Whilst Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai are rightly honoured as visionary architects of the Indian Space Programme, building and operationalising it fell to others. Key among these was Professor UR Rao who lead the team to build India’s first satellite, Aryabhata. He did it in just over two years with a small young team of […]
Book Review : Space India 2.0
Title: Space India 2.0 Publisher: Observer Research Foundation Author: Edited by Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan and Narayan Prasad Free download from http://www.orfonline.org/research/space-india-2-0-commerce-policy-security-and-governance-perspectives/ If you are looking for a single source of current state of play with the Indian space programme from a diverse collection of writers from in and outside India – this is it. This book is a […]
Public Event. Anglo Indian Stephen Smith – India’s forgotten Rocketeer
What: A public talk on Anglo Indian Stephen Smith. His life and achievements. Where: The Larkhill Centre, Thorley Lane, Timperley, WA15 7AZ (about 3 miles from Manchester International Airport) When: 19:30 – 20:15 Tuesday 21st March 2017 The event is organised by the India Study Circle for Philately. During the 1920s Stephen Smith founded the Calcutta […]
ISRO’s Chandrayaan-1 – detected in lunar orbit
Using an innovative radar technique, NASA has been able to detect two space in lunar orbit from the surface if the Earth. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched in 2009 and was in lunar orbit at the same time as Chandrayaan-1. Although a joint experiment was designed for both spacecraft, it did not work out. […]
Episode 72: Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Located about 80km from Chennai on India’s east coast, Satish Dhawan Space centre is used by ISRO to launch all of its satellites including those to the Moon and Mars. Also known as Sriharikota, it was established during the late 1960s but today it has a vehicle assembly building, two launch pads and a state of the art mission control centre
Episode 71 – TATA Institute for Fundamental Research
The Indian Space Program was initiated by a brilliant nuclear physicist Homi Bhabha who pretty much immediately handed over the space program to Vikram Sarabhai. Bhabha himself pursued the goal of bringing institutionalised fundamental research to India. At the time he saw that as essential for the new emerging independent India.
Episode 70 – India’s Deep Space Network and ISRO Satellite Centre
India’s space program is now over half a century old. During this time its Infrastructure has evolved. This episode looks at the current communication capabilities used to support space vehicles during launch, in Earth orbit or on a interplanetary missions. ISRO has an extensive network of ground stations on the Indian mainland, off-shore and neighbouring countries […]
Book Review – India’s Rise as a Space Power
Title: India’s Rise as a Space Power Publisher: Cambridge University Press, India Pvt Ltd Author: U.R Rao ISBN-10: 9382993487 ISBN-13: 978-9382993483 In the April of 1971, the USSR approached India and offered to launch an Indian satellite. Vikram Sarabhai asked UR Rao to develop and lead the program. In December 1971 Sarabhai died. Perhaps it […]
Episode 69 Mars Orbiter Mission
Interview recorded at ISRO’s satellite Centre in Bangalore with Mars Orbiter Mission program director Dr Mylswamy Annadurai. This interview was recorded on 26th March 2014 after MOM was launched but before it arrived at Mars.
ISRO’s GSLV Launch delayed
ISRO has had three successful launches this year and the planned three more are not quiet on track. Two of the three remaining are the IRNSS navigational satellites. The IRNSS constellation has a 10 year plan but will only work once the complete constellation of seven are in orbit. The first has been in orbit for […]
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