Annually October 4 and October 10 is known as the World Space Week when events are organised all over the world to promote space, especially among school children.
It was on October 4,1957, that the world zoomed into the space era with the launch of Sputnik in Russia. On October 10,1967 there was the entry into force of the ``Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the moon and other celestial bodies,''
While the celebrations are organised under the banner of the ``World Space Week,'' would it be inappropriate to say that in India it can be known as the ``States' Space Week.'' ? I do not think so. The reason: the states are organising their own programmes without any national perspective. For example, an organisation like the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvanathanapuram which is a part of Isro talks of ``World Space Week'' only in Kerala since it is located in Kerala's capital. VSSC after all does not belong to Kerala. but is a prestigious national institution. The theme of this year's celebration is ``Mysteries Of The Cosmos.''
Why could not the VSSC have planned the events months in advance, teamed up with local scientific bodies and organised programmes at an all-India level to stimulate a greater interest in space? For example, in Mumbai it could have colloborated with organisations like the Nehru Planetarium, the Nehru Science Centre and the Tifr to celebrate the ``World Space Week.'' How many Mumbai school kids have heard of the ``World Space Week?'' Very few unfortunately. A recent experience makes me feel that VSSC on its own or the parent body,Isro, should explore the possibility of linking up with the National Council of Science Museums to organise the ``World Space Week,'' at a national level in future. I wonder if the Pune-based National Space Society and the Panchukula-based International Space Society have organised anything?
Space excites and interests practically everybody. If VSSC can think of ways of holding the ``World Space Week'' celebrations at a national level, the public will be eternally grateful to this highly respected national space laboratory. Think of it VSSC!
Last year, which marked the first ``World Space Week'' celebrations post Chandrayaan, India was among the five nations which had organised the largest number of programmes--the figure being 88. The highest number of programmes were organised by Turkey (147); Romania (129); Slovakia (56) and Czech Republic (47).
A total of 8191 persons attended the programmes in India. According to the ``World Space Week'' report the celebrations in India last year took off to a great start and the space for astronomy theme struck the right cord among the students. Twelve states were involved in astronomy education. Public activities included painting competitions, water rocketry, lectures and film shows.
The World Space Week was declared in 1999 by the UN General Assembly in response to a recommendation from the Third UN Conference On the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (Unispace-3). The goal of the ``World Space Week'' is to celebrate the contribution of space science and technology for the benefit of mankind.
In 2009, the ``World Space Week'' celebrated its 10th anniv with events in about 55 countries. Its theme was space for education.
ends
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Chang'e-2 crossed important milestone and enters lunar orbit
Global lunar exploration programme created history on Wednesday when China's second moon mission, Chang'e-2, successfully entered the lunar orbit. This is the first time in the history of any moon exploration programme that a spacecraft has entered the lunar orbit just five days after launch. Chang'e 2 was launched on October 1. In contrast Chang'e 1 took about a fortnight to enter the lunar orbit.
According to Chinese national TV after 112 hours of flight, Chang'e-2 applied its brakes about 100 kms away from the moon and the process lasted for 33 minutes. The reduction in speed allowed the mooncraft to be captured by the moon's gravitational field. If there had been a slight deviation in this critical process, the mission would have flopped. The lunar orbit insertion is a nail biting moment and those in the mission operations control room heaved a sigh of relief when the process was completed successfully.
It may be recalled that when Chandrayaan-1 executed the lunar orbit insertion successfully on November 8,2008, vadas, idlis and dosas and coffee were distributed in the Chandrayaan mission operations control room in Bangalore. About 30 per cent of earlier moon missions of the former Soviet Union and the US failed at this point.
Chinese space scientists have been quoted as saying that the Chang'e-2 was able to reach the moon orbit in such a short period of time mainly because of the powerful Long March 3-C rocket. Do not be surprised--this could perhaps be a test run for reducing the flight time by China between earth and Mars.Infact during the q-a session at the just concluded International Astronautical Congress in Prague Nasa adminstrator, Charles Bolden, said that plans were underway to cut down the transit time to Mars by employing new propulsion methods.
Having reached the lunar orbit successfully, Chang'e-2 will be orbiting the moon at an altitude of 100 kms picking up scientific data, zooming down as low as 15 kms to image the lunar surface. This is also considered a technological breakthrough.
The TV network also stated that on Tuesday all equipment on board Chang'e 2 have been activated with the ground stations receiving the first set of data. The equipment on board detected a lot of information such as gamma radiation levels.
With a six-month life span, one of the primary roles of the Chang'e-2 mission is to identify a suitable landing zone on the moon for Chang'e-3 slated for launch in 2013. Chang'e-3 will make a soft landing and is expected to have a rover.
