India to test satellite launcher

[Faisal_Aslam]

BANGALORE, India -- India is set to conduct a first rocket test to launch geostationary satellites this week.

If it succeeds, India will join a small club of space power nations and achieve a 30-year dream.

The first test flight of the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle, GSLV-D1, marks a big step for India's space program, experts say.

India aims to launch a satellite with the GSLV if it completes three successful tests and will join the United States, the European Space Agency, Japan, Russia and China as a member of the satellite launch club.

A geostationary satellite orbits the earth in the same rotation as the earth, which means it remains above the same spot above the earth's surface.

Roddam Narasimha, director of Bangalore-based National Institute of Advanced Studies, said successful tests of the GSLV would mean the culmination of a three-decade dream.

The GSLV-D1 is set to blast off on Wednesday from the Space Research Organization's (ISRO) space port in Sriharikota, about 100 km (62 miles) north from the southern city of Madras.

The GSLV can carry and deploy a two-tonne payload as deep as 36,000 km in space, which is roughly twice the capacity of India's current polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV).

Hit by sanctions
A key aspect of the GSLV is the use of a Russian engine that employs fuel like liquid hydrogen, which has to be stored at very low temperatures.

India was set to receive the technology to operate the engine from Moscow but that was stalled by U.S.-led sanctions linked to New Delhi's nuclear program.

"It is a technology which has never been used by India before," Narasimha said.

Hydrogen, which is used in the propellant, is considered the most efficient fuel but to use huge quantities of the substance it has to be maintained as a liquid, for which very low temperatures are required.

For this a cryogenic engine is crucial because it is designed to handle fuels at low temperatures.

Big Demand
India currently has four geostationary satellites of the INSAT series. Analysts say a fast-growing demand for communications satellites would make the GSLV very useful.

India has in the past relied heavily on Europe's Arianespace to launch its satellites.

According to an expert assessment in the United States two years ago, it costs between $19,000 and $26,000 per kilogram to place a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. Japanese costs are even higher.

The costs for China's Long March were estimated in the $9,800-$13,700 range and Russia's Zenith at $15,000-19,000.

In comparison, the GSLV's cost was estimated at $19,400 to $25,000. With time, the costs could come down further.

"When we are fully operational, we expect it to be cost competitive," said Kasturirangan, but he said right now, the technological success of the mission was more important.

[Faisal_Aslam]

I hope Pakistan will test it own satellite launcher is 3/4 years as that is already under construction .....

[Faisal_Aslam]

Take two for Indian satellite launch

India has another shot at its 30-year dream to join a small club of space power nations
April 4, 2001
Web posted at: 2:57 PM HKT (0657 GMT)


BANGALORE, India (CNN) -- India will re-launch its geostationary satellite rocket, three weeks after the mission was cancelled.

The new launch date has been set tentatively for April 18 or 19, according to the India Express.

The country's first test flight of the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle, the GSLV-D1, failed to take off on Wednesday March 28, striking a major blow to India's nascent space program.

If India can successfuly launch the GSLV, it will join the United States, the European Space Agency, Japan, Russia and China as a member of an elite satellite launch club.

Follows on from polar satellite launcher
India has already built a polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV), which puts satellites in a north-south orbit along the poles. Geostationary satellites move in an east-west orbit.

The first GSLV mission was cancelled when one of the main core engine motors failed to develop the required thrust for the launch.

Sources told the India Express that the faulty gas injector was being replaced for the re-launch.

India's Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is poised to deploy communication satellites on its own.

Up to now, the country has been dependent on foreign countries for launching its communication satellites.

[TechChap]

Actually this may sound like a jigoistic reply. But I wanted to make some facts clear.
India is in Satellite launching technology, and GSLV is the last step in Launching technology.

Rocket Launching is basically modified later into missiles. So every stage of ISRO's so called peaceful program is spawning a generation of Indian Missile.
In fact if you see every country which boasts of an indigenous missile program (Pakistan is an exception) it's missile program developed from its space program, or vice versa. I mean both the technologies are complimentary. Pakistan is different because neither Ghauri nor Shaheen missile program is based on indigenous research effort. Later in the course I will explain why. They are borrowed from North Korean missile program, Nodong-I and Topedong-I.
You need to master the reentry technology for a rocket launch vehicle to be converted to a missile.
visit this site for chronology of pakistani missile development.
http://cns.miis.edu/research/india/pakchron.htm

The Indian Launch technology is leagues and years ahead of Pakistani technology. Here is why.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/SPACE/...aunchers1.html
India has been in launching vehcle business each of which spawns a missile program. And here are the details of the program
1. At the first generation is the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) which later developed into a Short range Ballistic missile Prithvi. SLV can put a satellite weighing upto 50 Kg in a circular 500 km orbit. There was an unsuccessful launch in august 79, Then few successful ones in 80,81 and 83.
Countries capable of launching SLV : US, Russia, Japan, China, European Space commission, India, Israel, Brazil.
2. Second generation was the Augmented Satellite launch vehicle (ASLV), which was adapted into military technlogy as the intermediate range Ballistic missile the Agni. It was launched in 87, which ended up with agni being launched in 89. ASLV could put a satellite upto 250 kg in an elliptical orbit upto 700 km.
3. The third generation which is one of the most important ones when it comes to military applications is the PSLV. The polar satellite launch vehicle can put a satellite weighing upto 1 ton into a Polar sychronous orbit. Also called the remote sensing satellites, these satellites can be used as spy satellites in military or for seeing crop patterns and so on. This vehicle if needed can be modified into an ICBM (inter continental Ballistic missile). This was first tested in 94.
Countries capable of launching PSLV US, Russia, Japan, China, European Space commission, India.
4. The last in unmanned rocket is something about what you posted the Geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) . This puts a communication satellite into a geostationary orbit about 36000 km. India will launch the first one this year and hopefully enter into the satellite launch market.
If you want an independent confirmation of what I said here is a link for you.
http://www.fas.org/spp/guide/india/launch/index.html
it is from federation of american scientists not a jingoistic site

