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India can launch 4-tonne satellite

Engine tests done, will be ready by 2016 end.

Hyderabad: Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Dr K. Sivan, said on Thursday that engine level tests for the GSLV Mark 3 rocket were complete and stage level tests would be conducted in two-three months.

The rocket will be ready for launch by December this year. The GSLV Mark 3 will be capable of carrying a payload of four tonnes and will be used in manned space missions by ISRO. The earlier versions could carry only 2.2 tonnes.

ISRO is yet to send a human into space and works are going on for the same at the space organisation. By this December, ISRO is planning to conduct abort mission tests as part of its preparation for a manned space mission.
Earlier in 2014 ISRO had launched an experimental unmanned crew module into space.

Speaking at the International High Energy Material Conference and Exhibits, Dr Sivan said that the sixth satellite for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System — the Indian GPS — would be launched by March 6 and by March 31, the seventh and final satellite would be launched.

This would put the necessary infrastructure in space for IRNSS which will be launched on a pilot basis soon after, he said.

Speaking about some of the other projects at ISRO currently, Dr Sivan said that in two years ISRO will be able to launch satellites into orbit from rockets using the more effective electric propulsion system instead of using conventional fuel.

Explosive detection kits being developed
The High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune is developing indigenous, table-mounted kits for detection of a wide range of explosives.

Director of the laboratory Dr K.P.S. Murthy said that as of now detection of explosives was possible only if it was concealed in plastic bags or very thin metal containers.

He added that the explosive detectors currently in use and even sniffer dogs could only detect a limited number of explosives.

These handicaps have forced security staff at public places airports and railway stations to spend a lot of time in checking baggage whenever a suspicious unidentifiable container or chemical compound is detected.

However, with the threat of terrorism increasing, it is necessary to ensure quick detection of a wide range of explosives.

The table-mounted kits being developed by HEMRL can currently detect 20 types of explosive compounds, said Dr Murthy. However, he said that it would be a couple of years before the kits could be manufactured commercially.

As of now only a few developed countries have successfully manufactured such kits.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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