God Speed!
ends
According to Chinese national TV after 112 hours of flight, Chang'e-2 applied its brakes about 100 kms away from the moon and the process lasted for 33 minutes. The reduction in speed allowed the mooncraft to be captured by the moon's gravitational field. If there had been a slight deviation in this critical process, the mission would have flopped. The lunar orbit insertion is a nail biting moment and those in the mission operations control room heaved a sigh of relief when the process was completed successfully.
It may be recalled that when Chandrayaan-1 executed the lunar orbit insertion successfully on November 8,2008, vadas, idlis and dosas and coffee were distributed in the Chandrayaan mission operations control room in Bangalore. About 30 per cent of earlier moon missions of the former Soviet Union and the US failed at this point.
Chinese space scientists have been quoted as saying that the Chang'e-2 was able to reach the moon orbit in such a short period of time mainly because of the powerful Long March 3-C rocket. Do not be surprised--this could perhaps be a test run for reducing the flight time by China between earth and Mars.Infact during the q-a session at the just concluded International Astronautical Congress in Prague Nasa adminstrator, Charles Bolden, said that plans were underway to cut down the transit time to Mars by employing new propulsion methods.
Having reached the lunar orbit successfully, Chang'e-2 will be orbiting the moon at an altitude of 100 kms picking up scientific data, zooming down as low as 15 kms to image the lunar surface. This is also considered a technological breakthrough.
The TV network also stated that on Tuesday all equipment on board Chang'e 2 have been activated with the ground stations receiving the first set of data. The equipment on board detected a lot of information such as gamma radiation levels.
With a six-month life span, one of the primary roles of the Chang'e-2 mission is to identify a suitable landing zone on the moon for Chang'e-3 slated for launch in 2013. Chang'e-3 will make a soft landing and is expected to have a rover.
God Speed!
ends
Kasturirangan the father of the Indian moon mission
I was sorry to hear that the father of the Indian moon mission, Chandrayaan-1,the very affable Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi following a health problem
I was also happy to hear that this morning he was discharged from the ICCU and is now resting in a special room.
We were looking forward to attending his presentation at the Tifr on October 15, but it has been postponed. We are confident that it will take place in the next few months when he is back to normal.
We pray for his speedy recovery and all good wishes are with him. He celebrates his birthday on October 24 and we wish him a very happy birthday,
I was also happy to hear that this morning he was discharged from the ICCU and is now resting in a special room.
We were looking forward to attending his presentation at the Tifr on October 15, but it has been postponed. We are confident that it will take place in the next few months when he is back to normal.
We pray for his speedy recovery and all good wishes are with him. He celebrates his birthday on October 24 and we wish him a very happy birthday,
Isro chief at IAC 2010 in Prague
Ever since the International Astronautical Congress began at Prague on September 27, ``Beyond Moon and Mars (BMM), has been trying to access some of the presentations, without any success. The organisers for some reason have so far not put any of them on line which was not the case earlier. I recall when I attended the congress in Hyderabad in September 2007, the presentations were immediately available.
However, on Monday luck came my way when a particular website--not that of the International Astronautical Congress of course--called spaceports.blogspot.com hosted quite a few of the presentations. Thank you very much.
I opened the one relating to the five-minute presentations by heads of the space agencies and heard the talk by Isro chairman, K.Radhakrishnan. His speech I feel is bound to upset some of the Isro scientists who were connected with the design and development of the Chace (Chandra Altitudunal Composition Explorer)--one of the three payloads on board the indigenous Moon Impact Probe (MIP) of Chandrayaan-1 which crash landed near the Shakelton Crater of the moon on the night of November 14,2008.
The reason: the Isro chief while making a special referance to Mini Sar, a Nasa payload of Chandrayaan-1, for the discovery of water on the moon failed to highlight the role played by Chace-1. It was after all Chace-1 which was the first to detect the presence of water vapour in the moon prior to Nasa's Moon Minerology Mapper and Mini-Sar. Why is our achievement being sidelined repeatedly?
Apart from this,Radhakrishnan made a number of announcements about future missions. Some of these are:
* In December 2010, a powerful remote sensing satellite, Resourcesat-2 along with two student satellites, YoutSat--a joint Indo-Russian venture, and X-Sat of Singapore will be launched. X-Sat is microsatellite demonstration mission of Crest which stands for Centre For Research in Satellite Technology. It is a joint venture of Nanyang Technological University and DSO National Laboratories of Singapore. When I was in Singapore in July 2005, I visited the Nanyang Technological University thanks to my good friend and brother-in-law Suresh and his enterprising wife,Viji, and spoke to the young team of scientists who were working on the X-Sat project. They explained to me in detail different aspects of the mission. I found them full of energy, excitement and enthusiasm--three 3 Es-- and never looked at their clocks. I only wish I was a part of their wonderful team too!!! They had just one dream at that moment--seeing their baby head for space which will happen in December. All the very best.
The objective of the X-Sat mission is to demonstrate technology in support of high resolution imaging capabilities.
