Indian human spaceflight program
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The still unnamed Indian human spaceflight program of the Indian Space Research Organisation was proposed in November 2006. Its goal would be to design, develop and launch an Indian human spacecraft, a two-seat space capsule, which would be used to send an Indian into space by 2015 [1] . The vehicle would be launched by India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle( GSLV-Mk II) [2].
Government has approved the project and allocated 50 crores for pre-project initiatives for 2007-08. [3] A manned mission into space would require about Rs. 10,000 crore ($3 billion) over a eight-year period.
ISRO sources said the flight is likely to be in 2015, followed by an Indian stepping on the Moon in 2020. An unmanned orbiter to Mars in 2014 is also among the ISRO's initiatives during the 11th five-year plan.[4]
ISRO plans to send a GSLV-MK II (Mark two with an indigenous cryogenic engine) rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, with a three-ton space capsule with two people onboard and complete with life support systems etc. [5]. Development of fully autonomous orbital vehicle to carry a two-member crew into a low Earth orbit has already began.[6]
About 16 minutes after lift-off, the rocket will inject the capsule weighing 3 tons into an orbit, 300 km-400 km from the earth. The capsule would orbit the earth and return for a splashdown in the Bay of Bengal.[7]
The trials for the manned space missions began with the 600-kg Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE), launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, and safely returned to earth 12 days later. This demonstrates indias capability to develop heat resistant materials necessary for re-entry technology.
In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian citizen to go into space, flying aboard a Soviet mission. Sharma was one of the scientists who endorsed the 2006 proposal for an Indian manned space program.
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1942873,0008.htm
- ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1942873,0008.htm
- ^ http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=8287
- ^ http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=8287
- India mulls human space mission
- Indian scientists favour manned space mission
- ISRO to discuss manned mission to moon
- ISRO press release
- President Kalam’s vision: India will land on moon in August 2025
- India Wants To Send Man Into Space Ahead Of Further Missions Beyond LEO
[edit] Source
- India's Space Odyssey - by Raj Chengappa - India Today, pp 60 to 66 - February 5, 2007
