PSLV to Launch French Remote Sensing Satellite - SPOT - 6

A commercial Launch Services Agreement between Antrix Corporation Limited (ANTRIX), the commercial arm of ISRO; and ASTRIUM SAS, a Company under EADS, France; has been signed at recently. Under this agreement, an advanced Remote Sensing satellite - SPOT -6, weighing nearly 800 kg, built by ASTRIUM SAS, will be launched on-board ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), during the second half of 2012. Along with SPOT - 6 satellite, the PSLV, in its core alone configuration, will carry other co-passenger payloads.

This Launch Services Agreement signed between ANTRIX and ASTRIUM may be a part of the Long Term Agreement signed between the two agencies in September 2008.

It may be recalled that in November 2010, under a commercial contract between ANTRIX and ASTRIUM, an advanced communication satellite HYLAS was successfully build by ISRO and ASTRIUM together for a EUROPEAN customer. In the coming days, further collaboration possibilities between ANTRIX/ISRO and ASTRIUM would be explored.

INSAT-2E Completes 13 years of Successful Operation

After 13 years of satisfactory service, INSAT-2E, the last of the five satellites in the INSAT-2 series, has successfully finished its mission life. INSAT-2E was built with a planned mission life of 12 years and continued to function beyond its mission life. Launched on April 3, 1999 by the European Ariane-5 launcher, INSAT-2E was located at 830 East longitudes in the geostationary orbit.

INSAT-2E carried 14 C-band and 5 lower extended C-band transponders for different communication services. The satellite also carried a Very High Resolution Radiometer and a Charge Coupled Device camera for meteorological observation.

It might be recalled that 11 communication transponders of 36 MHz bandwidth onboard INSAT-2E satellite were leased to International Telecommunication Satellite Organisation (INTELSAT), the first such lease from an Indian satellite. INSAT-2E was controlled from Master Control Facility at Hassan.

Shri A S Kiran Kumar takes over as Director of Space Applications Centre

Shri A S Kiran Kumar, Distinguished Scientist and Associate Director, Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmadabad, has assumed the office of Director, Space Applications Centre. He took over the charge from Dr R Navalgund, the outgoing Director.

Shri Kiran Kumar joined SAC/ISRO in 1975. He has made immense contribution to the design and development of Electro-Optical Imaging Sensors for Airborne, Low Earth Orbit and Geostationary orbit satellites starting from Bhaskara TV consignment to the latest Terrain Mapping Camera and Hyper spectral Imager payloads for Chandrayaan-1 mission. He has made very significant contributions to the task of evolving the observation strategy surrounding land, ocean, atmospheric and planetary studies.

As Associate Director of Space Applications Centre, Shri Kiran Kumar has steered the design and realization of communication, navigation, microwave and remote sensing payloads.
Shri Kiran Kumar obtained B.Sc (Honours) degree in Physics and M.Sc degree in Electronics from Bangalore University as well as M.Tech degree in Physical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Shri Kiran Kumar is the recipient of many success and awards like Indian Society of Remote Sensing Award for the year 1994, VASVIK award (Electronic Sciences and Technology) for the year 1998, Astronautical Society of India Award (Space Sciences and Applications) for the year 2001, ISRO Individual Service Award 2006, Bhaskara Award conferred by the Indian Society of Remote Sensing for the year 2007, success for Team Achievement Award 2008 of the International Academy of Astronautics and ISRO Performance excellence Award 2008.

He is a man of the National Academy of Engineers and Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. Shri Kiran Kumar has represented ISRO in international forums like World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and is currently the Chairman of CEOS.

ISRO Satellites Launched

For the past four decades, ISRO has launched more than 60 satellites for different scientific and technological applications like mobile communications, Direct-to-Home services, meteorological observations, telemedicine, tele-education, tragedy warning, radio networking, search and rescue operations, remote sensing and scientific studies of the space.

ISRO has established two major space systems, the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) series for communication, television broadcasting and meteorological services which is Geo-Stationary Satellites, and Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) system for resources monitoring and management which is Earth Observation Satellites.

