План индийских космических пусков

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/110202-orbcomm-admits-sat-failed.html

As part of its settlement with OHB Technology of Bremen, Germany, following the failure of the six satellites launched in June 2008, OHB and its Luxspace affiliate are building two dedicated AIS spacecraft for Orbcomm. These satellites are scheduled for launch starting by June, Orbcomm said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

[Salo]

India's spy in the sky by 2014[/size]

Published: Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010, 1:04 IST
By Bhargavi Kerur | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

India will finally have its own 'official' eye in the sky to boost military intelligence.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing the country's first full-fledged 'declared' spy satellite, which will be operational by 2014 to keep an eye on neighbouring regions. The satellite is expected to significantly help in maintaining a close watch on terror camps close to Indian borders.

The satellite, called Communication-Centric Intelligence Satellite
(CCI-Sat), will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) within the next four years.

The CCI-Sat will be capable of picking images and supporting communication (conversation between two satellite phones, for instance), besides surveillance. The project is currently in the initial stages of planning.

G Bhoopathy, director, Defence Electronic Research Laboratory, said the satellite would orbit Earth at an altitude of 500km, and would cover hostile regions in India's neighbourhood by passing on the surveillance data to the intelligence. "The focus is now space; we have to equip ourselves for electronic warfare from space, too," he said.

The satellite will be equipped with a synthetic aperture radar to take high resolution images of the target regions. Pegged at Rs100 crore, the satellite design and development will be made by Isro while the payload will be built by DLRL.

"We are in discussions with Isro at the moment," Bhoopathy said.
Unofficially, India in October 2001 has already entered the league of nations having spy satellites - USA, Russia, Japan and Russia - with the launch of the Technology Experiment Satellite (TES). In fact, TES provided the first one-metre resolution images of Afghanistan's interior regions on US's request as intelligence inputs when US troops entered that country post-9/11.

Besides TES, Isro's Cartosat series of satellites and the Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT)-2 can also be used for surveillance and espionage. However, CCI-Sat will be the first 100% spy satellite of India. "This satellite will be much better than Risat-2," Bhoopathy said.

Isro is also planning to launch the Gsat-7 satellite to boost communication system for the Indian Navy. This would be launched later this year.

[Salo]

http://srmsat.in/index.html

Ground Station to be operational by 1-st week of june.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1173.msg690915#msg690915

Might get official confirmation by today evening (IST,in print media), but hearing that the launch date for the PSLV is February 24, 2011.

[Salo]

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_isro-announces-new-moon-mission-with-us-jet-propulsion-lab_1506970

ISRO announces new moon mission with US' Jet Propulsion Lab[/size]
Published: Saturday, Feb 12, 2011, 22:11 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI

In the midst of a controversial satellite deal with a private company, ISRO today announced that it was planning another moon mission jointly with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the US.

The Space Commission, India's apex space policy body, today gave ISRO the go-ahead to partner with JPL, which has sent missions to Mars and Venus, for the project names 'Moon Rise' which could be launched by NASA.

ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invited proposals under its New Frontiers Programme announced in 2009.

As per the cooperation agreement, ISRO will send a satellite to orbit around the moon to transmit data to earth from rover JPL plans to send to the lunar surface.

As part of the project, JPL plans to drop a robotic lander into a basin at the moon's south pole to return lunar rocks back to Earth for study.

The mission, if selected, would be launched in 2016.

"We will have to send a Chandrayaan-I like probe that will orbit the moon for about four to five years. The 400-500 kg satellite around the moon could also carry some scientific experiments of ISRO," Radhakrishnan said.

He said the proposal was an outcome of India-US cooperation announced during the visit of President Barack Obama to India last year.

He said India's contribution to the project could amount to about $150 million.

The mission is part of a joint proposal with JPL which will be put up before NASA.

"We will take forward the proposal and work out a detail plan once NASA selects the proposal," Radhakrishnan said.

NASA has selected three proposals as candidates for the agency's next space venture to another celestial body in our solar system. The final project selected in mid-2011 may provide a better understanding of Earth's formation or perhaps the origin of life on our planet.

