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Nilgiri

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The Indian Space Research Organisation is in discussions with European and Israeli space agencies to enhance cooperation and identify potential opportunities to work together. The Secretary in the Department of Space and ISRO Chairman K Sivan held virtual meetings with Director General of Israel Space Agency (ISA) Avi Blasberger and Director General of European Space Agency (ESA) Josef Aschbacher last week.

Sivan and Blasberger reviewed the progress of the ongoing activities including cooperation in electric propulsion system for small satellites and GEO-LEO (Geosynchronous Earth Orbit-Low Earth Orbit) optical link.

They also discussed potential opportunities of working together in future including launch of Israeli satellites in Indian launcher and commemorating 75th anniversary of Indian independence and 30 years of India-Israel diplomatic relations through an appropriate event in 2022, an ISRO statement said.

Sivan and Aschbacher reviewed the status of ongoing cooperation activities in earth observation, space science, satellite navigation, space situational awareness and human space flight.

An ISRO-ESA Arrangement concerning network and operations Cross-support which will enable use of ground station to support each others spacecraft missions, was signed recently.

"They agreed to form thematic working groups which will discuss to identify potential opportunities for working together to further enhance ISRO-ESA cooperation", the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency added.

"I place @ESA's cooperation with @ISRO high on the ESA international agenda.

#India's space portfolio is expanding thus many more cooperation opportunities between our agencies are on the horizon", Aschbacher tweeted.
 

Nilgiri

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Another launch is coming up @Cabatli_53 @Gessler @Anmdt @Combat-Master @guest12 et al.

Hopefully we get to pre-covid schedule ASAP.


NEW DELHI: Just three days ahead of the Independence Day, India will finally launch its most advanced geo-imaging satellite (Gisat-1), which will allow better monitoring of the subcontinent, including its borders with Pakistan and China, by imaging the country 4-5 times a day. The satellite will be launched on August 12 at 5.43am from Sriharikota.

The pandemic delayed the launch of the new-series geo-satellite, which has civilian and strategic importance, several times since last year. Isro’s GSLV-F10 rocket will finally put the 2,268-kg Gisat-1, codenamed EOS-3, into the geo-orbit. This will be India’s first launch of a primary satellite this year. On February 28, Isro had launched 18 small satellites, including some desi satellites, along with primary satellite Amazonia-1 of Brazil.

Once placed 36,000 km above earth in the geostationary orbit after space manoeuvres, the advanced ‘eye in the sky’ can constantly monitor areas of interest (the satellite will move in sync with the rotation of the Earth and hence would look stationary) and will give real-time information about a large area unlike other remote sensing satellites placed in lower orbits that come to a spot only at regular intervals. EOS-3 will also enable quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic and short-term events.

Minister of state for department of space Jitendra Singh, in a response to a question in Rajya Sabha recently, had said that EOS-03 is capable of imaging the whole country 4-5 times daily. The satellite, which is capable of near real-time monitoring of floods and cyclones, will also enable monitoring of water bodies, crops, vegetation conditions and forest cover changes, he said.

The satellite will have payload imaging sensors of six-band multispectral visible and near infra-red with 42-metre resolution, 158 bands hyper-spectral visible and near infra-red with 318-metre resolution and 256 bands hyper-spectral short wave infra-red with 191-metre resolution. A 4-metre diameter ogive-shaped payload fairing (heat shield) has been used in the rocket for the first time, an Isro statement said.

The satellite was earlier scheduled for launch on March 28 this year but a “minor issue” forced its postponement. The launch was later expected in April and then in May but Covid-triggered restrictions in states where Isro centres are located delayed it again.

After the Gisat-1 launch, the other satellite to go up will be EOS-4 or Risat-1A, which is a radar imaging satellite with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can take pictures during day and night and can also see through clouds. The satellite weighing over 1,800 kg will be launched by a PSLV in September. The satellite will play a strategic role in the country's defence with its capability to operate in day, night and all weather conditions.

The first developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) or mini-PSLV is also scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year from Sriharikota.
 

Gessler

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Another launch is coming up @Cabatli_53 @Gessler @Anmdt @Combat-Master @guest12 et al.

Hopefully we get to pre-covid schedule ASAP.


NEW DELHI: Just three days ahead of the Independence Day, India will finally launch its most advanced geo-imaging satellite (Gisat-1), which will allow better monitoring of the subcontinent, including its borders with Pakistan and China, by imaging the country 4-5 times a day. The satellite will be launched on August 12 at 5.43am from Sriharikota.

