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SLV-3 is a four stage rocket launched during 1979-1983 by ISRO. SLV uses solid propellant for all four stages during its flight time. The first two stages use PBAN (Polybutadiene acrylonitrile), and the last two stages HEF-20, are used.
To study flight performance, the first SLV-3 carried an experimental payload named ‘Rohini Technology Payload (RTP)’ launched on August 10, 1979. The launch failed because of the failure of the second stage control system, and it was unable to reach orbit.
As people learn and grow from their mistakes, the next SLV-3 program successfully put the RS-1(Rohini) Satellite in its intended orbit from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, on July 18, 1980. RS-1 is the first Indian satellite made and launched based on Indian technology. With this success, India became the 6th nation to join the list of Space faring nations
ASLV is an acronym for Augmented Satellite Launching Vehicle. ASLV was the intermediate step before achieving indigenous launcher capability for heavier communication and remote sensing satellites. ASLV differs from SLV with its payload capacity of 150 kgs, which helps carry a lot more sensors to carry onboard. To achieve this higher payload, ASLV has five stages, whereas SLV has four stages. Similar to SLV, ASLV also uses solid propellant in all its stages. ASLV has two straps on boosters in the first stage, which helps deliver heavy payloads. ASLV is designed for closed-loop guidance, unlike open-loop guidance of SLV, which facilitates injecting the satellite in the precise orbit.
ASLV served between the period 1987 to 1994. During this period, ISRO launched four missions to deliver satellites to LEO. Out of four, only two were successful. Though ASLV usage in the Indian space history is less, it paved a new path for space engineers to explore new technologies such as vertical integration, closed-loop guidance, strap-on technology, inertial navigation, and bulbous heat shield. These new ones helped us reduce the distance between India and outer space.
ASLV was designed based on SLV, but the idea was to explore the Geostationary orbit. ASLV’s payload is called SROSS(Stretched Rohini Satellite Series). ASLV carried SROSS-1, SROSS-2, SROSS-C, SROSS-C2 in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994, respectively. SROSS-1 and SROSS-2 did not reach the needed orbit. Those two were the failure missions of ASLV.
SROSS-1 carried Launch Vehicle Monitoring Platform(LVMP), Gamma-Ray Burst(GRB) payload, and Corner Cube Retro Reflector(CCRR) for laser tracking. SROSS-2 carried GRB, Mono payload Occular Electro-Optic Stereo Scanner(MEOSS). SROSS-3 carried GRB, Retarding Potential Analyser(RPA).
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), also known as the workhorse of ISRO, was initially designed to achieve satellite to Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) / LEOs. As the years progressed, there were many developments that enhanced the payload capacity of PSLV from 1000 kg to 1900 kg and widened the capability of transferring satellites to multiple missions like LEO, SSO, Sub-GTO, and GTO.
PSLV was developed based on the experience of ASLV. A liquid-propellant engine propels the second and fourth stages of PSLV. The engine used in the 2nd stage of PSLV is known as the VIKAS engine developed in collaboration with France. The 4th stage of PSLV uses a twin pressure fed engine known as PS4.
Strap on boosters, the first and third stage uses HTPB based solid propellant. The second stage uses N2O4/Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine(UH25) combination. The last stage uses the Monomethyl Hydrazine(MMH)/Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen(MON) combination.
Payload fairing of PSLV uses multi-payload adopters, which helps successfully place more than one satellite into the required orbits. The sole purpose of the first stage and boosters is to provide lift-off using high thrust. Other stages are used to make required attitudinal corrections using thrust vectoring techniques to successfully inject satellites into the desired orbit. The final stage of PSLV is used to make changes needed in the flight path to inject satellites into the correct orbits .
PSLV carried popular missions like
GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launching Vehicle) is a three-stage launch vehicle. Most of the components like the Vikas engine, booster motors used in GSLV were from PSLV technology. Three staged GSLV with four boosters was developed to send satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which PSLV could not.
The part of GSLV which makes it unique from other launch vehicles is the final stage; it uses a cryogenic stage which was very new to ISRO. For the GSLV MK-I version, the cryo stage was imported from Russia. After developing the Indian-made cryogenic engine CE-7.5, the GSLV series was named GSLV MK-II. Parallelly ISRO put efforts for developing indigenous Cryo Upper stage (CUSP) and qualified C12.5 stage and inducted into GSLV Mk II programme.
The boosters used on GSLV are liquid-powered, popularly known as L-40 use N2O4 and UH25 propellant combination, which is hypergolic. The first stage uses HTPB solid propellant, and the second stage uses UH25 and N2O4 combination as in PSLV. As discussed earlier, the third stage uses cryogenic propellants of combination liquid oxygen(LOX) and liquid hydrogen(LH2). Some changes were made in the second stage-Vikas engine to increase its performance in the launches made after 2018.
