The Hindu Business Line : 5 space launches lined up in the new year

Bangalore, Dec. 31 Indian space is expected to transit from one eventful year to a new high in 2008. The crowning glory will be the lunar orbiter mission, Chandrayaan-1, which is slated for April 9.

If 2007 was a good year with the launch of Cartosat-2; Insat 4B and 4CR, “2008 may turn out to be better than 2007,” ISRO’s spokesman, Mr S. Satish, told Business Line.

Five launches are lined up in the new year, all from its Sriharikota launch site. These include Cartosat-2A towards January-February; two more PSLV launches including the Chandrayaan-1; and at least one GSLV carrying the experimental GSat-4.

MANNED MISSION

The national space agency also hopes to get full budget approval and other clearances for its manned mission later in the year. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 80 crore for the scientific study. “We expect the report to be completed and submitted to the scientific community and the Space Commission. A full budget approval should be coming,” Mr Satish said.

The manned mission is not due until 2013-14 and is tentatively estimated at Rs 8,000-9,000 crore, spread over several years.

GSLV-MK3, CRYO STAGE

Another 2008 landmark will be the use of the indigenous cryogenic stage, which will be used in an actual flight for the first time in the second half of 2008. The stage passed the full ground test in November 2007.

Some launcher and specialised satellites will be getting close to completion, Mr Satish said. These include the GSLV-Mk3, the 4-tonne satellite launcher, which is reaching the final stages for realisation before it is tried out in 2009-10.

The Bangalore-based satellite-making centre, ISAC, is getting ready for the delivery of two satellite orders – the first outside contract for ISRO. The W2M satellite is for Eutelsat; the other is HYLAS (highly adaptable satellite) for UK satellite operator, Avanti Screenmedia Group.