YouthSat will see the second space dream of Abdul Kalam becoming a reality. His first space dream was India embracing the moon through Chandrayaan-1. This was successfully accomplished with the crash landing of the 35-kg indigenous Moon Impact Probe on November 14,2008 which was Children's Day coinciding with Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday. The idea of a satellite exclusively dedicated to the youth of the world was first mooted by Kalam when he visited Moscow a few years ago.
* The Isro chief also announced that an advanced version of the Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle designated as GSLV-Mark 3 will be launched in two to three years. It will have the capability to place in the geo stationary transfer orbit four tonne satellites as against two tonnes at the moment with the current version of GSLVs.
* Isro has so far launched 25 foreign satellites and 11 more will flown by the highly proven four stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
* Isro has done a pre project study of the critical technologies aimed at putting two astronauts in the low earth orbit and keeping them there for seven days. He has been hoping that the government will give its green signal for this Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,300 crore project. but it has not happened so far.
* Launching the GSLV Mark 2 with an indigenous cryogenic engine is one of Isro's main priorities at the moment. ``There was a problem ad corrective action is underway,'' he said.
Though he spoke about the launch of Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to the moon in 2013, he gave no indication whether there would be any folo-on flights. Also, he did not say anything about India's planned mission to Mars.
In a span of just five minutes how much can Dr Radhakrishnan cover? Very little.
ends
However, on Monday luck came my way when a particular website--not that of the International Astronautical Congress of course--called spaceports.blogspot.com hosted quite a few of the presentations. Thank you very much.
I opened the one relating to the five-minute presentations by heads of the space agencies and heard the talk by Isro chairman, K.Radhakrishnan. His speech I feel is bound to upset some of the Isro scientists who were connected with the design and development of the Chace (Chandra Altitudunal Composition Explorer)--one of the three payloads on board the indigenous Moon Impact Probe (MIP) of Chandrayaan-1 which crash landed near the Shakelton Crater of the moon on the night of November 14,2008.
The reason: the Isro chief while making a special referance to Mini Sar, a Nasa payload of Chandrayaan-1, for the discovery of water on the moon failed to highlight the role played by Chace-1. It was after all Chace-1 which was the first to detect the presence of water vapour in the moon prior to Nasa's Moon Minerology Mapper and Mini-Sar. Why is our achievement being sidelined repeatedly?
Apart from this,Radhakrishnan made a number of announcements about future missions. Some of these are:
* In December 2010, a powerful remote sensing satellite, Resourcesat-2 along with two student satellites, YoutSat--a joint Indo-Russian venture, and X-Sat of Singapore will be launched. X-Sat is microsatellite demonstration mission of Crest which stands for Centre For Research in Satellite Technology. It is a joint venture of Nanyang Technological University and DSO National Laboratories of Singapore. When I was in Singapore in July 2005, I visited the Nanyang Technological University thanks to my good friend and brother-in-law Suresh and his enterprising wife,Viji, and spoke to the young team of scientists who were working on the X-Sat project. They explained to me in detail different aspects of the mission. I found them full of energy, excitement and enthusiasm--three 3 Es-- and never looked at their clocks. I only wish I was a part of their wonderful team too!!! They had just one dream at that moment--seeing their baby head for space which will happen in December. All the very best.
The objective of the X-Sat mission is to demonstrate technology in support of high resolution imaging capabilities.
YouthSat will see the second space dream of Abdul Kalam becoming a reality. His first space dream was India embracing the moon through Chandrayaan-1. This was successfully accomplished with the crash landing of the 35-kg indigenous Moon Impact Probe on November 14,2008 which was Children's Day coinciding with Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday. The idea of a satellite exclusively dedicated to the youth of the world was first mooted by Kalam when he visited Moscow a few years ago.
* The Isro chief also announced that an advanced version of the Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle designated as GSLV-Mark 3 will be launched in two to three years. It will have the capability to place in the geo stationary transfer orbit four tonne satellites as against two tonnes at the moment with the current version of GSLVs.
* Isro has so far launched 25 foreign satellites and 11 more will flown by the highly proven four stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
* Isro has done a pre project study of the critical technologies aimed at putting two astronauts in the low earth orbit and keeping them there for seven days. He has been hoping that the government will give its green signal for this Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,300 crore project. but it has not happened so far.
* Launching the GSLV Mark 2 with an indigenous cryogenic engine is one of Isro's main priorities at the moment. ``There was a problem ad corrective action is underway,'' he said.
Though he spoke about the launch of Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to the moon in 2013, he gave no indication whether there would be any folo-on flights. Also, he did not say anything about India's planned mission to Mars.
In a span of just five minutes how much can Dr Radhakrishnan cover? Very little.
ends
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The day the space age dawned.
