Isro Plans 9 Space Missions

Nellore:Following the successful Axiom and Nisar missions Isro has undertaken in collaboration with the United States, India is preparing for yet another space mission with American collaboration.

This time, India’s heavy-lift rocket LVM3 will launch the Block 2 BlueBird satellite, developed by the US-based cellular broadband network provider AST SpaceMobile. This was stated on Monday by Isro chairman Dr V. Narayanan, who is also secretary to the department of space.

Speaking at the Mission Control Centre after the successful launch of the Nasa-Isro synthetic aperture radar (Nisar) satellite — a joint project between Nasa and Isro — Narayanan stated that nine more space missions are scheduled before the end of the current fiscal year.

These missions include a mix of Earth observation, communication, technology demonstration and navigation satellites, he said.

Among the missions, Isro would launch a user-funded satellite aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C62 (PSLV-C62), and the Earth observation satellite Oceansat using PSLV-C63. As part of ongoing space sector reforms, Isro would also launch the first industry-consortium-built PSLV rocket this fiscal year. This mission will carry a technology demonstrator satellite that would showcase 30 innovations, including electric propulsion systems.

Isro also plans to launch a navigation satellite, NVS-03, using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F17 (GSLV-F17), as well as GISAT aboard GSLV-F18.

Additionally, Isro will orbit the Indian communication satellite CMS-02 using its LVM3 heavy-lift rocket.

Regarding the Block 2 BlueBird satellite, its weight is around six tonnes and this would be placed in low Earth orbit.

HIghlights:

Nisar mission will help to…

• Measure the woody biomass and its changes.

• Track changes in the extent of active crops.

• Understand the changes in wetlands’ extent.

• Map Greenland’s & Antarctica’s ice sheets, dynamics of sea ice and mountain glaciers.

• Characterise land surface deformation related to seismicity, volcanism, landslides and subsidence & uplift associated with changes in subsurface aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs among others.

* The S-band Radar system, data handling & high- speed downlink system, the spacecraft and the launch system are developed by Isro.

*The L-band Radar system, high speed downlink system, the SolidState Recorder, GPS receiver, the 9m Boom hoisting the 12m reflector are delivered by Nasa.

* Isro is responsible for the satellite commanding and operations, Nasa will provide the orbit manoeuvre plan and RADAR operations plan.

* Nisar mission will be aided with ground station support of both Isro and Nasa for downloading of the acquired images, which after the necessary processing will be disseminated to the user community. Nisar mission will help to measure the woody biomass and its changes.

*The data acquired through S-band and L-band SAR from a single platform will help the scientists to understand the changes happening to Planet Earth.