Видео:
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/isro-announces-new-moon-mission/190825

[Salo]

Youthsat ушёл на март а Aditya планируется в 2012:
http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/pdf/pres/stsc2011/tech-52.pdf

[Salo]

Планирующиеся пуски[/size]

2011
Дата – КА – РКН/РБ – Время
конец апреля - RESOURCESAT-2, YOUTHSAT, X-Sat - PSLV-C16 (XL) - утро
второй квартал - GSAT-12, Gagan - PSLV-C17 (HP) - ПО
11 мая - ST 2 & INSAT-4G (GSAT-8 ) - Ariane 5 ECA (V202) - ПО
конец года - MEGHA-TROPIQUES, SRMSat - PSLV (ПО) (CA) - ПО
второе полугодие - RISAT-1, AISat - PSLV (ПО) (XL) - ПО

2012
Дата – КА – РКН/РБ – Время
первый квартал - SARAL (ALTIKA-ARGOS), SAPPHIRE, Max Valier, UniBRITE, BRITE-AUSTRIA, AAUSat3 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
первый квартал - GSAT-7(INSAT-4F, Navy Communications Satellite) - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
первый квартал - InSat-3D - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
первый квартал - GSAT-10P, Gagan - Ariane 5 - ПО
ПО - SRE-2, PROTIERS, Orbcomm AIS sat 2, CANX-4, CANX-5, NEMO-AM, WNISAT-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - ASTROSAT-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - DMSAR-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - CARTOSAT-3 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - RISAT-3 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-1 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-2 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - GSAT-9 - GSLV (ПО) - ПО - или начало 2013

Попутная нагрузка
ПО - ALSAT-2B - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - BRITE-PL - ПО - ПО
ПО - Sathyabama satellite - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - Jugnu - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - RLV-TD - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - TAUVEX- GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IMSAT - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - Pratham - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - VITSat-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - Venta-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - AISSat-2 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - CanX-3 (2 sat), BRITE-PL2 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО

2013
Дата – КА – РКН/РБ – Время
январь-февраль - Chandrayaan-2 - GSLV (Mk II) (ПО) - ПО - или 2014
ПО - GSAT-6(INSAT-4E) - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IAF Satellite - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - GSAT-11 - GSLV-Mk III / Ariane 5- ПО
ПО - GSAT-13 - GSLV (ПО) (Mk.II) - ПО
ПО - GSAT-14 - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-3 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-4 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО -TES-HYP - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО -GISAT - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - GEO-HR - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - ACTS-1(F) - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - ITM-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - TecSAR-2 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - Unmanned Crew Module - PSLV (ПО) - ПО

Попутная нагрузка
ПО - I-STAG - ПО - ПО
ПО - SENSE-P, SENSE-E - ПО - ПО
ПО - BRITE-PL 2 - ПО - ПО
ПО - ADITYA-1 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО (или 2014)

2014
Дата – КА – РКН/РБ – Время
ПО - EnMAP - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - CCI-Sat - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - ASTROSAT-2 - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - ACTS-2 - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-5 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-6 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-7 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО

2016
Дата – КА – РКН/РБ – Время
ПО - Mars Mission (ПО) - GSLV-Mk III - ПО
ПО - Human Space Flight Programme- GSLV MkII - ПО

C неопределённой датой
ПО - GSAT-15 - GSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-8 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-9 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-10 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - IRNSS-11 - PSLV (ПО) (HP) - ПО
ПО - RESOURCESAT-3 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО
ПО - OCEANSAT-3 - PSLV (ПО) - ПО

Попутная нагрузка
ПО - Studsat-2A, Studsat-2B - PSLV (ПО) - ПО


Используемые сокращения:
КА – космический аппарат
РКН – ракета космического назначения
РБ – разгонный блок
ПО – подлежит определению
ЛМВ – летнее московское время
ДМВ – декретное московкое время
НВМ – неотделяемый весовой макет

Изменения от 27 февраля
Изменения от 1 марта
Изменения от 5 марта
Изменения от 6 марта
Изменения от 12 марта
Изменения от 19 марта
Изменения от 3 апреля

[Salo]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/ISRO-tests-rocket-motor-delays-satellite-launch/Article1-667091.aspx

The test results will be studied and the final call on the rocket's launch carrying remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2 is expected to be taken Feb 28 by Radhakrishnan.

ISRO officials said that around 20 days' time is required to test the rocket's subsystems after the launch permission.

