The Hindu Business Line : Space capsule recovery successful

ISRO'S RECOVERED space capsule being lifted out of the container on board the Coast Guard vessel `Sarang' at the Ennore Port on Monday. — K. Pichumani

Advertisement

Bangalore Jan. 22 ISRO scientists on Monday brought back to Earth the experimental space capsule SRE-1, taking the first Indian step towards the return of its future spacecraft, possibly manned missions and reusable vehicles.

In an hour-long mission, the 550-kg Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), orbiting at a height of 670 km was manoeuvred back into the atmosphere. At 9.46 a.m. it splashed into the Bay of Bengal, 140 km from the space port Sriharikota and was collected by the Coast Guard. The capsule would reach Ennore in the evening and be taken to Sriharikota later, said the ISRO spokesperson, Mr S. Krishnamurthy.

Foundation

The Rs 20-25 crore SRE experiment lays the foundation for future returning missions, distantly possible shuttles. Heat-resistant tiles developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram were used for the experiment. Tiles made of carbon phenolic ablative material and silica and used on the outer surface of the capsule protected it during the fiery descent.

An amplified version, SRE-2, has also been approved and could take place in about two years. ISRO would invite proposals for on-board experiments at low cost. SRE-1 carried two onboard microgravity experiments during the 12 days.

Scientific debate

While a lunar mission is slated for early 2008, ISRO has set off a scientific debate on having a manned space outing around 2015.

"The launch, in-orbit operation of the experiments and re-entry and recovery of SRE-1 has demonstrated India's capability in important technologies like aero-thermo structures, deceleration and flotation systems, navigation, guidance and control. SRE-1 is an important beginning for providing a low-cost space platform for micro-gravity experiments and return specimen from space," ISRO said. The US, Russia and China are the only countries to have the recovery technology.

This was a lesson in calculating and predicting precisely how and how long to fire for deboosting the capsule, as the contact is lost for a while during descent. It also tested navigation, guidance and control systems; the parachute and flotation system as it hits the sea; and the recovery operations, Mr Krishnamurthy said.

The capsule was located with the help of the beacon it triggered on hitting the water; and the greenish chemical trail it let out. ISRO had earmarked a 30 km x 15 km area of fall.

The Spacecraft Control Centre of ISTRAC at Bangalore issued the critical commands from January 19 to the capsule, flying half way across the globe over North America.