Now let me tell you where Pakistan stands
1. Pakistani space research program going by acronym SUPARCO (space and upper atmosphere research corporation) doesnt have technology to launch an SLV today. This is something INDIA TESTED IN 1980. So you guys are at least 20 years behind.
So even if Pakistan manages to test the SLV in 2003/2004 as planned it will take it at least a decade to develop its own GSLV. The recently launched experimental satellite called Badr is just an experimental research into satellite building.
2. Pakistan has launched Ghauri Missile (with no technology to back in space matters) That is why everyone says its technology is borrowed one, unlike indigenous one developed by India. Because if Pakistan had developed the technology on its own there would be something to show in Space research also, where it is Zilch. Every country which has a similar technology has a comparable launch vehicle in Space program. This helps in launching spy satellites and so on.
3. see this site another independent confirmation of what is going on.
http://www.fas.org/spp/guide/pakistan/launch/index.html
http://www.fas.org/spp/guide/pakistan/comm/index.html

in 1982 SUPARCO's chairman, Dr. Salim Mehmud, says that his organization lacks skilled technical specialists, and that space technology-related training facilities are non-existent. He also complains about financial limitations on the space program and that development is stymied by a limited industrial infrastructure.

So this is the state of affairs in the two countries.

[Faisal_Aslam]

from DAWN


KARACHI, Feb 28: Pakistan's second satellite, the indigenously built Badr B, would be launched into orbit with the help of a Russian launch vehicle sometime in April, said Dr Abdul Majeed, the chairman of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), on Wednesday.

Dr Majeed also said the SUPARCO had started work on building its own Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). "Once we have our own SLV we won't need the help of other countries in launching our satellites," he said.

The SUPARCO's chairman said this at a well-attended press briefing. He said the launch of Badr B had been delayed for about two years due to several reasons. "Badr B is to be launched by a Russian SLV from Baikonour in a piggyback fashion.

"This satellite has been ready for the past two years. In fact it was sent to Russia more than a year and a half ago. But the Russian SLV which was supposed to lift the satellite in orbit developed some faults. There were other problems too. These have now been finally removed."

It could be said with a fair degree of confidence that Badr B would be launched in late March or early April, said Dr Majeed.

In response to a question, he said Badr B was a 70kg satellite which was to be launched in a Sun-synchronous orbit of 1050km and orbital period of 106 minutes. The satellite would be carrying a camera.

"The main objective of the project is the indigenous development of low-cost satellites and creation of necessary infrastructure for future development in this field."


To a question, the SUPARCO's chief said his organization was trying to build a four-stage Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). "The government hasn't given us any special grants for the development of an SLV. But we thought that we should use our existing resources and expertise to try and develop our own SLV so that in future we don't have to depend on other countries for launching our satellites."


Dr Majeed said within the next two to three months SUPARCO would be in a position to subject two integrated parts of the SLV to a hot-test - a kind of live test in which the vehicle doesn't take off.

"Two parts of the four-stage vehicle have already been separately subjected to hot and cold tests. The next stage is testing after integrating the parts."

The SUPARCO's chief told newsmen that his organization had made special arrangements for tracking the descent of the Russian Space Station Mir, the first module of which had been launched in February of 1986.

"I remember that when in the 1970s a station by the name of Skylab was descending, or splashing down, there was a lot of panic in Pakistan. That's why we have decided to set up a cell to keep the people informed about the dying moments of Mir."

The facility would be manned round the clock and the public would be able to talk to the people there by dialling 8144923 or 8144967. The SUPARCO's e-mail address is suparco@digicom.net.pk.

Earlier, the SUPARCO's member space research, Abdul Ghafoor, gave a presentation on Mir's last journey. He told the reporters that the 140-ton Mir would be reduced to 40tons by the time it reaches its final resting place in the Pacific Ocean between Chile and New Zealand.

Mr Ghafoor said the Mir was initially expected to be splashed down between March 13 and 18. "But the latest is that it will fall into the ocean by March 29."

Meanwhile, Dr Majeed also talked in some detail about the other space programmes. He also described some academic programmes of his organization.

[Faisal_Aslam]

I do not know exactly what is the difference between SLV (Satellite Launch Vehicle) and GSLV what is "G" for??

I think Pakistan will test its SLV in next couple of years or may be early.
And I think that Badr is not launch recently as Badr B is ready to launch since last 2 years..... But due to russia non coperation we are unable to launch it.

Even if Pakistan is 2000 year back then india or farword to india. I do not care as Indian is not my standard to match with....


Faisal Aslam

[Edited by Faisal_Aslam on 9th April 2001 at 12:03]

[TechChap]

Well the Satellite launch vehicle(SLV) can launch small satellite weighing upto 50 Kg in a circular 500 km orbit. And a GSLV is put a Communication satellite in a Geosynchronous orbit (where the G letter came from). Geo synchronous orbit is about 36000 km above earth. The period of revolution of the satellite around earth is One day. So the satellite appears to remain above the same spot always as earth is revolving around it's axis and completes one rotation in a day.

Geosynchronous satellites weigh about 2 Tons, and are used for telephony, TV transmission etc etc.

And pakistanis can never compete with Indians they simply lack the brains to do that. Space program prooves it.

Badr B is just a small 50 Kg satellite used for sounding purposes. and to start testing your technology.