If the permission is given on Mar 1, ISRO would require 20 days more to make the rocket and the satellite ready for launch.

Meanwhile, the fully assembled PSLV rocket is standing tall at the Sriharikota launch centre, around 80 km from in Chennai. All the three satellites are also at the rocket launch pad.

[Salo]

Isro gearing for Resourcesat-2 launch in April

[Salo]

MEGHA-TROPIQUES ушёл на второен полугодие:
http://smsc.cnes.fr/MEGHAT/Fr/index.htm

[instml]

Индия запустит три спутника, в том числе российско-индийский "ЮтСат"

НЬЮ-ДЕЛИ, 9 мар - РИА Новости, Евгений Безека. Индия в апреле планирует запустить на орбиту три спутника с помощью ракеты-носителя PSLV, передает агентство ИАНС.

Запуск был намечен на февраль, однако из-за декабрьской аварии тяжелой ракеты GSLV был отложен. После этой неудачи руководство Индийской организации космических исследований (ИСРО) решило подстраховаться и более тщательно протестировать детали ракеты. Более легкая ракета PSLV - "рабочая лошадка" ИСРО, используемая для вывода спутников на околоземную орбиту.

PSLV выведет на орбиту три спутника: 1,2-тонный Resourcesat-2 для дистанционного зондирования Земли, 93-килограммовый российско-индийский научный спутник "ЮтСат" (YouthSat), который планировалось отправить в космос еще в 2008 году, а также 103-килограммовый сингапурский спутник X-Sat.

Длина PSLV составляет 44 метра. Ракету приводят в движение четыре ступени, две из которых работают на твердом топливе, две - на жидком.

Решение о реализации этого российско-индийского спутникового проекта было принято в январе 2007 года в ходе визита Владимира Путина в Индию. Проект направлен на развитие контактов между молодежью двух стран. Российскую молодежь представляют студенты МГУ, собравшие "техническую начинку" спутника. Студенты университета штата Андхра-Прадеш, в свою очередь, будут анализировать полученные спутником сведения о Солнце.

Запуск "ЮтСата" первоначально был запланирован на весну 2008 года, который был объявлен Годом России в Индии. Оборудование для космического аппарата привезли из Москвы в бангалорскую штаб-квартиру ИСРО в августе 2008 года. После проведения испытаний российскую "начинку" должны были поместить в технологический модуль и осенью запустить в космос. Затем запуск перенесли на конец года, но и тогда для спутника не нашлось места на ракете. Не попал "ЮтСат" в план запусков и в 2009-2010 годах.

http://www.rian.ru/science/20110309/344153433.html

[Salo]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article1512995.ece

PSLV to be launched around April 10[/size]
T. S. Subramanian

GSLV failure and S-band scam hold it up for two months

After a two-month delay, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C16) will be launched around April 10 to put Resourcesat-2 and two other satellites into orbit.

The PSLV-C16 was to have lifted off from Sriharikota in the first week of February, but the failure of the Geo-stationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F06) on December 25, 2010, and the S-band spectrum scam that hit the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this year have cast a long shadow over it.

Though the four stages of the PSLV-C16 were fully integrated more than two weeks ago, the ISRO wants to play it safe after the GSLV-16 failure. Asked about the reason for the delay, an ISRO official said: "People are busy dealing with the fallout of the S-band scam and analysing the GSLV failure. The ISRO does not want another failure."

ISRO officials said they did not want to take chances with the PSLV-C16 flight because several modules of the PSLV and the GSLV were similar. The GSLV's liquid engine stages and up-rated core solid engine stage are all derived from the PSLV, which has become the workhorse of the ISRO for putting into orbit remote-sensing satellites. The second stages of the GSLV and the PSLV, both powered by liquid propellants, are alike. Besides, the four liquid strap-on booster motors around the GSLV core first stage are derived from the PSLV's liquid stages. "We will therefore be extra careful. We cannot afford to lose face this time," an ISRO rocket engineer said. Tests are under way on the PSLV's second liquid stage, because problems have surfaced there.

