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India
in Space - 2020
Pradeep
Kumar Sangatramani and Kavita Sangatramani
Introduction
The
more you resist the more it persist is the story
of Indian space program. When US reluctantly
refused to transfer the space technology and also
coaxed our friendly nations not to transfer it
into Indian hands, Indian elite band of scientists
took charge and determinedly persuaded the path
breaking success. During the nascent stage of
Indian space program no one would have thought
that the child would transform into a monster,
breaking all the time and economy bound
constraints. Indian Scientists and engineers made
every Indian swell with proud with the first
launch of indigenous satellite Aryabhata.
India was among the first few countries to
realize the potential of space technology and its
application to solve real problems of man and
society. The Indian space pioneer and the
architect of Indian Space Program Dr. Vikram
Sarabhai, under whose chairmanship, the Indian
National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR)
was formed in 1962 dreamt that India should be
sine-qua-none in the application of advanced
technologies like space. Since then, India has
made impressive progress in this field. Space
technology has not only enhanced India's
communication capabilities, but has also
contributed in meteorological forecasting,
providing advanced disaster warning, search and
rescue measures and distance education to remote
areas.
While
the future of our space program looks rosy there
is little room for complacency. We are often
dogged by setbacks, triggered either by human
inadequacies or circumstances beyond our control.
India
has a great need for the capabilities which space
can give it. With more than 1 billion people
within its borders, India relies heavily on
agriculture that means remote sensing and
meteorological data are a necessity. Combining
these with a communications system for a country
with a vast north-to-south distance and we have
the natural need for a vigorous space program.
India's
Golden
Steps
in Space
The Indian space pioneer and the architect of Indian
Space Program Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, under whose
chairmanship, the Indian National Committee for
Space Research (INCOSPAR) was formed in 1962
dreamt that India should be sine-qua-none in the
application of advanced technologies like space to
solve the real problems of man and society. In
India, the space program was formerly launched in
1972 with the setting up of the Space Commission
and the Department of Space. Advancement in areas
of communication, meteorology, resources survey
& management, develop satellites, launch
vehicles & associated ground systems were the
initial objectives.
The
first sounding rocket was launched from TERLS
(November 21, 1963) became the historical
milestone in the golden book of Indian space
research program. After this inspiring launch
India never looked back. Space Science &
Technology Center (SSTC) was established in Thumba.
Satellite
Telecommunication Earth Station (STES) is
contributing to the space program from Ahmedabad.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) became
the pioneer body for space research and satellite
launching programs formed under Department of
Atomic Energy, Space Commission and Department of
Space. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
runs the program from Bangalore in the southern
part of the country. At Sriharikota India has
established a mature launch site which has
launched the SLV, ASLV, PSLV and GSLV rockets with
orbital payloads. Bhaskara-I,
an experimental satellite for earth observations
was launched on June 7, 1979. The Rohini 1
satellite was successfully launched from
Sriharikota on July 18, 1980.
Indo-Soviet manned space mission (April 1984) made
history, when Rakesh Sharma became the first
Indian to land on to space.
The First developmental launch of ASLV
with SROSS-1 satellite on board took place on
March 24, 1987.
The
launch of new locally built remote sensing
satellites (IRS) family satellites have already
ushered an era of extensive research in remote
sensing. This followed by Oceansat II, the second
in the series of the first Oceansat satellite have
made the sound foundations of IRS program.
Another
satellite is being jointly developed by India and
France for climate and weather applications, would
also join the ISRO family.
ISRO
in May 1999 for the first time successfully
launched the PSLV rocket put into orbit a German,
South Korean and locally made satellite.
In
May 2003 India successfully launched the second
GSLV putting GSAT-2 (1825 kg.) into the space,
with GSAT-1 already working.
Indigenous
Launch Vehicle Program
India
realized quite early that sustaining the space
program in the long run would depend on indigenous
technological capabilities. Keeping this in view,
besides building satellites, India embarked
on satellite launch vehicle development in the early 70s.
