Indian Space Program Discussions / ISRO Plans

globaltracker

New Member
I have read some where that indian space research organization has got the bluprint for an ambitous plans to build a space craft which unique features can anyone out there can shed some light on it.

P.S i have read the news in times of india.
 

globaltracker

New Member
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Re: ISRO future plans

How do we stand in the world in the respect of space technology. (Especially to pakistan as i have read some topics from **** writers)
 

IndianNewbie

New Member
Re: ISRO future plans

I would not trust TimesofIndia. Its one of the worst newspapers in India and often tries to sensationalise the news just to sell more copies or get more web hits.

Now I am not sure what unique features but ISRO was planning something along the lines of Space shuttle / Buran. But that's hardly unique. The only thing unique could be that the cost of development might be low in comparison with US budget, provided its a success. Re-entry would be a challenge for ISRO and I hope they do it. They have had better success rate than DRDL / DRDO.
 

aaaditya

New Member
Re: ISRO future plans

hey guys the indigenously designed scram jet propulsion system has been succesfully ground tested anhd is likely to be flight tested in the year 2007.

here is the news link:

http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1006793

India's hypersonic plane dream passes first test

K Raghu
Tuesday, January 10, 2006 23:48 IST

BANGALORE: India's dream of a lighter and cheaper space transport vehicle has got the first boost.

Space scientists have completed ground tests of the homegrown supersonic combustion ramjet (Scramjet) that may eventually lead to building a hypersonic plane by the country.
The air-breathing engine has achieved a speed of six mach (a mach is the speed of sound), for seven seconds, which means it can fly three times faster than existing fighter and consume lesser fuel than the current aircraft.
The United States, which worked on the mission for nearly three decades, is the only nation to have flown the Scramjet in air. Others in the race are China, Russia, Japan, Australia and Europe, but are a long way like India to near a flight demonstration.
"The tests were conducted over a period of two years. A national committee has certified the ground tests," an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official said on Tuesday.
ISRO scientists at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram will attempt in the next three years to fly the Scramjet in atmosphere. The air-breathing engine will be released from a two-stage sounding rocket and tested to fly at speed of over six mach.
Air-breathing rocket systems use oxygen from the atmosphere, burn it with the stored on- board fuel to fly faster in contrast to the conventional chemical rocket systems that carry both the oxygen and the fuel on-board, ISRO said.
As a result, the air breathing systems are lighter and more efficient, which reduces costs of hurling a satellite or sending a man to space.
Missile scientists at the Defence Research and Development Laboratories (DRDL) in Hyderabad are also attempting to fly an indigenous hypersonic plane by 2008, "We are also conducting ground tests of the Scramjet. Our aim is to fly a demonstrator by 2008," DRDO chief controller R&D Prahlada told DNA.
DRDO has expertise in air breathing engine technology (Ramjet) at sub-sonic speed in its surface-to-air Akash missile programme, but going supersonic is a tougher task.
They have to build materials that can withstand the heat at such speed, mixing of high-speed air with fuel, stability and retaining the flame for a distance. This is a challenge even for the US.
The others include ones related to the mixing of very high speed air (velocity around 1.5 km/s) with fuel, achieving stable ignition and flame holding in addition to ensuring efficient combustion, within the practical length of the combustor.
ISRO believes that a hypersonic airplane may drastically cut costs of carrying a load to space at about $ 500 to $ 1000 per kg, as against the current costs of $ 12,000 to $ 15,000 per kg.
"To bring costs down, we need a two pronged approach (a) the systems are made recoverable and reusable (b) adopt more efficient propulsion systems like air-breathing rockets," ISRO said.


i guess we can expect to see the avtar hyperplane (both the drdo and the isro variants) some time soon.
 

vrus

New Member
Re: ISRO future plans

Maybe ISRO might produce future engines for aircraft instead of GTRE ....
I think that would greatly help indigenous aircraft projects. :D:p:

global tracker, the indian space industry is a growing very rapidly, and you don't need to worry about pakistan's space endeavours. (no offence to anyone) When the GSLV-Mk III becomes operational probably by 2007/8, we will have a great capability. There is also a project for creating an indigenous cryogenic engine (uses super-cooled fuels) to replace the russian upper stage in the GSLV Mk-I. This has seen some success. The last I heard of it was that it was ground tested for 1000 sec. (only 700 sec. burn time required though!)
That was in 2002 i think. I'll try to get a link but you should find something if you search in Google News. Only Japan, Russia, US and a few other nations have their own cryo engine.