On the evening of October 4,1957, what was then the Soviet Embassy in Washington had hosted a cocktail party as part of the celebrations of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). It was attended by a number of scientists, diplomats and mediapersons.
As the party was in in progress, a top correspondent of the The New York Times, who was one of the invitees, received an urgent telephone call from his office saying that the Soviet Union had launched the world's first artificial satellite into orbit a while ago. and it was circling the earth. It was called Sputnik. It was flying at a speed of 29,000 kms per hour taking 96.2 minutes to complete an orbit. During its flight it emitted radio signals which could be captured by even amateur radio operators. The correspondent put down the receiver of the telephone and wasted no time in breaking the news to the guests. What was the news? the Soviet Union had put into orbit an artificial satellite successfully, beating the US in the emerging space race.
A sense of shock instantly enveloped the room where the party was taking place because the Americans felt humiliated that their so called technology superiority had been challenged by none other than their arch rival--the Soviet Union. What was worse, the Americans were humiliated in the premises of the Soviet Embassy!
At Huntsville, Alabama where another party was being hosted by the legendary rocket genius, Wernher Von Braun, an official informed Von Braun about the Sputnik launch. Von Braun felt frustrated because he had warned the US authorities that the Soviets were ``planning something'' and he, therefore, be allowed to design a rocket which will launch a satellite beating the Soviets. But his repeated warnings remained unheeded, and consequently the US suffered a humiliating defeat, atleast in the first round of the global space race.
The launch of the 83.6 kg Sputnik by the R-7 rocket on the night (Baikonour time) of October 4,1957, marked the beginning of the global space age, It not only triggered a fierce competition between the US and the Soviet Union, but in the years that followed this space race spread to other parts of the world too, notably in the Asian region. Sputnik, therefore,was not just a technological triumph, but had political significance too. Apart from signifying the superiority of communism over capitalism, it has set off a space race among three Asian giants---India, China and Japan, especially between the first two.
Though Isro does not agree, who can deny that both India and China are trying to outdo each other in technologically while flying to the moon? Chandrayaan-1 successfully crash landed the Moon Impact Probe, while Chang'e-2, China's second mission to the moon launched on October 1, 2010, will zoom down just 15 kms above the lunar surface to image the moon. Keeping in view the Sino-Pak nuclear ties, where is the guarantee that China is not aiding Pakistan in its space programme too? Let India not be shocked if a Pak official receives him with a Chinese meal when an Indian sets foot on the surface of the moon !!!!!!
The story of this sphere---Sputnik--goes back to the day when its chief designer, another legendary rocket genius, Sergei Korolev, informed the the former Soviet defence minister, Dmitry Ustinov, that an earth orbiting satellite should be launched because a similar project was under the serious consideration of other countries, especially the US. His proposal has to be viewed in the context of US President, Dwight Eisenhower, announcing on July 29, 1955, that the US would launch a satellite during the IGY.
A week after Eisenhower's declaration, the Soviet Union on August 8,1955, ``approved the idea of launching an artificial satellite.'' Unlike the Americans, the Russians went into a fast and mission mode resulting in the launch of Sputnik on October 4,1957, defeating the Americans. On hearing about the launch, the Americans pressed the panic button and went into an over drive to surpass the Soviets. Their initial attempts to launch a satellite flopped in full view of the world! They suffered one defeat after another until on January 31,1958, when they successfully placed in orbit Explorer-1 thanks to Wernher Von Braun.
Over the years Sputnik became a household name. For instance its popularity can be gauged by the fact that a building next to where I stay in Breach Candy in Mumbai is called Sputnik where my grandparents stayed for sometime. It was during his stay in Sputnik that my grandfather, S.A.Venkataraman, started a well informed and well read column in The Economic Times called Sputnik.
The launch of Sputnik has produced several space experts, analysts and spacebuffs like me! What would have happened to us or where would we have gone if Korolev had not thought of Sputnik. A big thank you to Korolev.
Before it burned up on January 4,1958, it completed a total of 1440 orbits.
Who will ever forget Sputnik? No one.
ends
As the party was in in progress, a top correspondent of the The New York Times, who was one of the invitees, received an urgent telephone call from his office saying that the Soviet Union had launched the world's first artificial satellite into orbit a while ago. and it was circling the earth. It was called Sputnik. It was flying at a speed of 29,000 kms per hour taking 96.2 minutes to complete an orbit. During its flight it emitted radio signals which could be captured by even amateur radio operators. The correspondent put down the receiver of the telephone and wasted no time in breaking the news to the guests. What was the news? the Soviet Union had put into orbit an artificial satellite successfully, beating the US in the emerging space race.
A sense of shock instantly enveloped the room where the party was taking place because the Americans felt humiliated that their so called technology superiority had been challenged by none other than their arch rival--the Soviet Union. What was worse, the Americans were humiliated in the premises of the Soviet Embassy!