ISRO has launched several Experimental Satellites which are generally small comparing to INSAT or IRS and Space Missions to explore the space.

The GSAT-8

GSAT-8, India’s advanced communication satellite, is a high authority communication satellite being inducted in the INSAT system.

Weighing about 3100 Kg at lift-off, GSAT-8 is configured to carry 24 high power transponders in Ku-band and a two-channel GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload operating in L1 and L5 bands.

The 24 Ku band transponders will augment the capacity in the INSAT system. The GAGAN payload provides the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS), through which the accuracy of the positioning information obtained from the GPS Satellite is improved by a network of ground based receivers and made available to the users in the country through the geostationary satellites.

GSAT-8

GSAT-8, India’s advanced communication satellite, is a high authority communication satellite being inducted in the INSAT system. Weighing about 3100 Kg at lift-off, GSAT-8 is configured to carry 24 high power transponders in Ku-band and a two-channel GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload operating in L1 and L5 bands.

The 24 Ku band transponders will augment the capacity in the INSAT system. The GAGAN payload provides the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS), through which the accuracy of the positioning information obtained from the GPS Satellite is improved by a network of ground based receivers and made available to the users in the country through the geostationary satellites.

GSAT-12 Communication Satellite placed in Geosynchronous Orbit

The GSAT-12 Communication Satellite, launched onboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C17), has been successfully located in Geosynchronous Orbit with a perigee of 35,684 km, apogee of 35,715 km and an orbital inclination of 0.17 degree with respect to the equatorial plane.

It may be recalled that on July 15, 2011, PSLV-C17 had injected GSAT-12 into an elliptical transfer orbit of 281 km perigee and 21,027 km apogee, and orbital inclination of 17.9 degree. The critical manoeuvres to raise GSAT-12 Satellite into Geosynchronous Orbit were performed by firing the 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor of GSAT-12 Satellite for about 80 minutes in five spells during July 16-20, 2011.

The Communication antenna onboard the satellite was deployed successfully today (July 21, 2011) at 15:30 hrs (IST) and the Satellite is in its final orbital configuration, pointing towards Earth.

GSAT-12 is now located at 63 degree East longitude. The Satellite would be moved to reach its designated longitude of 83 degree East within the next 16 days (at the rate of one degree per day). The GSAT-12 Satellite will be co-located with INSAT-2E and INSAT-4A Satellites.

After parking the Satellite at this location, the Communication Transponders are planned to be switched on by August 5, 2011, followed by In-Orbit Testing. The GSAT-12 Satellite is in good health and is in continuous radio-visibility from ISRO's Master Control Facility, Hassan.

YOUTHSAT Satellite

YOUTHSAT is a joint Indo-Russian stellar and atmospheric satellite mission with the contribution of students from Universities at graduate, post graduate and research scholar level. With a lift-off mass of 92 kg, Youthsat is a mini satellite and the second in the Indian Mini Satellite (IMS) series.

Youthsat mission intends to investigate the relationship between solar variability and thermosphere-Ionosphere changes.

The satellite carries three payloads, of which two are Indian and one Russian. Together, they form a unique and complete package of experiments for the investigation of the composition, energetics and dynamics of earth's upper atmosphere.

The Indian payloads are:

RaBIT (Radio Beacon for Ionospheric Tomography) - For mapping Total Electron Content (TEC) of the Ionosphere.

LiVHySI (Limb Viewing Hyper Spectral Imager) - To perform airglow measurements of the Earth's upper atmosphere (80- 600 km) in 450-950 nm.

The Russian payload.

SOLRAD - To study temporal and spectral parameters of solar flare X and gamma ray fluxes as well as charge particles in the earth polar cap regions.

Data Reception and Dissemination

National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is responsible for remote sensing satellite data acquirement and processing, data dissemination, aerial remote sensing and decision support for disaster management.

NRSC has archived a wealth of satellite images from Indian and foreign satellites since 1983. NRSC has its data reception facility at Shadnagar, 65 km from Hyderabad city. The station has four state of the art antenna systems for data reception and archival.

