nor is it a coincidence. We were giving shape to this mission for a while," Raghavan told PTI-Bhasha in an interview.
...
He, however, acknowledged that the project is a challenge, but added India has the knowledge and expertise required to successfully complete this mission.
Asked about scientists advising the government to take help from countries such as the US and Russia for 'Gaganyaan' mission, he said the nature of science and technology is of collaboration.
"Russia and the US are leaders in space and science and technology. Discussions with them are natural," he said.
...
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#386
by
worldtimedate
on 28 Aug, 2018 07:09
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How ISRO is gearing up for the human space flight missionThe organisation, with 17,000 employees of which 12,000 are scientists, is gearing up for the mission. Sivan speaks to ET about the ambitious mission and what India will gain from it. Edited excerpts:
On the importance of a human space mission
The mission is not just about sending a man to space. It will provide us opportunities to explore new technologies. New science will emerge out of it. It will enhance our scientific and technological capabilities. It will be an inspiring new national project, which will not be confined to just the ISRO but will include other institutions also, including industry.
On the new capabilities this project will help build
This project will have many parts. Astronaut training is one. Some institutions will have to build capabilities on how to recover the astronauts safely from the sea, where they will land. We need to learn many things - like how to build a habitat module (in which astronauts will live and work), life support systems, space suits. It is not just an engineering pursuit but a big science project with a strong technological and biological component to it. This will be a national project that every Indian and India will feel proud about.
On the technological spin-offs of such projects
Most such projects bring in many technological spin-offs that one does not realise in the beginning. We developed lithium ion battery for our rockets and spacecraft. Now it is finding very good application in electric vehicles. We developed fire-resistant chemicals. They are critical - the chemicals protect the space vehicle from getting engulfed by fire, making it a fire-retardant vehicle. Such chemicals will be useful in the petroleum industry, safeguarding workers from the fire. A human space programme will involve many such technologies that will take our scientists to the next level.
On the critical steps to be taken for a human mission in 2022
Before sending humans to space, we will undertake two missions without humans. These two missions will be very important and will offer us a lot of learnings. We hope to undertake the two missions by 2020, and they will be six months apart. To keep humans safe inside the spaceship, environment control systems are being developed. We have already tested the crew escape system. The spaceship will see a lot of impact from micro-meteorites. We will have to develop systems that will protect it from this impact.
On the prime minister's surprise announcement
We were expecting the announcement to come someday. But it getting announced on August 15 was a big surprise.
On the project execution and the cost involved
I am confident that the project cost will be under "10,000 crore". We are now putting together a project management team. The system and the team leader have not been finalised. At this stage, it is very difficult to say how many people will be part of the project. But everybody here will contribute to make it a success.
On the challenges ahead
We have already crossed many milestones and surpassed many challenges. We have been working on the research and development and many difficult stages, like crew escape system, have already been crossed. We are not anticipating any further challenges. The question is now of good and smooth execution.
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#387
by
worldtimedate
on 28 Aug, 2018 07:41
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DRDO labs offer assistance for space missionAs Indian space scientists race to fly a couple of Indians to space in four years, two DRDO labs - DEBEL (Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory), Bengaluru, and DFRL (Defence Food Research Laboratory), Mysuru, could well chip in with space suits and foodstuff for the crew.
For long, both these laboratories have been supporting the armed forces with DFRL even providing a variety of food packages to Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (Retd) during his space journey onboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft in 1984. So, experts from these laboratories met the top brass at Isro and presented details of their capability to support the human space flight programme. "We have said we have the technology to make space suits and food for space missions and will make them once specifications are given to us," Dr Upendra Kumar Singh, head of both these labs, told this newspaper.
Dr Singh said DFRL has the expertise in developing food for the armed forces serving in extreme weather conditions and in the process of rolling out in-flight eatables for long endurance fighter. "Food should provide balanced nutrition for the health of those who will be chosen to work in space while being easy and safe to store and consumed under low gravity conditions. The packaging material used for space foods must be able to withstand extreme gravity conditions. So we will be able to play the role of a competent partner in the human space programme," he added.