At Huntsville, Alabama where another party was being hosted by the legendary rocket genius, Wernher Von Braun, an official informed Von Braun about the Sputnik launch. Von Braun felt frustrated because he had warned the US authorities that the Soviets were ``planning something'' and he, therefore, be allowed to design a rocket which will launch a satellite beating the Soviets. But his repeated warnings remained unheeded, and consequently the US suffered a humiliating defeat, atleast in the first round of the global space race.
The launch of the 83.6 kg Sputnik by the R-7 rocket on the night (Baikonour time) of October 4,1957, marked the beginning of the global space age, It not only triggered a fierce competition between the US and the Soviet Union, but in the years that followed this space race spread to other parts of the world too, notably in the Asian region. Sputnik, therefore,was not just a technological triumph, but had political significance too. Apart from signifying the superiority of communism over capitalism, it has set off a space race among three Asian giants---India, China and Japan, especially between the first two.
Though Isro does not agree, who can deny that both India and China are trying to outdo each other in technologically while flying to the moon? Chandrayaan-1 successfully crash landed the Moon Impact Probe, while Chang'e-2, China's second mission to the moon launched on October 1, 2010, will zoom down just 15 kms above the lunar surface to image the moon. Keeping in view the Sino-Pak nuclear ties, where is the guarantee that China is not aiding Pakistan in its space programme too? Let India not be shocked if a Pak official receives him with a Chinese meal when an Indian sets foot on the surface of the moon !!!!!!
The story of this sphere---Sputnik--goes back to the day when its chief designer, another legendary rocket genius, Sergei Korolev, informed the the former Soviet defence minister, Dmitry Ustinov, that an earth orbiting satellite should be launched because a similar project was under the serious consideration of other countries, especially the US. His proposal has to be viewed in the context of US President, Dwight Eisenhower, announcing on July 29, 1955, that the US would launch a satellite during the IGY.
A week after Eisenhower's declaration, the Soviet Union on August 8,1955, ``approved the idea of launching an artificial satellite.'' Unlike the Americans, the Russians went into a fast and mission mode resulting in the launch of Sputnik on October 4,1957, defeating the Americans. On hearing about the launch, the Americans pressed the panic button and went into an over drive to surpass the Soviets. Their initial attempts to launch a satellite flopped in full view of the world! They suffered one defeat after another until on January 31,1958, when they successfully placed in orbit Explorer-1 thanks to Wernher Von Braun.
Over the years Sputnik became a household name. For instance its popularity can be gauged by the fact that a building next to where I stay in Breach Candy in Mumbai is called Sputnik where my grandparents stayed for sometime. It was during his stay in Sputnik that my grandfather, S.A.Venkataraman, started a well informed and well read column in The Economic Times called Sputnik.
The launch of Sputnik has produced several space experts, analysts and spacebuffs like me! What would have happened to us or where would we have gone if Korolev had not thought of Sputnik. A big thank you to Korolev.
Before it burned up on January 4,1958, it completed a total of 1440 orbits.
Who will ever forget Sputnik? No one.
ends
Saturday, October 2, 2010
CWG and Indian human space flight mission
I have been wanting to write about this topic for quite sometime. But I delibrately waited for today when the Rs 33,000-crore Commonwealth Games (CWG) will be inaugurated. You may perhaps wonder how a grand sports event is connected with space. Both do not have any imaginable links at the moment-- there is after all no space sports in the real sense! The sports extravanganza in New Delhi is a moment which should hopefully make the government happy, but for some of our space scientists, I really doubt if it will be an occasion to uncork the champagne bottle.
The reason: while the government did not waste any time in approving the enormous funds for the sports gala, it has unfortuntately failed to display a similar enthusiasm for clearing the money needed for India's human space flight programme costing between Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,300 crores. This is half the cost of the CWG and still the government is not approving the funds in full. As a result the programme remains a paper project.
This is a strange situation because while the CWG is only a sports event, the manned mission on the other hand will play a key role in catapulting India into the league of Big Nations like the US, Russia and China. Apparently the government has not realised the importance and signficance of launching a manned space flight from this country. This is not to say that I am against sports. Far from it. But let us not forget a sporting activity is not an intellectual exercise like launching a human into space. The latter will inspire youngsters in India to study science and in the long run draw them into the space sector professionally. Sports on the other hand is more of a physical exercise!
That Isro is keen on launching this prestigious project is evident from the fact that its chairman, K.Radhakrishnan, has been announcing repeatedly that the government's approval for the manned mission was just around the corner. But it has never happened. I really do not know how he got the impression. Even without the formal green signal, he has been saying that the first flight to the low earth orbit is slated for 2015. Other officials have been stating that the human rated capsule was being developed. Isro officials are disgusted at the way the government is sitting over the files. It is time I think the government should follow the example of China and chalk out a precise road map of its future space missions.
