SP Guide Publications puts forth a well compiled articulation of issues, pursuits and accomplishments of the Indian Army, over the years
"Over the past 60 years, the growth of SP Guide Publications has mirrored the rising stature of Indian Navy. Its well-researched and informative magazines on Defence and Aerospace sector have served to shape an educated opinion of our military personnel, policy makers and the public alike. I wish SP's Publication team continued success, fair winds and following seas in all future endeavour!"
Since, its inception in 1964, SP Guide Publications has consistently demonstrated commitment to high-quality journalism in the aerospace and defence sectors, earning a well-deserved reputation as Asia's largest media house in this domain. I wish SP Guide Publications continued success in its pursuit of excellence.
From Lunar dust to Martian skies, ISRO's stellar odyssey is pioneering India's journey beyond Earth
The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army |
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) continues to soar high in space. In a recent Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in Texas, ISRO scientists presented a paper which revealed that the Chandrayaan-3 mission had made history on August 23, 2023, with an incredibly gentle landing despite the powerful engines required for descent, with the lander kicking up minimal lunar dust. ISRO's space schedule is jam packed with a series of missions planned one after another. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced the names of the four astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan mission. From scores of test pilots who enrolled to become astronauts, 12 made it past the first level of selection in September 2019. After multiple rounds of selection, the four finally selected were sent to Russia in early 2000 for initial training, which was completed in 2021. Since then, the four have been undergoing training by multiple agencies. ISRO has been working on equipping its Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) with various simulators for the training.
ISRO has successfully tested the human-readiness of the cryogenic engine which will be used on the LVM3 vehicles for all Gaganyaan missions. With this, the vehicle has been adjudged fit to safely transport and bring back humans to and from space. ISRO's heavy lift launcher, the LVM rocket, has been identified as the launch vehicle to be used during the Gaganyaan missions; comprising a solid, a liquid and a cryogenic stage, these systems can be configured to ferry humans into space.
ISRO has successfully tested the human-readiness of the cryogenic engine which will be used on the LVM3 vehicles for all Gaganyaan missions
The manned Gaganyaan mission will fly a three-member crew into a low earth orbit at an altitude of 400 km for a period of three days. The first unmanned Gaganyaan–1 mission is scheduled in the upcoming few months. The CE20 cryogenic engine will power the space vehicle during the cryogenic stage of the liftoff. The final tests were performed on February 14, 2024 at ISRO's High Altitude Test Facility in Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. Prior to this, the CE20 had undergone 39 hot firing tests under varying operating conditions.
The manned Gaganyaan mission will fly a three-member crew into a low earth orbit at an altitude of 400 km for a period of three days
ISRO's upcoming major space missions include the following:
Chandrayaan–4 intends to land near the Lunar south pole and collect rock samples which will be returned to Earth for analysis
According to Nilesh Desai, Director, ISRO's Space Applications Centre, Chandrayaan-4 aims to build on the accomplishments of the recently concluded Chandrayaan-3 mission while attempting more complex objectives. Planned to be launched in 2028, Chandrayaan-4 (also called the LUPEX mission) is to bring rocks from the Moon back to the Earth. If successful, Chandrayaan-4 will make India only the fourth nation to bring back samples from the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan–4 intends to land near the Lunar south pole and collect rock samples which will be returned to Earth for analysis. This data could provide insights on lunar resources like water which may support future human colonisation. The mission will deploy a 350-kg rover capable of traversing larger distances compared to its predecessor. The lander will perform the tricky maneuver of touching down along the hazardous rims of lunar craters that have been unexplored thus far.
ISRO is also planning to send Indians to the Moon by 2040
The success of Chandrayaan–4 hinges on safely retrieving the samples and bringing them back to Earth - a technically challenging endeavour that will require two launches. The landing will be similar to Chandrayan-3 but the central module will come back after docking with the orbiting module which will later separate above Earth to re-enter the atmosphere and drop the samples. ISRO has already demonstrated a hop experiment with Vikram to show a spacecraft could lift from the Moon's surface, and the Orbiter returned to Earth from the Moon, showing a return trajectory can be achieved.
ISRO is also planning to send Indians to the Moon by 2040. "We have the next 15 years to send a man to the moon," said Nilesh Desai, outlining the agency's long-term vision.