The PSLV-C16 will put into orbit three satellites: the ISRO's 1,200-kg Resourcesat-2; the 93-kg Youthsat, with a payload from Russia and two payloads from India; and the 103-kg X-Sat from Nangyang Technological University of Singapore. Resourcesat-2 is a continuation of Resourcesat-1, which was put into orbit on October 17, 2003. Resourcesat-1 is going strong, though it has lasted more than its mission life of five years. The images of the Resourcesat-2 will help in monitoring the health of crops, estimating crop yield, keeping a tab on deforestation and locating the groundwater. Youthsat is meant for studying the effects of the sun on the earth's upper atmosphere.

Two ISRO payloads in Youthsat are from the Space Physics Laboratory of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, the Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, and the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore.

The X-Sat is a technology demonstrator with remote-sensing and communication payloads.

A standard PSLV version, which weighs 295 tonnes at lift-off and is 44 metres long, will put these satellites in orbit. The satellites will be mated with the rocket in April.

[Salo]

http://www.isispace.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=90

2012  Q2    600 - 700 km, Sun Synchronous    Indian
2013  Q2    600 - 800 km, Sun Synchronous    Indian

[Salo]

http://www.utias-sfl.net/RecentNews/news-20110119.html

Canada adds two satellites to BRITE Constellation[/size]    

Brite Patch19 January 2011 – The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has officially signed an agreement to support BRIght Target Explorer (BRITE) Constellation by contributing two satellites targeting a launch in 2012. The two Canadian satellites will join four other satellites funded by the Austrian and Polish governments. The BRITE mission is a space astronomy mission involving multiple satellites in low Earth orbit that will observe the most luminous stars in our galaxy. The six satellites will use three-centimeter aperture optical telescopes housed in SFL's Generic Nanosatellite Bus. Each seven-kilogram satellite will be equipped with SFL's high performance three-axis attitude control system and incorporate a star tracker for accurate attitude determination. "We're very pleased that CSA is providing support to this astronomy mission of international importance. The additional satellites will provide a tremendous advantage in science data quality and allow our Canadian science team to collaborate on an even footing with their Austrian and Polish counterparts," says Dr. Robert E. Zee, SFL Director. "The fantastic scientific basis for the mission, the surprisingly low cost of the satellites, together with pre-existing support from Austria and Poland have created outstanding value to Canadians."

BRITE Constellation will use six satellites each observing a given stellar target field at different times to measure low frequency brightness oscillations in luminous stars. The satellites will have different optical filters in order to obtain temperature information. These measurements will uncover the characteristics of the stars and help answer questions related to the origin of the universe and creation of heavy elements that formed the planets and life on Earth. The approach is known as asteroseismology – the same approach used by Canada's first space telescope, MOST (Microvariability and Oscillations of STars), to characterize stars similar to our sun.

The BRITE satellites will be among the highest performing nanosatellites in the world, with unprecedented pointing capability. "BRITE will illustrate that great science and important missions can now be accomplished using miniature satellites on a shoestring budget," says Zee. "More and more applications can benefit from miniature satellite technology. SFL continues to make leading-edge advances in miniature satellite capabilities at shockingly low cost." The BRITE mission, including all six satellites, is expected to be approximately 300 times cheaper than the Hubble Space Telescope. The Austrian satellites are expected to launch first in 2011 followed by the first Polish satellite shortly thereafter. Subsequently, the Canadian satellites will launch in 2012 along with the second Polish satellite. Science data collection will begin immediately with the launch of the Austrian satellites, while the entire constellation should be fully operational by 2013.

[Salo]

http://www.utias-sfl.net/RecentNews/news-20110106.html

Norway signs AISSat-2 deal [/size]   

6 Jan 2011 – The Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (Forsvarets Forskningsinstitutt, or "FFI" in Norwegian) has commissioned SFL to deliver a second ship-tracking satellite, AISSat-2, following the success of the first Norwegian satellite built by SFL, AISSat-1. AISSat-1, a seven-kilogram, 20x20x20cm satellite designed and built by SFL for FFI was launched on 12 July 2010 and carries an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver built by Kongsberg Seatex of Norway. "Within one day after launch, AISSat-1 was detecting ships in Norwegian waters. A press release was issued with a graphic illustrating ship locations captured by the satellite the next day," says Dr. Robert E. Zee, SFL Director. "We were, of course, very excited and happy at the rapid acquisition of data so soon after launch."