The
first experimental launch vehicle SLV-3 was
launched by India in 1980. SLV project was
designed to put 40 Kg payloads into a 400Km
circular orbit.
An augmented version of this vehicle, ASLV,
was launched successfully in 1992.
India has also
acquired another grand success in the launch vehicle area
with the successful development of
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV. The
Polar Space Launch Vehicle is a versatile heavy
launcher developed to permit India to launch its
own IRS-class 1000Kg satellites into
sun-synchronous orbits, though it could also be
used for GTO mission. It also served as the
stepping-stone for GSLV heavy lift configuration
for mainstream GTO orbit. PSLV
is being offered to launch satellites of other
countries. It launched two small satellites,
one of Korea and another of Germany along with
India's IRS-P4 in May 1999.
The
GSLV (Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle) Mk-I
is a heavy communication satellite launcher
developed to enable India to launch its own INSAT-class
2,000 to 2,500Kg satellites into
Geo-Transfer-Orbit (GTO) for Indian and foreign
communication satellite market. The
Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D1)
had its maiden successful flight on April 18,
2001 from Sriharikota. GSLV-D2 was
successfully launched in May 2003.
In April-2002, Indian government approved Rs. 2498 crores (US$
520M) for development of GSLV Mk III able to
launch 4,400 kg satellite to GTO by 2007/2008,
with growth potential towards a 6,000kg payload
capability through minor improvements.
Indian
Satellite Systems: IRS (Indian Remote Sensing
Satellite) and Communications
India
has wasted no time in trying to establish an
independent space capability. The country was
formerly dependent on the US and the Soviet Union
for its space programs and now India has developed
its own indigenous remote sensing satellite,
following the trail of successful demonstration
flights of Bhaskara 1 and Bhaskara 2 launched in
1979 and 1981, respectively.
India
began development of an indigenous IRS (Indian
Remote Sensing Satellite) program to support the
national economy in the areas of agriculture water
resources, forestry and ecology, geology,
watersheds, marine fisheries and coastal
management. The Indian Remote Sensing satellites
are the mainstay of National Natural Resources
Management system (NNRMS), for which Department of
Space (DOS) is the nodal agency, providing
operational remote sensing data services.
India became one of the
few countries to develop its own operational
Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS-1A) in March
1988. Today, India has the largest
constellation of remote sensing satellites,
IRS-1B, IRS-1C, IRS-1D, IRS-P3, IRS-P4, IRS-P5 and
IRS-P6 in operation. Among them are IRS-1C
and IRS-1D, which are the best civilian remote sensing satellites in the world. IRS-P4
(OCEANSAT-1) launched in May 1999 is used for
Ocean Resources monitoring and for understanding
the atmosphere over the oceans.
Data from the IRS
satellites is received and disseminated to several
countries all over the world. With the advent of
high-resolution satellites new applications in the
areas of infrastructure planning and other
large-scale applications for mapping have been
initiated.
Meanwhile
the successful blast of PSLV-C1, country’s first
indigenous polar satellite launch vehicle from
Sriharikota Range (SHAR) on September 29, 1997,
launching the 1200 kg. IRS-1D has placed the
country in the exclusive group of 4 nations (USA,
Russia, France and Israel) capable of launching
1000 kg. class of satellite and has ended ISRO’s
dependence on Russian and French Ariane Vehicles
to launch IRS satellites.
ISRO and its commercial
marketing arm, ANTRIX Corp. Ltd. also successfully
launched the third generation INSAT-3B on March
22, 2000 from Kourou in French Guyana and GSLV in
April 2001; marking the completion of India’s
bid to become fully self-reliant in its ambitious
space program. In October 2001, India successfully
launched PSLV-3C carrying, German’s Bird and
Belgium’s Proba along with TES (Technology
Experiment Satellite).
India can now reap foreign
exchange by launching low earth orbit spacecraft
weighing 400-500 kg. for other countries. India
has already signed an agreement with South Korea
to launch a 110k. satellite by next PSLV. The ISRO
hopes the 2005 launch of the 100-milion-dollar
satellite will help France and India carve a
larger piece of the global remote-sensing market,
estimated to reach 12 billion dollars in six year
from six billion dollars at present.