The pandemic delayed the launch of the new-series geo-satellite, which has civilian and strategic importance, several times since last year. Isro’s GSLV-F10 rocket will finally put the 2,268-kg Gisat-1, codenamed EOS-3, into the geo-orbit. This will be India’s first launch of a primary satellite this year. On February 28, Isro had launched 18 small satellites, including some desi satellites, along with primary satellite Amazonia-1 of Brazil.

Once placed 36,000 km above earth in the geostationary orbit after space manoeuvres, the advanced ‘eye in the sky’ can constantly monitor areas of interest (the satellite will move in sync with the rotation of the Earth and hence would look stationary) and will give real-time information about a large area unlike other remote sensing satellites placed in lower orbits that come to a spot only at regular intervals. EOS-3 will also enable quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic and short-term events.

Minister of state for department of space Jitendra Singh, in a response to a question in Rajya Sabha recently, had said that EOS-03 is capable of imaging the whole country 4-5 times daily. The satellite, which is capable of near real-time monitoring of floods and cyclones, will also enable monitoring of water bodies, crops, vegetation conditions and forest cover changes, he said.

The satellite will have payload imaging sensors of six-band multispectral visible and near infra-red with 42-metre resolution, 158 bands hyper-spectral visible and near infra-red with 318-metre resolution and 256 bands hyper-spectral short wave infra-red with 191-metre resolution. A 4-metre diameter ogive-shaped payload fairing (heat shield) has been used in the rocket for the first time, an Isro statement said.

The satellite was earlier scheduled for launch on March 28 this year but a “minor issue” forced its postponement. The launch was later expected in April and then in May but Covid-triggered restrictions in states where Isro centres are located delayed it again.

After the Gisat-1 launch, the other satellite to go up will be EOS-4 or Risat-1A, which is a radar imaging satellite with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can take pictures during day and night and can also see through clouds. The satellite weighing over 1,800 kg will be launched by a PSLV in September. The satellite will play a strategic role in the country's defence with its capability to operate in day, night and all weather conditions.

The first developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) or mini-PSLV is also scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year from Sriharikota.

What they're not talking about is the capabilities of the IR-spectrum sensors on the satellite in particular.

GISAT-1_Deployed_Configuration_01.png


GISAT-1/EOS-03 will be the first of a series of imaging sats that are designed to provide a capability set along the lines of the US SBIRS system:


That includes detecting the significant IR plume from ballistic missile launches...combining the data with OTH radars to provide solutions for BMD interceptions.
 

Gessler

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Propellent filling has started - launch scheduled for 0543hrs IST tomorrow.

If you noticed, on this mission we're flying the new larger Ogive fairing on the GSLV Mk-2. If successful, the same fairing could also be used for the upcoming Indo-US NISAR mission.

E8dpP_VVEAAgy4P.jpg


E8bhmZNWQAoeaiQ.jpg


E8RSTWqVkAEVpKl.jpg
 

Nilgiri

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Live stream (ongoing now):


Will be archived to Indian space archive (where more background info for this mission can be found as well)
 

Gessler

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Darn, looks like CUSP failed. Mission failed. Will wait for mission de-brief.

Unfortunate loss. Well, space is always hard.

First failure of ISRO rocket since 2017, breaking the run of 14 consecutive successful missions.

There is a GISAT-2 lined up, which I'm guessing is a repeat mission. Guess there will be another now.
 

Nilgiri

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Unfortunate loss. Well, space is always hard.

First failure of ISRO rocket since 2017, breaking the run of 14 consecutive successful missions.

There is a GISAT-2 lined up, which I'm guessing is a repeat mission. Guess there will be another now.

Yeah the mojo, I wasn't feeling it...things were tense from the start. I feel its from covid shutdown and now restart process.

Things do not sit so well 100% reliably if you have in storage for extended period from delays etc...

At workplace we had to ditch a whole bunch of instruments and gauges just earlier....they were sitting not being used (again due to covid shutdown) and there was just enough issues developed inside some of them...given fluids extracted and possible residuals caused by that.

Now we know (from using and seeing the unacceptable errors)...but the cost is there all the same.

With complex system and total one-time all-in use like a cryogenic rocket engine....well one can imagine how it can also be the case here too.
 

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I have some doubts on their plans , maybe it's just my pov .

But they are far from Bangalore ,noida etc , so thry will face problems in supply chain etc.

Also they need to deal with manpower problem as most locals are not like banglore etc .

But one thing i am sure about that they will give impetus to.a new eco system and with proper strategy they can atleast become oem .


