Mars orbiter set for launch in October. After perfectly executing the PSLV-C22 mission that put the nation’s first dedicated navigation satellite the IRNSS-1A in orbit, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is now confidently looking forward to a close encounter with Mars. Among the string of launches lined up for the year is the PSLV-C25 mission carrying the Mars orbiter. “The Mars mission is getting ready at the ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore and the launch will be around October 21 from Sriharikota,” ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said while addressing journalists after the successful launch of the IRNSS-1A — the first of the proposed seven navigation satellites that will deliver a host of applications across terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, disaster management and GPS-guided services in mobile telephony. Once transported to its elliptical orbit, the orbiter will begin its voyage to Mars around November 28-29, Dr. Radhakrishnan said. Insat-3D launch The other important launches for the year include an advanced meteorological satellite, Insat-3D, scheduled for lift-off onboard an Ariane 5 rocket later this month, the GSAT-14 communication satellite carried by the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) MkII and GSAT-7 to be launched aboard an Ariane rocket from the French Guiana spaceport. Dr. Radhakrishnan congratulated the ISRO team on the copybook launch of the IRNSS-1A with all orbital parameters falling well within the permissible standard deviation range. For instance, against an apogee target of 20,650 km plus or minus 750 km, the rocket achieved an apogee of 20,625 km. The regional navigational system has been developed to provide accurate position information service to users within the country and up to 1,500 km from the nation’s boundaries. A.S. Kiran Kumar, Director of Space Applications Centre, said talks were on with industry for the signal receivers for the navigation systems. According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the IRNSS-1A was launched at an approximate cost of Rs. 125 crore. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, consisting of a space segment estimated to cost about Rs. 1,450 crore and ground segment with an expected budget of Rs. 350 crore, will have three satellites in geostationary orbit and four satellites in inclined geosynchronous orbit apart from two reserve satellites. For the next six months, ISRO will undertake in-orbit testing of the accuracy of the navigation inputs from the IRNSS-1A. By March 2014, it has scheduled the launch of a sister satellite IRNSS-1V. “The broad time frame for putting together the constellation of seven navigation satellites is 2015,” Dr. Radhakrishnan said. He said the space agency was also consulting industries to augment their capacity to meet the expanding need for satellites and rockets. “We are mulling over a consortium approach. There is also lot of modularity built in the satellites to speed up its production,” he said. On the second moon mission, Dr. Radhakrishnan said there still was uncertainty relating to the lander to be provided by Russia for the mission. “The project is not yet in mission mode,” he said.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 13:59:47 +0000
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