The potential customers for IRS data include Japan,
Australia and South Africa at present. As Landsat
4 and 5 get older and less capable, the United
States will have to rely upon India for the
continuation of its remote sensing data base. The
Indian Space Program has signed a contract with
the American remote sensing company EOSAT to
provide thermal mapping data in similar bands to
Landsat. After the American failure of Landsat 6
and the possible demise of Landsat 7, the Indian
remote sensing satellites remain the only way for
the U.S. to collect data. Even though the French
SPOT has four bands for remote sensing, none of
them are as extensive as the Indian satellite. The
pupil has now surpassed the teacher in the area of
remote sensing as the U.S. will use the EOSAT
station in Norman, Oklahoma for collecting Indian
remote sensing data.
Communication
Satellites
APPLE (Araine Passenger Payload Experiment) was launched in
June 1981 from Kourou. The Indian TV programs and
educational teleconferences were relayed from
it.
The
INSAT system uniquely provides geostationary
platforms for simultaneous domestic communications
and earth observation functions. The first four
generation INSAT series, (INSAT-1A, -1B, -1C and
-1D) were all US-built and launched by either US
or European space launch vehicles. The INSAT-class
satellites are a joint venture of India's
Department of Space (DOS), Department of
Telecommunications (DET), India Meteorological
Department (IMD), All India Radio and Doordarshan.
Overall co-ordination & management rests with
the inter-ministerial INSAT Coordination Committee
(ISS). DOS has direct responsibility for
establishing and operating the space segment.
Another
independent dual purpose (civil-military)
satellite will give India a cutting edge in the
intelligence-based warfare (IBW) actually a battle
of wits and knowledge requiring sophisticated
reconnaissance and surveillance capability.
Future
Of Indian Space Program
Indian
scientists have clear vision for the space program
in the next two decades. But the economic and
technological restraints have always been the
inertia force in the development process.
Although
India has joined the revered group of nations when
it attained the capability to launch commercial
vehicles. It may be the end of single chapter in
the golden book but most obviously India still has
to prepare itself the upcoming challenges.
When
US and other countries are envisaging the future
of mankind in space, India is standstill in the
development of International Space Station. US
with the support of many other, developed and
developing countries is preparing for the
permanent residence of mankind in space. NASA is
continuously evolving with new techno
breakthroughs to overcome the adversities faced in
space research program. Germany, Belgium, France,
Netherlands, Russia, Britain, China are all giving
their helping hands for this purpose. The mutual
cooperation between these countries has solved to
some extent the problems of finance and
competition. Now it is time that India also joins
this league and pays its fare share in the
development program. NASA is developing new
technologies to face the adverse conditions in
space.
All
that matters is the future, neither the past nor
the present. India needs to have a vision to
become a trailblazer in the fields of science and
space technology. India has been following for
almost five decades, what has already been
achieved by developed countries. Now is the time
that India becomes the leader in new technological
sectors. The research in space could be one of the
inspiring avenues if thrown open to Indian
research scholars.
During
the human space flight there are so many problems
faced due to the adverse conditions of space. The
temperature can go as high as 1000C and as low as
–300C. Also the major problem is of condition of
micro-gravity and weightlessness. These
adversities have been hampering in the human
interplanetary flight. NASA and so many other
space organizations in different countries have
taken a leap towards overcoming such adversities.
With so much technological advancements with
exceptionally brilliant scientist community it is
expected of India to make a venture into the
upcoming era of interplanetary human flights.
Nanotechnology, molecular biotechnology and other
peers of the group of miniaturization technologies
are the demanding fields of research.
Albeit
in the recession time it is finance that plays a
major role in determining the feasibility of any
project especially in space technology ventures
where the budgets are always gargantuan. But this
problem can be solved through the
commercialization of space program. We have
notable example of Russians who despite of all the
economic setbacks never let their space program
slumber. They managed to continue it through
different sources of finance like sending space
tourists and aids and collaboration with other
countries.