One thing---Isro also has to share a part of the blame. It has so far not defined the real purpose--atleast publicly--of the manned space mission project. Will it be a merely a technology demonstrator or does it have any scientific role? Will there be just a single mission or will there be more flights? Again is it the first step towards embarking a human flight to the moon? All these questions need to be answered in the public domain.
Again to cite the example of China, it is clear that its manned mission is leading towards a human flight to the moon in 2025.
Who can forget April 12,1961? That was the day when the first man flew into space, opening a fresh chapter in world space history which once again shocked the Americans. He was a young Russian test pilot, Yuri Gagarin. His flight lasted 108 minutes.
India is planning some major events to mark the 50th anniv of this historic flight.
The programmes should not just consist of speeches and film shows recalling Gagarin's achievement. The celebrations should have greater significance.Maybe it should be an occasion by Isro to announce that the government has finally given the `go' for India's manned space flight project.
I hope this does not remain only a dream but becomes a reality.
ends
The reason: while the government did not waste any time in approving the enormous funds for the sports gala, it has unfortuntately failed to display a similar enthusiasm for clearing the money needed for India's human space flight programme costing between Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,300 crores. This is half the cost of the CWG and still the government is not approving the funds in full. As a result the programme remains a paper project.
This is a strange situation because while the CWG is only a sports event, the manned mission on the other hand will play a key role in catapulting India into the league of Big Nations like the US, Russia and China. Apparently the government has not realised the importance and signficance of launching a manned space flight from this country. This is not to say that I am against sports. Far from it. But let us not forget a sporting activity is not an intellectual exercise like launching a human into space. The latter will inspire youngsters in India to study science and in the long run draw them into the space sector professionally. Sports on the other hand is more of a physical exercise!
That Isro is keen on launching this prestigious project is evident from the fact that its chairman, K.Radhakrishnan, has been announcing repeatedly that the government's approval for the manned mission was just around the corner. But it has never happened. I really do not know how he got the impression. Even without the formal green signal, he has been saying that the first flight to the low earth orbit is slated for 2015. Other officials have been stating that the human rated capsule was being developed. Isro officials are disgusted at the way the government is sitting over the files. It is time I think the government should follow the example of China and chalk out a precise road map of its future space missions.
One thing---Isro also has to share a part of the blame. It has so far not defined the real purpose--atleast publicly--of the manned space mission project. Will it be a merely a technology demonstrator or does it have any scientific role? Will there be just a single mission or will there be more flights? Again is it the first step towards embarking a human flight to the moon? All these questions need to be answered in the public domain.
Again to cite the example of China, it is clear that its manned mission is leading towards a human flight to the moon in 2025.
Who can forget April 12,1961? That was the day when the first man flew into space, opening a fresh chapter in world space history which once again shocked the Americans. He was a young Russian test pilot, Yuri Gagarin. His flight lasted 108 minutes.
India is planning some major events to mark the 50th anniv of this historic flight.
The programmes should not just consist of speeches and film shows recalling Gagarin's achievement. The celebrations should have greater significance.Maybe it should be an occasion by Isro to announce that the government has finally given the `go' for India's manned space flight project.
I hope this does not remain only a dream but becomes a reality.
ends
China launches second unmanned mission to the moon--Chang'e 2
On Friday I had two dreams---one of attending the variety entertainment programme in the evening at the prestigious JB Petit High School For Girls where my daughter, Rimanika, studies, and the other of watching the live telecast of the launch of China's second unmanned mission to the moon, Chang'e 2. A girls' school and a rocket. Yes, both are unconnected. The school means a lot to me because of its extremely homely atmosphere and also I am a space addict.
The much-awaited JB programme was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Birla Mathurshi hall in Marine Lines which means I would have to leave home at about 4.30 p.m. in order to catch the bus. This was the exact lift off time of Chang'e 2. How can I manage both, I wondered. I took a shot in the dark. At about 4.15 p.m. I accessed CCTV--the Chinese TV channel--through Google which instantly took me to the Xichang launch centre in China.
There it was. I could see the 10-storeyed tall Long March 3C rocket which will carry the lunar orbiter. Chang'e-2 weighing 2.48 tonnes during launch, to the moon. All systems were a `go' for launch. Though there was a lot of buffering I was still glued to the computer. The moment for lift off was nearing and then at 4.31 p.m. sharp the countdown ended, the rocket sprang into life and lifted off. As I watched it soaring higher and higher being carried in a yellowish plume, the buffering started again and I deactivated my computer.
After the launch, the Chinese TV issued a flash saying: ``CHINA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CHANG'E-2 A COMPLETE SUCCESS.''
The commentary said that though it disappeared out of sight a few seconds after lift off because of the clouds---the same thing which happened to Chandrayaan-1--the telemetry and tracking data were normal. It's lift off velocity was 2.0 kms per second which was gradually increasing. There were three tracking ships in the Pacific Ocean.