AISSat-1 demonstrates SFL's advanced nanosatellite technology and is capable of three-axis inertial attitude control. Pointing accuracies are on the order of 1-2 degrees. The attitude control system is enabled by reaction wheels, sun sensors, magnetometer and magnetorquers. The same core attitude control system will be used by the six BRITE satellites which will also incorporate a star tracker for arcminute-level pointing. "SFL has been among the first, if not the first to demonstrate accurate three-axis attitude control on a nanosatellite," says Zee. "Often people wonder if they should take nanosatellites seriously because they are so small and limited in power. To the untrained eye they don't look very useful, and are even thought of as easy-to-build toys. What people don't immediately realize is that building a high performance nanosatellite is often much more challenging than building a larger satellite. SFL has advanced the technology to the point where one can implement an important and challenging space mission on a tiny satellite. We are seeing more and more applications opening up given the emerging capabilities of nanosatellites."

AISSat-2 will be Norway's second satellite, but developed on a shorter schedule given its identical design to AISSat-1. The purpose of the satellite will be to provide increased coverage and act as a backup to AISSat-1. The satellite should be ready for launch by early 2012.

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/110325-race-tracking-ships-space.html

Orbcomm has contracted with LuxSpace of Luxembourg to launch two small AIS-equipped spacecraft this year, with the first two of its own second-generation satellites set for launch as piggyback payloads on a Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket also scheduled for launch this year.

[Salo]

http://lunar-tiks.blogspot.com/2011/03/loaded-address-to-indian-space.html

A loaded address to the Indian space community by the PM


       It is not one of those speeches praising the present achievements, recalling the string of successes in the past and paying the usual tributes to India's space leaders.

       It is a speech which one cannot afford to ignore. It is what one may call  a refreshingly loaded one, delivering a strong message to the Indian space community. While offering the usual bouquet of praises, the PM has literally given a ``wake up'' call too, plotting the Indian space programme's future trajectory. .

       On Saturday evening  (March 26, 2011), Singh addressed the space fraternity at the Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre where he made a number of important points which need to be analysed.

       One of the first aspects was the PM's reference to the Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) project. Though in just a single sentence he said: ``We should pay greater attention to the Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle programme,'' who can deny that is not filled with with significance? .

       Why? His remark has to be seen in the context of two GSLV failures---one on April 15,2010 because of the malfunction of the Indian cryogenic engine and second one on December 25,2010 which was the result of a major technical snag..In the first case, it was the maiden flight of the GSLV with a India-made cryogenic engine which zoomed towards the sea instead of the sky!  Against this background it is clear that Singh's statement clearly reflects his concern about the problem-ridden GSLV project on which depends the future of India's second mission to the moon, ``Chandrayaan-2,'' --a joint Indo-Russian venture--tentatively slated for lift off in 2013.

        What better proof of Singh's concern than a another statement at the end of his speech where he says: ``There have been aberrations and setbacks in the space programme in the recent past. These are being dealt with in accordance with laid down procedures. It is however important that you work with renewed dedication, sincerity and zeal to fulfill the high expectations we have from our space programme.'' Read the words ``renewed dedication, sincerity and zeal to full the high expectations we have from our space programme.'' and draw your conclusions.

        Quite a strong message from none other than the PM himself considering that he holds the reign of the space portfolio along with the nuclear sector. The report of the GSLV programme should have been finalised by the end of the February according to an earlier Isro announcement. But, to date there is no word about it and there is no indication as to when one can expect it either.

        But, it was not just criticism. There was another side to his speech which made the space scientists happy on this Saturday evening. While expressing anxiety about the GSLV programme, he praised the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) project. He said: ``The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle has had sixteen successful flights and put forty satellites in orbit, twenty five of which belong to foreign parties.''  Good, but not a word about the repeated postponement of the PSLV which was to have taken off with Resourcesat-2, Youthsat and X-Sat of Singapore, on April 10, 2011. The current indications suggest that the launch will take place sometime towards the end of April.

       Plotting the future trajectory for Isro, he said: ``It, is therefore necessary that we work towards reducing the cost of access to space. This requires expediting the development of heavy lift boosters --(a referance to the GSLV Mark 3 programme which can fly communication satellites weighing four tonnes), advanced propulsion systems including the cryogenic stage and recoverable and reusable launch systems.''