@Nilgiri don't you feel thst instead of all startups in space sector going for rocket , some should go for some specific tech , like some should go for keralox engines and improving design to reduce weight , improve t/w ratio etc . Like pixxel took a good step for earth observation satellites , some company should go for AI aided map generation and navigation with high quality pictures and street view but including areas which google map don't register . Especially designed for delivery buisness etc .

Some can go for trajectory correction thrusters .

Others can go for interstage integration and testing , these can give boost to other smaller startups and also as manpower is cheaper , a space secotr exports can generate
 

Nilgiri

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I have some doubts on their plans , maybe it's just my pov .

But they are far from Bangalore ,noida etc , so thry will face problems in supply chain etc.

Also they need to deal with manpower problem as most locals are not like banglore etc .

But one thing i am sure about that they will give impetus to.a new eco system and with proper strategy they can atleast become oem .


@Nilgiri don't you feel thst instead of all startups in space sector going for rocket , some should go for some specific tech , like some should go for keralox engines and improving design to reduce weight , improve t/w ratio etc . Like pixxel took a good step for earth observation satellites , some company should go for AI aided map generation and navigation with high quality pictures and street view but including areas which google map don't register . Especially designed for delivery buisness etc .

Some can go for trajectory correction thrusters .

Others can go for interstage integration and testing , these can give boost to other smaller startups and also as manpower is cheaper , a space secotr exports can generate

It all needs proper management for the resource flow and handling w.r.t the raw demand in civil sector (that military can then leverage too).

More people should leave IT sector and branch out to more manufacturing and services sectors in general.
 

Lonewolf

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It all needs proper management for the resource flow and handling w.r.t the raw demand in civil sector (that military can then leverage too).

More people should leave IT sector and branch out to more manufacturing and services sectors in general.
I usually keep searching for indian companies , and one thing that i have repeatedly came across is that many big companies are less risk taking and sometimes wait for full government backing before acting .

Meanwhile startups and small ventures are making products beyond their capability as per oyr expectations . In some segments ,they compete with chinese too but we need proper PR for them
 

Gautam

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Crosspost from my SF post. @Nilgiri asked me to post this here :

Some thoughts about the Gaganyaan mission & the GSLV Mk-3 launcher.

In early 2019, ISRO calls a tender for Augmentation of the Second Launch Pad (ASLP). ASLP was for readying the launch pad for handling thrust form the SCE200 engine. The work was supposed to be completed with in 15months. Given the usual delays with tendering, selection etc. assume it takes 2 years. So from early-2019 to mid-2021. Even with COVID-19 related delays, the ASLP should be nearing completion.
1629706645078.png


Oh and going by recent satellite pics, it seems work at the IPRC, Mahendragiri test stand is complete. Although some civil work at the control stations & viewer's gallery still remains underway.

Now its no secret that ISRO has been building new engines & stages to augment the payload capacity of the GSLV Mk-3/LMV-3. The augmentation will happen by replacing the hypergolic core stage L110 with the semi-cryo Kerolox stage SC120 & replacing the C-25 cryo stage with the C32 cryo stage. This slide below form sometime back says that the Augmented LMV-3/GSLV Mk-3 & Human Rated version of the LMV-3 has been approved. Obviously the timelines from this slides cannot be met.

Here is the ambiguity. The human rated rocket may or may not be the augmented GSLV Mk-3/LMV3. The rocket as it is today can lift 10 tons to LEO at 600km. The fully loaded Gaganyaan would weigh 7.8-8.2 tons & it would be put in 400km LEO orbit. So the current GSLV Mk-3 can be used for the mission.

Given the toxicity of hypergolic fuels it would be strange to have a "human rated" GSLV Mk-3 launcher with hypergolic core. But the possibility of this could not be ruled out. The Russians are a more established space power than us yet they still do human launches on the hypergolic Proton rockets. Despite the risks there is no guarantee we wont do the same, especially given the project's deadlines. Eventually ISRO confirmed the Gaganyaan will use the hypergolic core launcher.
1629706660363.png

That's where the slide below comes in. It was showcased a week ago on Independence day. This is ISRO's plan for GTO payload growth of the GSLV Mk-3.