The first launch of GSLV was on April 18, 2001, and the last GSLV launch happened on August 12, 2021. Fourteen launches were made during this period, including MK-I and MK-II series. Out of them, eight were successful, two were partially successful, and four were failures. From 2014, GSLV marked six continuous successful launches. .
GSLV MK-III is the fourth generation launch vehicle for lifting 4000 kg payloads. Unlike other GSLV versions, MK-III uses only two boosters with solid propellant.
GSLV Mk III has many unique features. Boosters are considered the first stage that uses 200-ton HTPB based solid propellants on each. In contrast, the second stage is powered with two Vikas engines and uses a 110-ton hypergolic propellant combination UH25+N2O4. The uppermost last stage uses an upgraded C20 cryogenic engine that works with the Hydrolox combination(LOX+LH2).
As we see the power produced by each stage in MK-III, anyone can agree that its power is another level. GSLV MK-III can launch ten-ton category satellites to LEO and four-ton category satellites to GTO. Moreover, GSLV MK-III will be the first human-rated launch vehicle developed by the ISRO for the Gaganyaan mission. Subsequent flights of MK-III were used to launch GSAT-19, GSAT-29 and Chandrayaan-II. Chandrayaan-II is the heaviest spacecraft ISRO has launched as of now. Moreover, GSLV MK-III was successful in all of its four missions.
The first Indian designed and built human space flight launch mission, ‘Gaganyaan’, is also planned to go on GSLV MK-III. Necessary changes are under process to make human flight missions successful. As it is a human flight, there are limitations in flight acceleration. For safe re-entry, required developments and changes related to propellant and engine design, components strength and integrity, avionics, and standby systems have been in progress.
ISRO carried out a major technology demonstration today (July 05, 2018), the first in a series of tests to qualify a Crew Escape System, which is a critical technology relevant for human spaceflight. The Crew Escape System is an emergency escape measure designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort. The first test (Pad Abort Test) demonstrated the safe recovery of the crew module in case of any exigency at the launch pad.
After a smooth countdown of 5 hours, the Crew Escape System along with the simulated crew module with a mass of 12.6 tonnes, lifted off at 07.00 AM (IST) at the opening of the launch window from its pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota today. The test was over in 259 seconds, during which the Crew Escape System along with crew module soared skyward, then arced out over the Bay of Bengal and floated back to Earth under its parachutes about 2.9 km from Sriharikota. .
The crew module reached an altitude of nearly 2.7 km under the power of its seven specifically designed quick acting solid motors to take away the crew module to a safe distance without exceeding the safe g-levels. Nearly 300 sensors recorded various mission performance parameters during the test flight. Three recovery boats are being exercised to retrieve the module as part of the recovery protocol.
Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is the most complex program ISRO has gone through. RLV-TD is a fusion of aircraft and rocket technology. It needs to maintain integrity between both systems and make the mission successful. It uses the scramjet engine to achieve supersonic and hypersonic flight. Autonomous navigation guidance and control system, integrated flight management system, heat shielding, Elevon controlled flight, and everything regarding RLV-TD is complex. Through experiments, minor upgrades and changes are made in a design that will make the RLV-TD mission successful.
For the design, simulation, and prototype experimentation of RLV-TD, ISRO collaborated with India’s top Research & Development organisations such as the National Aeronautics Laboratory(NAL) and the Indian Institute of Science(IISc). ISRO planned four different phases for RLV-TD tests, namely Hypersonic Flight Experiment(HEX), Landing Experiment(LEX), Return Flight Experiment(REX), and Scramjet Propulsion Experiment(SPEX). .
Currently, ISRO completed HEX on May 23, 2016, and the mission was successful in maiden itself. As part of the HEX-1 mission program, the first stage rocket HS9 propelled the RLV-TD to a height of 56Km in 91.1 sec burn time. After burnout, HS9 booster and RLV-TD travelled in the combined phase till 111 sec. The booster was separated from RLV-TD using pyrotechnics and followed a different path to avoid a mid-air collision.
A standard heat shield/payload fairing is typically a cone-cylinder combination structure( due to aerodynamic considerations ) enclosing the space craft/satellite, generally the top most structure in launch vehicle. It is used to protect a spacecraft payload against the impact of dynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating during launch through atmosphere
It is made in two halves, which is integrated at the end of launch vehicle assembly It is made of light weight materials like aluminum alloys or composites It experiences a lot of bending loads hence it is a stiffness based design
It is painted with a thermal protection paints as a lot of heat is generated during the ascent phase in atmosphere once the launch vehicle crosses the atmospheric regime, the heat shield is separated and jettisoned The shape of the heat shield is finalized based on the different dynamic loads , flow separation, vehicle trajectory, Mach nos encountered, available TPS etc.
The inside of the heat shield designed and has various mechanisms to control aero acoustic loads which can damage the satellite during ascent (Acoustics and vibration)
DIORAMAS
RADAR is an acronym for Radio Detection And Ranging. Radar requires antennas at both transmitting and receiving ends. Antenna is a part of the radar and is the physical interface of any electronic device to the electromagnetic waves.