All geared up
A formal announcement on all details of Gaganyaan, the human space mission, will be made in New Delhi on Tuesday by Jitendra Singh, MoS in the PMO, even as Isro chairman K. Sivan is set to meet Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa and formally seek the IAF's support for flying a couple of Indians to space by 2022. Dr Sivan said his organisation would bank on the IAF's support to a large extent to accomplish the mission
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#388
by
chota
on 28 Aug, 2018 11:12
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#389
by
sanman
on 28 Aug, 2018 17:40
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Gaganyaan Mission flight profile
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>I3 member crew to stay for a period of 7 days
I think you meant to say 3-member crew, not 13?
So can anyone confirm - will it be 3 personnel traveling on the first manned flight? Or just 1?
(Somehow I'd thought it was just going to be 1, as per what the PM said in his Independence Day speech)
Edit/Lar: I read that as *I* 3 not *1* 3 so the I is just a stray letter typo
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#390
by
worldtimedate
on 28 Aug, 2018 19:40
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#391
by
worldtimedate
on 28 Aug, 2018 19:43
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3 Indians will reach space within 16 minutes of launch: Isro chairmanThree Indians who will be chosen for the country's first human space flight programme "will reach space within 16 minutes of the launch from Sriharikota". They will spend "five to seven days in the low-earth orbit before the crew module makes a "splashdown in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast", Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chariman K Sivan said here on Tuesday. He said "Isro will certainly launch the Gaganyaan by 2022", the deadline set by PM Narendra Modi during his recent I-Day speech.
Making a detailed presentation here, Sivan, accompanied by minister of state for atomic energy and space Jitendra Singh, said, "A crew module carrying three Indians will be attached with a service module. Together, these two modules will comprise the orbital module that will be integrated with an advanced GSLV Mk III rocket. The rocket will take the crew to the low-earth orbit (300-400 km) where they will perform micro-gravity and other scientific experiments for a week."
For the return journey, Sivan said, "The orbital module will reorient itself. The crew and service modules will get separated at 120 km altitude. The crew module will apply aerobrake to reduce speed and parachutes will open just before the splashdown in the Arabian Sea off Gujarat. The return journey will take 36 minutes. In case of a technical problem, the module can land in the Bay of Bengal as a back-up." He said, "The module will be the size of a small cubicle (3.4 m diametre) with a mass of 7 tonnes."
On mission preparations, Sivan said, "Isro will conduct the first unmanned test-flight within 30 months. The second unmanned test in 36 months. Finally, the first human spaceflight in 40 months. Most of the critical technologies needed for the mission like crew escape system have already been developed."
On crew selection and training, Sivan said, "The spacesuit is ready. The crew members will be jointly selected by the IAF and Isro after which they will be trained for two-three years. We will send them to a training facility in Bengaluru. We are also consulting Rakesh Sharma (first Indian cosmonaut to go to space in 1984) for the mission." This programme will totally be an indigenous mission. However, we can send the selected crew for training abroad."
On the mission budget, Singh said, "Less than Rs 10,000 crore will be allocated for the mission. This money will be in addition to the annual budget of Rs 6,000 crore earmarked for Isro. This will be a cost-effective budget as the money allocated will be much less than what other countries had spent on the manned mission."
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#392
by
sanman
on 28 Aug, 2018 21:13
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#393
by
worldtimedate
on 28 Aug, 2018 22:13
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#394
by
sanman
on 29 Aug, 2018 02:11
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Press conference held by ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan and Jitendra Singh (Minister in charge of Dept of Space and Dept of Atomic Energy)
Mostly filler for the first 9 minutes - ISRO's Sivan begins talking @8:55
Slides @22:20 (unfortunately camera-person didn't bother to capture beyond the first slide)
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#395
by
sanman
on 29 Aug, 2018 18:36
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This is getting confusing - maybe they need to put up an FAQ site for the media:
Isro sets December 2021 target for human mission; no decision on number of Gaganauts or days in space: Sivanhttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-sets-december-2021-target-for-human-mission-no-decision-on-number-of-gaganauts-or-days-in-space-sivan/articleshow/65595528.cmsBENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Chairman Sivan K, on Wednesday said that the space agency has set itself a target of December 2021 for the launch of the human spaceflight programme (HSP), which is more ambitious than the 2022 deadline set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We’ve set a target of December 2021 for the launch of HSP so that we have some margin in case there are glitches to still meet the prime minister’s deadline of 2022,” Sivan said. Before this, Isro will have to carry out a series of critical tests, including two unmanned missions—in December 2020 and June 2021—inflight abort test of the crew module among others.