We
have made wrote the ultimate success saga in
launching success and acquired a good
international market of satellite program. Today
America and many other countries find it
cost-effective and advantageous to launch their
satellites through Indian space vehicles. With the
motivation of such a huge success now should be
the turn of permanent residence in space.
Inspiring
Student Community
The future of mankind lies in space and the future of space
lies in students of science & technology.
University small satellite program initiated by
ISRO for the demonstration of new advancements can
prove to be a milestone for the space research.
The small satellite program can be adopted
to operational mission as well as Small Satellite
Earth Observation program
to complement the existing earth observation
mission. Motivated by the success of these
programs and realizing the increasing demand of
engineers and scientists in Space Technology, ISRO
has been pursuing to promote development of micro-satellite
at Indian universities
that will provide hands - on experience to the
university students in Space Technology and also
developing new technologies for the future.
Anna University at Chennai, India has taken up the
first micro-satellite program
within the university environment. Micro satellite
program provides a hands-on experience of building
a satellite from design through launch and orbit
operations to the university students in a
cost-effective way. Also these programs will
generate respect for the nation and the harbingers
of science in India, which is invaluable.
A
Mission to the Moon
The
Indian space program has plans to launch an
un-piloted spacecraft to the moon in 2007. India
would be the fourth country to send a spacecraft
to the moon, joining Russia, the United States and
Japan. India's space program has been running since 1972, but a
mission to the moon would be its first venture
into deep space. To date Indian space launches
have focused on placing communications, weather
and mapping satellites in orbit.
Critics
of India's lunar ambitions say any such mission
would have only limited scientific value and be a
waste of cash on a mission primarily designed just
to boost national prestige.
They say the money used by the project
would be better spent on much needed health,
educational and other development projects to help
millions of desperately poor Indians.
However,
nationalist politicians are known to favor the
project believing a successful lunar mission will
galvanize popular feelings in India in the way
that the country's nuclear tests did back in 1998.
India insists its space program is purely for
civilian interests, but defense experts say that
developments in Indian rocket technology are also
likely to help the military in its goal of
producing a homegrown intercontinental ballistic
missile.
China
on the other hand also has ambitious plans for
manned space exploration, is also thought to have
its eye on a lunar mission although it too only
plans to use unmanned spacecraft. China and India
have long been seen as unofficial rivals for the
leadership of the developing world, particularly
in the field of scientific developments.
Hence India must make sure to retain its
leader’s position of developing countries.
While the scientific value of another mission to the moon might be
limited in the short-term considering that probes
have been exploring Earth's satellite since the
1950s, the mission would undoubtedly be a mark of
prestige for India. But in the long run it would
definitely be a milestone in the future of Indian
Space Program opening new avenues for the
scientific and space research. On the other hand
the contribution of space program for advancements
in other sciences would be invaluable in monetary
terms.
A
mission to the moon would be India's first foray
into deep-space exploration. Since the Indian
space program began in 1972, its primary mission
has been to put up communications, weather and
mapping satellites. India already has a proven satellite launch vehicle
and plans to use a modified version of the same
rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV),
for the lunar shot.
There
is a dire need of dynamic leadership to this
program to make sure India retains its no. 1
position in the future. The leaders should take
the valorous steps and motivate the infants of
space technology to come forward.
References:
1.
29 June, Economic Times Edition
2.
www.isro.org
3.
www.hinduonnet.com
4.
Interview of ISRO Chairman K. Kasturirangan http://www.flonnet.com/fl1809/18090130.htm
5.
India today (various articles)
6.
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/business/india_vsat_991105.html
7.
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/launches/ariane_preview_000320.html
8.
August 13, 2002. Times of India, Online Edition
9.
http://www.cnn.com/space
10.
http://www.spacemessageboard.com
11.
http://www.nasa.gov/
12.
http://history.nasa.gov/
13.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/
14.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/
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