I informed my good friend, Pradeep Mohandas, who said he could not watch the telecast because he was at that very moment leaving for an official assignment. I am sorry that he missed the flight!!!! Better luck for Chang'e-3 in 2013-2015.
The CCTV gave me a clear view of the mission operations control room with several young scientists and engineers wearing a blue dress staring at their computer screens monitoring data. It was an exciting, thrilling and dramatic build up towards the launch, For example 1 could see a young scientist calling out the coutndown and finally pressing the red launch button--an action which I have never seen in any of the Indian TV channels during a rocket launch at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Since there was a lot of buffering, I switched off the computer , rushed to the bus stop and managed to reach the hall for the JB show well in advance.
Back home, around 10 p.m. I switched on the computer again. accessed CCTV and got the latest update of Chang'e 2. It was doing fine.
For a little bit of background, the Chang'e lunar exploration programme was initiated on January 23,2004. The project envisages three phases---orbiting, landing and sample return. The first spacecraft under this moon mission, Chang'e-1 was an unmanned lunar orbiter which was launched on October 24,2007. India must emulate the example of China atleast in this respect by working out a clear road map of its lunar programme post Chandrayaan-2. We, including Isro officials themselves, still do not know what is the future of the country's lunar projects after Chandrayaan-2 slated for launch in 2013.
Costing over 134 million dollars with a six-month life span, Chang'e-2 is expected to reach the lunar orbit in 112 hours or five days. In contrast Chang'e-1 took 12 days to reach the lunar orbit. According to space officials, the Chang'e-2 flight is split into three phases. These are the launch, the moon orientation phase and the moon orbiting phase. During the moon orientation phase, Chang'e-2s solar panels deployed and antennas unfolded. Interestingly, the monitoring cameras on board the spacecraft imaged these developments.
As it moves closer to the lunar orbit, the spacecraft's speed will be reduced to enable it to fly into the 100 kms lunar orbit above the moon's surface. It will complete a single orbit in 117 minutes. Once in this orbit, it will take high resolution images of the Bay of Rainbows which is expected to be the landing zone of Chang'e-3.The images will be of 10 meters.This is because it has a charged couple device camera.
Chief engineer of China's Lunar Exploration Programme, Wu Weiren, in an interview to Chinese TV has highlighted some of the significant features of the Chang'e-2 mission.
* For the first time a new method of flying in space is being experimented. With a powerful rocket, Chang'e-2 is being taken directly to the moon transfer orbit or the moon orientation phase. On account of this,the flying time has been reduced by as much as 50 per cent as compared to Chang'e-1. Chief designer of rocket systems, Cen Zheng, has explained that the Long March 3-C rocket was chosen for the Chang'e-2 mission because ``its technology has been quite mature. It was tested four times successfully prior to Chang'e-1.''
* While taking high resolution images, the spacecraft will descend from 100 kms to 15 kms above the lunar surface. Coming so close to the moon, without actually landing is considered by space experts an achievement.
Chang'e-2 will conduct research within the moon's orbit to assess the landing spots for the soft landing of Chang'e -3 and Chang'e-4 both of which have rovers, according to Chinese space officials being quoted on Chinese TV. A pics of the rover was also shown on TV.
With five payloads, the scientific objectives include investigating the lunar landscape and studying the geological structure of the moon, The mission will also examine the material composition of the moon and hunt for usable resources.
Chief designer of Chang'e-2 Huang Jiangchuan, said that at present three possible scenarios are being evaluated for an extra mission, but nothing as yet has been firmed up. These are:-
*Staying in the lunar orbit, continuing to transfer data back to the earth and then landing on the moon as an experiment for future lunar probes.
* Chang'e-2 will depart from the earth-moon system and zoom into outer space to test China's capability to probe further into space. It will be a test run for a deep space mission.
* The third will be a home coming. This would mean changing its orbit to turn into an earth orbiter.
On the launch, chief spokesperson of Isro, S.Satish, told ``Beyond Moon and Mars.'' that it something welcome bacause it will guarantee a constant interest in the moon. ``We are happy that they are launching such missions instead of stopping just after one or two,'' he added.
Quite a bold message to our government!
ends
.
The much-awaited JB programme was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Birla Mathurshi hall in Marine Lines which means I would have to leave home at about 4.30 p.m. in order to catch the bus. This was the exact lift off time of Chang'e 2. How can I manage both, I wondered. I took a shot in the dark. At about 4.15 p.m. I accessed CCTV--the Chinese TV channel--through Google which instantly took me to the Xichang launch centre in China.
