AstrotalkUK

Not for profit website/blog on astronomy, space and my writing

Public Talk – The Indian Space Program

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Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

I will be in Keighley, Yorkshire speaking about the Indian Space program operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation – ISRO. I will speak about the its Mars Orbiter mission  has been in Martian orbit  since September 2014. All onboard instruments are returning data and the spacecraft is in good health.

Keighley is about 20 miles northwest of Leeds. It is a public event – come along if you are in the area.

Start Time: 18:30

Date: Wednesday 25th November 2015

Venue address: Keighley Civic Centre, 81 North St, Keighley BD21 3SH. It is a former police station right in the centre of town, and is has ‘Police and forensic science museum’ over the front entrance.

More at: http://keighleyastronomicalsociety.co.uk

As a prelude, you may be interested in a piece I wrote last year – Why India went to Mars?

BTW – The event is hosted by the Keighley Astronomical Society. Their website associates me incorrectly with www.cosmoquest.org.

Episode 72: Satish Dhawan Space Centre

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From left to right. V. Seshagiri Rao Associate director, Dr M.Y.S. Prasad SDSC director, Dr S.V. Subba Rao Deputy Director

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.

In this episode, Dr MYS Prasad, the director at Satish Dhawan Space Centre describes the key services and activities that take place at India’s 21st century rocket launch complex. This interview was recorded in January 2014 and Dr Prasad stood down as director on 31st May 2015.

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Episode 71: TATA Institute for Fundamental Research

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Homi Bhabha 1909 - 1966
Homi Bhabha 1909 – 1966

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 establishing premier scientific institutions for fundamental research in India. At the time he regarded scientific institutions to be critical for the new emerging independent India. Whilst working in the Indian Institute of Science, in 1945 he came up with the idea of an institution for fundamental research and went on to establish the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR) which continues to operate today.

Opening ceremony in 1954
Opening ceremony in 1954

Although separate organisations, the connection between ISRO and TIFR remains strong to this day. Many of the instruments and subsystem onboard ISRO’s satellites are designed and constructed within TIFR. In this episode, the former director of TIFR, Professor Mustansir Barma talks about Homi Bhabha, his achievements in physics and the role of the TIFR in modern India.

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