Plus there will be an Indian mission to the moon in 2007/8, the Chandrayaan. Only an elite club of nations have even reached unmanned objects to the moon. Keep your fingers crossed though, despite ISRO having a great success rate, as the number of things that can go wrong between liftoff and landing on the moon are numerous...! :rolleyes:
 

aaaditya

New Member
Re: ISRO future plans

vrus said:
Maybe ISRO might produce future engines for aircraft instead of GTRE ....
I think that would greatly help indigenous aircraft projects. :D:p:

global tracker, the indian space industry is a growing very rapidly, and you don't need to worry about pakistan's space endeavours. (no offence to anyone) When the GSLV-Mk III becomes operational probably by 2007/8, we will have a great capability. There is also a project for creating an indigenous cryogenic engine (uses super-cooled fuels) to replace the russian upper stage in the GSLV Mk-I. This has seen some success. The last I heard of it was that it was ground tested for 1000 sec. (only 700 sec. burn time required though!)
That was in 2002 i think. I'll try to get a link but you should find something if you search in Google News. Only Japan, Russia, US and a few other nations have their own cryo engine.

Plus there will be an Indian mission to the moon in 2007/8, the Chandrayaan. Only an elite club of nations have even reached unmanned objects to the moon. Keep your fingers crossed though, despite ISRO having a great success rate, as the number of things that can go wrong between liftoff and landing on the moon are numerous...! :rolleyes:
the cryogenic engine (indigenous one) would be launched either this year or next on the indigenous launcher.i think the current one produces about 7.5 tons thrust but currently a more powerfull one capable of producing upto 10 tons thrust intended for future launches is under development.
 

aaaditya

New Member
hey guys check out this link,it contains some pretty detailed information on the indian rlv(recoverable launch vehicle).

http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?category=National

Sunday, March 19, 2006 (New Delhi):


Opening new frontiers, ISRO is developing a unique Reusable Launch Vehicle to put satellites into orbit.

Built at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO has completed the structural design and fabrication process studies for a technology demonstrator flight which is likely to take place in a couple of years.

"Conceptual design of the auxiliary power system for reusable launch vehicle and initiation of studies for the development of 2,000 kN thrust semi-cryogenic engine have been undertaken as part of developments related to technologies for reusable launch vehicles," according to the Annual Report (2005-06) of the Department of Space (DoS).

Orbital velocity

The aerodynamic and baseline characterisation, reference trajectory for the mission, avionics configuration, structural design and fabrication process studies have also been completed.

The Performance Budget of the DoS stated that the Preliminary Design Review of mechanical integration, electrical integration and checkout system would be completed in the 2006-07 fiscal.

The first stage of the RLV is configured as a winged body system, which will attain an altitude of around 100 km and deliver nearly half the orbital velocity.

After burnout, the vehicle will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and will be made to land horizontally on a runway, like an aircraft.

In the second stage, after delivering the payload, the vehicle will be made to re-enter the atmosphere and will be recovered using airbags either in sea or land.

The RLV is at a conceptual stage and ISRO will have to develop a host of technologies related to advanced material and propulsion control before the dream is realised.

To prove the technology for RLV, a small-scale flight test bed vehicle for demonstration is being conceived.

As a precursor to the RLV, a recoverable satellite weighing about 500 kg will be launched using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) as a co-passenger of CARTOSAT-2 later this year.

Earth's atmosphere

Dubbed as the Space-capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE), the launch would test reusable thermal protection system, navigation, guidance and control, hypersonic aerodynamics, management of communication blackout, deceleration and floatation system and recovery operations.

After its launch by the PSLV, SRE will remain in orbit for a few days after which it will be de-orbited and made to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.

On re-entry, after initial aerodynamic braking, a parachute system will reduce the touch down velocity. The SRE will splashdown in the Bay of Bengal, about 140 km east of Sriharikota coast.

A floatation system will keep the SRE afloat and enable its recovery. (PTI)
 
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harrapa

New Member
Is this RLV the same vehicle that was being discussed a few years back (except then the moniker that was being used was "avatar") ? I believe then it was being called described as a hyperplane, which could be used for such activities as a reusable system for placing satellites in a low-earth orbit (I can't find a good link for a page about the "avatar", although, I think this project has been discussed on this forum previously).

I would really like to know if this RLV is just the outcome of that project or something new, and if so, how.
 

aaaditya

New Member
harrapa said:
Is this RLV the same vehicle that was being discussed a few years back (except then the moniker that was being used was "avatar") ? I believe then it was being called described as a hyperplane, which could be used for such activities as a reusable system for placing satellites in a low-earth orbit (I can't find a good link for a page about the "avatar", although, I think this project has been discussed on this forum previously).

I would really like to know if this RLV is just the outcome of that project or something new, and if so, how.
yes it is the avatar hyperplane prototype,drdo also has a similiar project known as hstv,but it is at a less adavnced stage than the avatar hyperplane project.
 

harrapa

New Member
Aaaditya (or anyone, for that matter who might know), What is the "hstv"? You indicated its similar to the avatar, but how so? Is it based on more advanced propulsion systems/tech?

I would really appreciate it if you could tell me some more info. thanks. I can't really find anything on the web about it.
 
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