ISRO Archives - Defence Monitor

04 Sep

Gujarat leaders congratulate ISRO on successful GSLV-F17 launch, EOS-05 deployment

Gandhinagar, Sep 4 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), following the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite and described the mission as a "significant achievement" for India’s space programme. The GSLV-F17 lifted off from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2:55 a.m. on Friday and successfully placed EOS-05 into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit. ISRO said the mission marks the first time India has placed an imaging Earth observation satellite in a geosynchronous orbit.…

08 Apr

Three uncrewed missions before Gaganyaan, says ISRO Chairman Narayanan

Bengaluru, April 8 (IANS) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V. Narayanan on Wednesday said that three uncrewed missions are scheduled before the Gaganyaan mission, India's first human space venture Talking to reporters after the inaugural session of the International Conference on Spacecraft Mission Operations, Narayanan said: "Based on the guidelines, direction and the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are working on the Gaganyaan programme." "Before going for the crewed mission, three uncrewed missions are targeted. So right now we are working on the first uncrewed mission. All activities are going on well," he added. The space…

21 Feb

Cryogenic engine of LVM3 rocket completes ground qualification tests: ISRO

Chennai, Feb 21, The Indian space agency, ISRO, on Wednesday said it has achieved a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine that will power the LVM3 rocket to carry Indian astronauts. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also said the first unmanned Gaganyaan (G1) mission is tentatively scheduled for Q2 of 2024. Gaganyaan is the name of India’s human space mission. According to ISRO, the final round of ground qualification tests for CE20 cryogenic engine were completed on February 13. The final test was the seventh of a series of vacuum ignition tests carried out…

17 Feb

ISRO again skips ‘unlucky’ 13 while numbering its rocket

Chennai, Feb 17, The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has done it again. It has skipped the number '13' -- generally considered "unlucky" -- while numbering its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket, which is set to fly on Saturday evening with the weather satellite INSAT-3DS. The last flight of the GSLV rocket was on May 29, 2023, and the rocket was codenamed 'GSLV-F12'. Logically, the next GSLV rocket should have been numbered as 'GSLV-F13'. But it was not to be. The GSLV rocket set to fly on Saturday evening carrying the 2,274 kg INSAT-3DS has been codenamed 'GSLV-F14'. Curiously,…

05 Jan

ISRO tests its fuel cell successfully in space

Chennai, Jan 5, Indian space agency on Friday said it had successfully tested its fuel cell in space. According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), it has successfully tested a 100 W class Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell based Power System (FCPS) in its orbital platform, POEM3, launched on-board PSLV-C58 rocket on January 1. The objective of the experiment was to assess Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cell operation in space and to collect data to facilitate the design of systems for future missions, ISRO said. During the short duration test, 180 W power was generated from Hydrogen and Oxygen gases…

04 Jan

India to use US rocket to launch GSAT-20, as ISRO’s heavy lift rocket is work in progress

Chennai, Jan 3, With the development of a rocket that can lift above four ton still a work in progress for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India will be using a US rocket for the launch of communication satellite GSAT-20 (renamed as GSAT-N2). According to NewSpace India Ltd, the 4,700kg GSAT-20 built by ISRO will be orbited by Falcon-9 rocket belonging to Elon Musk’s SpaceX sometime during the second quarter of 2024. Presently ISRO has the LVM3 rocket with a maximum carrying capacity to four ton and GSAT-20 is heavier by 700 kg. The satellite is to offer cost-effective Ka-Ka…

07 Sep

Aditya-L1 spacecraft takes a selfie: ISRO

Chennai, Sep 7, Indian space agency on Thursday said the Aditya-L1 spacecraft has taken a selfie and the images of the Earth and the Moon. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Aditya-L1, that is destined for Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L1), has taken a selfie and also the pictures of the Earth and the Moon. ISRO has uploaded the images on the social media platform X. The Aditya-L1, India’s space based solar observatory was orbited in low earth orbit (LEO) on September 2 by an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle -XL (PSLV-XL) variant. The spacecraft’s orbit has…

05 Sep

India’s Aditya-L1 spacecraft orbit raised for second time

Chennai, Aug 29, Indian space agency in the wee hours of Tuesday said it had successfully manoeuvred its space based solar observatory Aditya-L1 to a new orbit. According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the second earth bound manoeuvre was performed at 2.45 a.m. on Tuesday from its tracking centre in Bengaluru. The new orbit attained is 282 km x 40,225 km. ISRO said its ground stations at Mauritius, Bengaluru and Port Blair tracked the satellite during this operation. The next manoeuvre is scheduled for September 10, 2023, around 02:30 hrs, IST, ISRO said. The Aditya-L1 spacecraft was put into…

02 Sep

India’s PSLV-XL rocket has close links with Moon, Mars and the Sun

Chennai, Sep 2 (IANS) The XL variant of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) seems to have an interesting connection with Moon, Mars and now the Sun. The rocket made its maiden flight on October 22, 2008 for India’s first interplanetary mission – the Moon Mission-1 or Chandrayaan-1. And on November 5, 2013, the rocket was used for India’s first Mars Mission called Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). Nearly 15 years after its first flight and on its 25th mission, the rocket code named PSLV-C57 is being used for another interplanetary mission – to study the Sun- by the Indian Space…

01 Sep

Countdown for India’s rocket mission to the Sun begins at 12.20 pm

Chennai, Sep 1, The countdown for the Saturday morning launch of India’s third interplanetary mission -- this time to the Sun - Aditya-L1 -- will begin at 12.20 p.m. on Friday, said a senior official of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). “The countdown will begin at 12.20 p.m. today (Friday),” the official told IANS. Interestingly, India on August 23 reached the Moon with its lander safely landing on the lunar soil in a textbook style. Later the rover rolled down and started doing experiments. The Aditya-L1 -- named after the Sun God in Hindu mythology -- will be carried by…