The Satellite data processing chain has a user friendly web mechanism to enable users to order data of their requirement. It can facilitate to acquire data pertaining to any part of the globe on user request.

The Aerial facility has two Beech craft aircraft to acquire data utilizing various sensors like Aerial cameras, Laser instrument, Synthetic aperture radar and Magnetometer.

The aerial facility has carried out number of studies for mapping and infrastructure planning for towns and cities, Cadastral surveys, canal alignment for interlinking of rivers, Digital elevation model (DEM) applications ,Mineral targeting etc., It has also carried out international projects in Maldives & Emirates of Dubai.

The Decision Support Centre (DSC) is a single window information provider on major natural disasters like Floods, Agricultural Drought, and Forest fires, Cyclones, Earthquakes and Landslides. It provides near real time information to State and Central government for relief, rehabilitation and planning. The DSC also supports International Charter on Space and Major Disasters and Sentinel Asia. Under this, critical support was extended to Myanmar during Nargis (2008) Cyclone; Indonesian floods (2008) and China earthquake (2008).

India's First Mission to Moon

“THE MOON “with the history of the early solar system etched on it beckons mankind from time immemorial to admire its marvels and discover its secrets. Understanding the moon provides a pathway to unravel the early evolution of the solar system and that of the planet earth.

Through the ages, the Moon, our closest extraterrestrial body has aroused curiosity in our mind much more than any other objects in the sky. This led to scientific study of the Moon, driven by human desire and mission for knowledge. This is also reflected in the ancient verse.

Exploration of the moon got a boost with the advent of the space age and the decades of sixties and seventies saw a myriad of successful unmanned and manned missions to moon. This was followed by a hiatus of about one and a half-decade. During this period we refined our knowledge about the origin and evolution of the moon and its place as a link to understand the early history of the Solar System and of the earth.

However, new questions about lunar evolution also emerged and new possibilities of using the moon as a platform for further exploration of the solar system and beyond were formulated. Moon again became the prime target for exploration and a new renaissance of rejuvenated interest dawned. All the major space faring nations of the world started planning missions to explore the moon and also to utilize moon as a potential base for space exploration.

The idea of undertaking an Indian scientific mission to Moon was initially mooted in a meeting of the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1999 that was followed up by discussions in the Astronautical Society of India in 2000. Based on the recommendations made by the learned members of these forums, a National Lunar Mission Task Force was constituted by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Leading Indian scientists and technologists participated in the deliberations of the Task Force that provided an assessment on the feasibility of an Indian Mission to the Moon as well as dwelt on the focus of such a mission and its possible configuration.

Village Resource Centres

To provide services space allowed directly to the rural population, ISRO launched the Village Resource Centre (VRC) program in partnership with renowned NGOs / trusts and state agencies / central.

VRC 473 were established in 22 territories of the States / Union, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim. Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and A & N Islands.

The VRC is connected to the centers of knowledge / experts and agricultural universities, institutes of Skills Development and Hospitals. More than 6500 programs have been conducted by the VRC in the areas of skills development for agriculture / horticulture, fisheries, livestock, water resources, Tele health care, awareness programs, empowerment of women, education further, computer literacy, micro credits, micro finance / professional training for livelihood support, etc. So far, more than five lakh people have benefited from the services of VRC.

About Disaster Management

The Disaster Management Support (DMS) Programme of ISRO, provides timely support and services from aero-space systems, both imaging and communications, towards efficient management of disasters in the country. The DMS programme addresses disasters such as flood, cyclone, drought, forest fire, landslide and Earthquake etc.

These include design of digital data base for facilitating hazard zonation, damage assessment, etc., monitoring of major natural disasters using satellite and aerial data; development of suitable techniques and tools for decision support, establishing satellite based reliable communication network, deployment of emergency communication equipments and R&D towards early warning of disasters.

To support the total cycle of disaster/ emergency management for the country, in near real time, the database creation is addressed through National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM), a GIS based repository of data. NDEM is envisaged to have core data, hazard-specific data, and dynamic data in spatial as well as aspatial form.