The agency will also have to develop other technologies like crew support systems, the service module and even the orbital module for the project. Conceding to these, Sivan also said that no decision pertaining to the number of astronauts (Gaganauts), or the number of days they will spend in space had been taken by the space agency so far.
Answering a specific question on the project, he said: “We will have the capability of sending three people who can stay there for seven days. But whether or not we will send so many people for those number of days has not been taken. It will be taken later, closer to the mission date.”
Given that this is the first time Isro is attempting to send humans to space, the number of Gaganauts and the number of days in space will be a minimum, keeping in mind the complexity of the mission and the tight schedule Isro is faced with.
Pvt Industry & Foreign Help
Pointing out that the HSP will require large scale infrastructure and other related systems to be put in place, Sivan urged the private industry to participate actively and work overnight to meet Modi’s deadline.
“The private sector will contribute in a major way. We need huge facilities like mission control, tracking, launchpad preparations and so on where industry must work continuously,” he said.
While reiterating that the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be responsible for selection of astronauts, Sivan, however, said: “Theoretically anybody can go to space, there will be no restrictions.”
He said that he has already had an informal discussion with the IAF and that formal discussions will begin once the project team has been selected. “Once the astronauts are selected they will need two to three years of training, for which we will take help from other countries,” Sivan said.
He said that it was wiser to take help from countries that have sent people into space not just in the training of astronauts, but even otherwise. “It is always wiser. It will help us prevent learning through trial-and-error and help us meet the tight schedule. We have countries with expertise, but who will help us in what will be worked out, keeping in mind the cost also,” he said.
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#396
by
K210
on 30 Aug, 2018 05:31
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Perhaps they should give official approval and allocate funds before demanding such tight deadlines. Until that happens all this is just talk by PM Modi.
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#397
by
sanman
on 30 Aug, 2018 10:58
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I think ISRO should set up a new website node specifically devoted to the new Human Spaceflight Program. This can help coordinate the communication and maintain clarity and accuracy against any confusion, misunderstanding, etc. Members of the media and public could then have a convenient place to go to for all their informational needs regarding this new program.
ISRO could use the site to provide news and updates on the progress of activities and related developments, and generally show whether things are on track. This can help ISRO to manage expectations, so that we don't reach 2021 to suddenly hear that things aren't on schedule and the first manned flight has been delayed to 2027.
Here's ISRO's current site for perusal:
https://www.isro.gov.in/
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#398
by
chota
on 06 Sep, 2018 14:21
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#399
by
worldtimedate
on 07 Sep, 2018 07:36
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India, France set up working group for GaganyaanIndia and France Thursday announced a working group for Gaganyaan, Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) first manned space mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day. ISRO and CNES, the French space agency, will be combining their expertise in fields of space medicine, astronaut health monitoring, life support, radiation protection, space debris protection and personal hygiene systems, Gall said.
Engineering teams have already begun discussions and it is envisioned that infrastructure such as CADMOS centre for development of microgravity applications and space operations or the MEDES space clinic will be used for training of future Indian astronauts, as well as exchange of specialist personnel, Gall said.
ISRO plans to conduct experiments on microgravity through its astronauts. French-Indian space cooperation includes climate monitoring, with a fleet of joint satellites devoted to research and operational applications. The two countries also have plans to work on Mars, Venus and asteroids.
"CNES is especially proud to be working on this endeavour alongside ISRO to share the experience it has acquired from the first French human space flights to Thomas Pesquet's Proxima mission, and to hone our own expertise by learning from ISRO's innovative developments in the field of crew transport."