The schedule as per flight number :

D1: GSAT-19 (June 2017)
D2: GSAT 29 (November 2018)
M1: Chandrayaan-2 (July 2019)
M2: Gaganyaan-1 (June 2022)
M3: Chandrayaan-3 (Q3 2022)
M4: Gaganyaan-2 (Q4 2022-23)
M5: GSAT-20 (2022-23)
M6: Gaganyaan-3 (2023)

The M4 flight will get the SC-120 stage. The M4 will be the 2nd orbital test of the Gaganyaan crew & service module & the M6 will be the 1st crewed mission. So the 2nd unmanned orbital test, when human safety is not a concern, will see the semi-cryo engine but the crewed mission will still use the toxic hypergolic fueled core ?!?!?! Doesn't make any sense.

Maybe if ISRO can safely fly the semi-cryo stage on M4 flight they will consider that for the M6 too.
1629706707423.png

The dates shown above are tentative. Until the pandemic arrived, we had one GSLV Mk-3 launch in every 6-8 months. The last launch was on July 2019, the next one will be almost 3 years later on June 2022. If production line ran at full capacity in 3 years we would have 4.5 launchers ready. We know ISRO was shut during the peak of 1st & 2nd waves, but ISRO's supplier companies were still open. GSLV Mk-3 gets most its parts from pvt. companies.

S200 comes from L&T
CE-20 engine & C-25 stage from HAL
Vikas engine from Godrej

We probably wont have 4 GSLV Mk-3 launches in 2022. But 2-3 launches seem reasonable given the 3 year gap. ISRO wants to further increase rate of production.
1629706730471.png

Whatever the case, the SC120 stage will have its 1st flight in late-2022 or early-2023. Which means the SCE-200 has from Q3 2021 to early 2022 for its testing to complete. Once the engine is tested stage testing can begin. There isn't a lot of time left. Which is why the SCE-200 not doing a test firing soon would be very disturbing.

Preparation for manufacturing of the new stages are moving ahead quite well. In 2019 IPRC, Mahendragiri called for a tender for supply of trailers to transport the new C-32 & SC-120 stages. The trailers will be pulled by an AMW 4018 truck. The trailers will be used to move tanks to various places within the Mahendragiri facility & then to move the completed stages to the assembly buildings.
1629706759338.png

1629706767855.png

1629706776035.png

By 2020, HAL had already started producing & supplying the new tanks for the C32 stage :


HAL will also produce/supply the tanks for the SC120 stage. Not sure if they have started supplying the same yet. The large single engined tank on the right side of the slide below is probably the SC120 stage.
1629706802496.png

Dimensions of the various stages. As mentioned above, SC120 will replace the L110 & C32 will replace C25. The diameters are all the same. But there will be a increase in length of the GSLV Mk-3. The changes will take the height of the GSLV MK-3 to ~45.9 m from the current 43.4 m.
1629706823626.png

The GSLV Mk3 will evolve to become the HLV-E3 which will be a member of the upcoming Modular Launch Vehicle (MLV) family. The solid boosters will go from S200 to S250, 50ton increase in propellant loading. The core will be the single engined SC-200 stage that has been seen in a million other presentations. The upper stage will go from C32 to C34.
1629706838469.png

So to summarize my long rant, SC engine test stand & launch pad augmentation is almost complete. CE-32 stage is almost ready, SC-120 tanks are probably ready. We still may do the Gaganyaan crew mission on the hypergolic core launcher. When will the SCE-200 engine do its test fire ?

Edit: There is a DefenceHub logo on all the photos. LOL
 

Nilgiri

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Edit: There is a DefenceHub logo on all the photos. LOL

I know what you mean, I see it during the upload process too sometimes, but the watermark doesn't seem to stick in the final images as they appear in the post.

Maybe @MisterLike knows what glitch is going on here?
 

Mis_TR_Like

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I know what you mean, I see it during the upload process too sometimes, but the watermark doesn't seem to stick in the final images as they appear in the post.

Maybe @MisterLike knows what glitch is going on here?
The logo will only show up on pics uploaded on the IDEF thread. However as you said, there is a glitch which makes it appear on images before they are posted.
 

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Gessler

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Overview of the launch vehicles being developed by Private-sector companies:

Agnibaan, Vikram, Kalam, Chetak, Pheonix.jpg


Left to Right:

Agnibaan - Agnikul Cosmos, Chennai
Vikram I - Skyroot Aerospace, Hyderabad
Kalam - STARLab, Surat
Chetak - Bellatrix Aerospace, Bangalore
Phoenix - STARLab, Surat

As I mentioned in my article, Agnikul & Skyroot have made significant progress & gotten sizeable investments. Bellatrix has prioritized OTV development, therefore SLVs are not an immediate goal (but program still retained), STAR Lab is an up-and-coming start-up, in a place where the first 2 were a few years ago and remains to be seen if they can deliver.
 

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