India in Space expo

ISRO organizing a exhibition on space named ‘India in Space’ is going to be held at the FISAT, Angamaly, from September 16 to 18.

The main aim of the exhibition is to create an awareness among school and college students about India's achievements in space programmes and to show how they have helped in the country’s overall development.

The exhibition will showcase satellites ranging from Aryabhatta to the Insat series. Chandrayaan-1 and the technology used in it will be the major highlights of the exhibition. The models of India’s future programmes (VISION till 2020) like GSLV-Mk III, Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD), Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-II) and Chandrayaan-2 will also be displayed.

The video shows of Chandrayaan-1 and the history of the Indian space research will add color to the event. Electra, the student wing of the EEE branch, is organising the event in connection with the Techfest Nautilus, to be held in the college. The entry is free.

ISRO successfully conducts static testing of GSLV-Mk III rocket

Six months after a failed test, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the second static testing of its liquid core stage (L110) of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk -III), according to a press release.

GSLV-Mk III, which is currently under advanced stage of development, uses two solid strap-on boosters (S200), L110 liquid stage and a cryogenic upper stage C-25

The test lasted 200 seconds at ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) test facility at Mahendragiri today (September 8, 2010) at 15:50 hrs.

L110 is one of the heaviest earth storable liquid stages ever developed by ISRO. L110 stage had two high pressure Vikas engines in a clustered configuration. Nearly 500 health parameters were monitored during the test and the initial data acquired indicates its normal performance.

Today’s successful test of L110 for its full flight duration of 200 seconds, is a major milestone in the earth storable liquid rocket programme of ISRO and a significant step forward in the development of GSLV-Mk III launch vehicle.

ISRO conducted the test for 150 seconds at LPSC test facility on March 5 this year. While the test was originally targeted for 200 seconds it was stopped at 150 seconds since a deviation in one of the parameters - minor leakage in the command system - was observed. It may be recalled that GSLV-Mk III, which is currently under advanced stage of development, uses two solid strap-on boosters (S200), L110 liquid stage and a cryogenic upper stage C-25.

ISRO to Carry More Astronauts to Space

As the country readies itself for putting a human on a space flight, scientists are busy developing next generation rockets that can carry more astronauts and put heavier satellites in orbit.

The Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III), expected to be launched in the next three years, will give the country self-sufficiency in launching the entire range of satellites.

"If everything goes through successfully, we can attempt a launch by 2011 beginning," said GLSV Mk III Project Director N Narayan Moorthy.

Scientists at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram will carry out testing of all engines this year.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists also said the GSLV Mk III will enable them to send "heavier and more meaningful" probes to Mars and also help send more astronauts on a single mission.

ISRO is planning to use the current version of the GSLV in the human space flight it plans to undertake in 2015.

"In case we use Mark III, we can send three persons instead of two by the regular GSLV," an ISRO scientist said.

The GSLV is capable of launching 2.5-tonne satellites and ISRO has to depend on the European Space Agency to put in orbit its communications satellites.

The GSLV Mk III will also enable ISRO to pack more transponders on a single flight, thus making it a cost-effective option for satellite launches. The rocket will shape up as a giant vehicle towering over 44 meters, four meters in diameter and carry almost three times more fuel than the current GSLV Mk II.

The new rocket, which can put a four tonne satellite in orbit, will help Antrix Corporation, ISRO's commercial arm, to offer the cheapest space launches in the space market. The regular GSLV can put 2.2 tonne satellites in orbit.