There it was. I could see the 10-storeyed tall Long March 3C rocket which will carry the lunar orbiter. Chang'e-2 weighing 2.48 tonnes during launch, to the moon. All systems were a `go' for launch. Though there was a lot of buffering I was still glued to the computer. The moment for lift off was nearing and then at 4.31 p.m. sharp the countdown ended, the rocket sprang into life and lifted off. As I watched it soaring higher and higher being carried in a yellowish plume, the buffering started again and I deactivated my computer.
After the launch, the Chinese TV issued a flash saying: ``CHINA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CHANG'E-2 A COMPLETE SUCCESS.''
The commentary said that though it disappeared out of sight a few seconds after lift off because of the clouds---the same thing which happened to Chandrayaan-1--the telemetry and tracking data were normal. It's lift off velocity was 2.0 kms per second which was gradually increasing. There were three tracking ships in the Pacific Ocean.
I informed my good friend, Pradeep Mohandas, who said he could not watch the telecast because he was at that very moment leaving for an official assignment. I am sorry that he missed the flight!!!! Better luck for Chang'e-3 in 2013-2015.
The CCTV gave me a clear view of the mission operations control room with several young scientists and engineers wearing a blue dress staring at their computer screens monitoring data. It was an exciting, thrilling and dramatic build up towards the launch, For example 1 could see a young scientist calling out the coutndown and finally pressing the red launch button--an action which I have never seen in any of the Indian TV channels during a rocket launch at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Since there was a lot of buffering, I switched off the computer , rushed to the bus stop and managed to reach the hall for the JB show well in advance.
Back home, around 10 p.m. I switched on the computer again. accessed CCTV and got the latest update of Chang'e 2. It was doing fine.
For a little bit of background, the Chang'e lunar exploration programme was initiated on January 23,2004. The project envisages three phases---orbiting, landing and sample return. The first spacecraft under this moon mission, Chang'e-1 was an unmanned lunar orbiter which was launched on October 24,2007. India must emulate the example of China atleast in this respect by working out a clear road map of its lunar programme post Chandrayaan-2. We, including Isro officials themselves, still do not know what is the future of the country's lunar projects after Chandrayaan-2 slated for launch in 2013.
Costing over 134 million dollars with a six-month life span, Chang'e-2 is expected to reach the lunar orbit in 112 hours or five days. In contrast Chang'e-1 took 12 days to reach the lunar orbit. According to space officials, the Chang'e-2 flight is split into three phases. These are the launch, the moon orientation phase and the moon orbiting phase. During the moon orientation phase, Chang'e-2s solar panels deployed and antennas unfolded. Interestingly, the monitoring cameras on board the spacecraft imaged these developments.
As it moves closer to the lunar orbit, the spacecraft's speed will be reduced to enable it to fly into the 100 kms lunar orbit above the moon's surface. It will complete a single orbit in 117 minutes. Once in this orbit, it will take high resolution images of the Bay of Rainbows which is expected to be the landing zone of Chang'e-3.The images will be of 10 meters.This is because it has a charged couple device camera.
Chief engineer of China's Lunar Exploration Programme, Wu Weiren, in an interview to Chinese TV has highlighted some of the significant features of the Chang'e-2 mission.
* For the first time a new method of flying in space is being experimented. With a powerful rocket, Chang'e-2 is being taken directly to the moon transfer orbit or the moon orientation phase. On account of this,the flying time has been reduced by as much as 50 per cent as compared to Chang'e-1. Chief designer of rocket systems, Cen Zheng, has explained that the Long March 3-C rocket was chosen for the Chang'e-2 mission because ``its technology has been quite mature. It was tested four times successfully prior to Chang'e-1.''
* While taking high resolution images, the spacecraft will descend from 100 kms to 15 kms above the lunar surface. Coming so close to the moon, without actually landing is considered by space experts an achievement.
Chang'e-2 will conduct research within the moon's orbit to assess the landing spots for the soft landing of Chang'e -3 and Chang'e-4 both of which have rovers, according to Chinese space officials being quoted on Chinese TV. A pics of the rover was also shown on TV.
With five payloads, the scientific objectives include investigating the lunar landscape and studying the geological structure of the moon, The mission will also examine the material composition of the moon and hunt for usable resources.
Chief designer of Chang'e-2 Huang Jiangchuan, said that at present three possible scenarios are being evaluated for an extra mission, but nothing as yet has been firmed up. These are:-
*Staying in the lunar orbit, continuing to transfer data back to the earth and then landing on the moon as an experiment for future lunar probes.
* Chang'e-2 will depart from the earth-moon system and zoom into outer space to test China's capability to probe further into space. It will be a test run for a deep space mission.
* The third will be a home coming. This would mean changing its orbit to turn into an earth orbiter.
On the launch, chief spokesperson of Isro, S.Satish, told ``Beyond Moon and Mars.'' that it something welcome bacause it will guarantee a constant interest in the moon. ``We are happy that they are launching such missions instead of stopping just after one or two,'' he added.
Quite a bold message to our government!
ends
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)