      This is a significant statement because over the years Isro has been repeatedly talking about the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) project and mentioning dates when it will fly. But, these dates just come and go without any sign of the RLV launch. What is more, the PM has made no reference to the second flight of the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE) which according to original plans should have flown nearly a year-and-a-half ago. The SRE has been described as trial run of the RLV. The first SRE flight in January 2007 was a thumping success and India was the first nation to execute the tough mission successfully in the first shot itself earning it the title as India's brand ambassador at the international economic summit at Davos which was in progress at that time.

     Singh said: ``I believe it is important for Isro to concentrate its resources and evolve a perspective plan for its future development that is based on clearly defined objectives and benefits (Does this not remind you of Kennedy"s historical address on May 25,1961) when he declared ``I believe that this nation should put a man on the moon!!!!!!), ''

     Focussing on a possible future vision for Isro he said: ``The role of space-based observation systems, development of newer class of environment and monitoring systems and study of weather-related phenomena assume great importance in this regard.''  According to him, tele education, tele medicine and Village Resrouce Centre services deserve high priority. Why did he not say that the Edusat satellite was deactivated much earlier than its scheduled date?  Will Isro now plan Edusat-2? .

     All in all a very important speech which according to ``Beyond Moon and Mars,'' (BMM) almost sounds like a wake up call for Isro.

     But, there one thing which struck BMM.

     Why no mention of Chandrayaan-2. This is surprising because a number of payloads for this flight are being dessigned and developed at the Space Applications Centre.

     Again, why no mention of India's Human Space Flight project. Surprising, because it is the 50th year of the world's first manned space flight by Yuri Gagarin. Has the Indian project been given a quite burial?

     Who will answer these questions?

[Salo]

http://netindian.in/news/2011/03/27/00012081/india-france-launch-two-satellites-co-operate-astronomy

Home: India, France to launch two satellites; co-operate in astronomy
United News of India
New Delhi, March 27, 2011


India and France will co-launch two satellites from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launch pad later this year and early next year for gathering data relating to climate in tropical areas and for the study of oceans.

The satellite for the study of oceans is to be called SARAL.

The data from the other satellite will enhance understanding of the tropical weather phenomenon, including the monsoons.

French Ambassador to India Jerome Bonnafont told UNI a satellite would be launched by the end of this year, while the second launch will take place early next year. The launch of the satellite for the study of tropical climate is slated for this year.

Mr Bonnafont said both the satellites would be launched from the ISRO launch pad.

SARAL is a joint project of ISRO and the French National Space Agency -- Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

SARAL, which stands for Satellite with ARGOS and ALTIKA, will carry an Altimeter (ALTIKA) for studying the sea surface heights; and an ARGOS payload, which is a satellite based data collection platform.

The ALTIKA and ARGOS payloads are to be built and supplied by the French National Space Agency. The satellite building and launching are the responsibility of ISRO.

In a related development, Uranoscope de France signed a co-operative agreement recently with the Hyderabad-based B M Birla Science Centre with a view to "vigorously promote" the study and practice of astronomy.

Located in the heart of the city of Hyderabad, the Centre is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, both as a place for higher education as well as for research and development activities.

Under the pact, a C11 telescope will be installed by France in the newly built observatory of the Centre in the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The two entities will jointly use the new facility for observation of events and astronomical phenomena, research, amateur astronomy and community awareness, which will have several positive spin-offs for the two countries.

The co-operation with France in the fields of space and astronomy is regarded as a testimony of India's advancement in these areas, its legendary traditions and the growing interest in these fields.

[Salo]

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_home-grown-technology-for-aditya-1_1525302

Aditya-1 would be launched in 2013-14 on board the PSLV and put at an orbit of 600 km above the earth for two years (there would be high solar activity during this period).

http://www.livemint.com/2011/03/28231740/India-joins-international-grou.html?atype=tp

IIA's space coronagraph is estimated to cost Rs.40 crore to develop. Including other expenses such as for launching the special telescope on a satellite named Aditya in 2013, the entire project cost is estimated at Rs.128 crore, said a spokesperson for Isro. IIA, a government body, is also building the world's biggest solar telescope with a diameter of 2m. The project, estimated to cost Rs.150 crore, is being evaluated by the department of science and technology.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1173.msg720603#msg720603

It seems that new launch date announced for PSLV-C16 (Acc to regional news channel). Scheduled date is 20th Apr 2011 (Around 10 AM IST).

~Prasad