Antennas track satellites and information from satellites comes in the form of an analog signals – these radio wave of a specific frequencies will be captured in the dish antenna and then feeds into the sub-reflector, where that energy from that signal becomes focused and finally proceeds into the receiver. The information then feeds to a computer which will be processed into binary code. Ultimately this data will be codified into use ful information. These Antennas can be manoeuvred on the horizontal and vertical planes in the direction of satellites. While rotating the cables are connected through slip rings so that entanglement of cables are avoided.
Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) is a network of large antennas and communication facilities operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation to support the interplanetary spacecraft missions of India. Its hub is located at Byalalu, Ramanagar in the state of Karnataka in India in 2008.
The main antenna is a 32-meter Deep Space Antenna. The wheel and track 32 m antenna is a state-of-the-art system that supported the Chandrayaan-1 mission operations. It is currently supporting Mars Orbiter Mission [3] This is co-located with 18 m antenna in the IDSN site at Byalalu.
Main Parts:
Chandrayaan-1, India's first mission to Moon, was launched successfully on October 22, 2008 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. The spacecraft was orbiting around the Moon at a height of 100 km from the lunar surface for chemical, mineralogical and photo-geologic mapping of the Moon. The spacecraft carried 11 scientific instruments built in India, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and Bulgaria.
After the successful completion of all the major mission objectives, the orbit has been raised to 200 km during May 2009. The satellite made more than 3400 orbits around the moon and the mission was concluded when the communication with the spacecraft was lost on August 29, 2009.
The most significant result from Chandrayaan-1 is the discovery of the presence of hydroxyl (OH) and water (H2O) molecules on the lunar surface. validation of Lunar Magma Ocean hypothesis, detection of reflection of 20% of solar wind protons, detection of presence of Mg, Al, Si, Ca on the lunar surface and three dimensional conceptualization of many lunar craters of interest are other scientific results from Chandrayaan-1.
Chandrayaan-2 mission is a highly complex mission, and comprised an Orbiter, Lander and Rover to explore the unexplored South Pole of the Moon. The mission is designed to expand the lunar scientific knowledge through detailed study of to pography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics of top soil and composition of the tenuous lunar atmosphere, leading to a new understanding of the origin and evolution of the Moon.
ACHIEVEMENTS
This is the latest Launch Pad commissioned during 2000-2001 for next generation launch vehicles like GSLV Mk III etc.
The launch pad was built on ITL concept. i.e. Integrate - Transfer- Launch. The rocket (launch Vehicle) will be assemble vertically and the assembled launch vehicle will be towed from Assembly Building to Launch Pad on a Mobile Launch Pedestal (MLP). A self propelled bogie will lift the MLP along with launch vehicle which will combinedly weight 15,00,000 kgs and travel for around one km on a twin track.
The launch vehicle then positioned infront of a umbilical tower. The tower has got 3 sets of swing cum vertically re-positionable platforms used for servicing the launch vehicle during the last phase of campaign. The launch vehicle will be serviced for 7-10 days at the launch pad before lifting off. Several checks and fuel filling will be carried out during this final phase. The satellite cooling and telemetry checks are very important for monitoring the satellite health. In case of GSLV, a cryo arm extended from the Umbilical tower will be used for filling and draining the cryo propellants.
There are three lighting protection towers around the launch pad, which protects the launch vehicle from lighting and discharge.
Built in the year 1990 exclusively for launching PSLVs and later upgraded to service GSLV Mk 2 vehicles.
Built on IOP - Integrate on Pad concept. The pedestal on which the launch vehicle is assembled, is static. Where as the assembly building moves back and forth on a rail track, which will encapsulates the launch vehicle for servicing.
The Mobile Service Tower (MST) which is 76m tall structural building. It is equipped with foldable and vertically repositionable access platforms facilitates the vertical integration of the launch vehicle. It is operated using heavy electrical motors.
The spacecraft, which is checked thoroughly and fuelled at its preparation facilities arrives at the launch pad and gets integrated with the launch vehicle in a clean room, set up inside MST.
A few hours before the launch, the MST, which weighs about 3200 tons moves slowly to its parking place on 32 wheels along the twin rail track leaving the launch vehicle on the launch pedestal.
Remote sensing technology is used in a vast range of applications with a lot of different applications, as well as most earth sciences, like meteorology, geology, hydrology, ecology, earth science, geography, and land measuring, having high importance in the applications of military, intelligence, commercial, economic, planning, and humanitarian efforts.
The evolution of National Natural Resources management system paved way to IRS / Indian Remote Sensing Programme.
The first IRS satellite dedicated to Remote sensing applications was launched, on March 17, 1988 from Soviet casmodrome Baikanur.The programme continued with a series of satellites Resoursesat, RISat, Oceansat, Cartosat etc. for various focussed missions.Remote sensing is the science of making inferences about objects from measurements made at a distance, without coming into physical contact with the objects under study.