Latest news with #MarsOrbiterMission
NDTV
3 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
"Gaganyaan Just Beginning": Astronaut Angad Pratap On India's Space Future
New Delhi: As India embarks on its ambitious Gaganyaan program, the journey of its astronaut designates offers a glimpse into the nation's future in human spaceflight. Among them is Group Captain Angad Pratap, a fighter pilot and test pilot of the highest order, who shared his experiences and insights into the rigorous training and the promise of India's space endeavours. The journey began in January 2020 when Mr Pratap and three other astronaut designates were selected for the prestigious Gaganyaan program, which is scheduled for launch early in 2027. "It's been a long journey till now. It's been five years. We trained for approximately 14 months at Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, a place steeped in history and tradition. We were trained as cosmonauts in the Soyuz spacecraft and we had a bit of format training on the Russian segment of the International Space Station as well." After completing their training in Russia, the astronauts returned to India for another round of training at the astronaut training facility in Bangalore. "We have been trained on the human-rated launch vehicle, the basic theoretical subjects related to astronautics, as well as the Gaganyaan spacecraft," Me Pratap explained. "A portion of which is remaining, which we will restart closer to the mission." Reflecting on his experience at the Russian training school, Mr Pratap described it as "wonderful to begin with because that is a place with five decades of legacy". He noted the significance of training at a facility where astronauts from around the world have honed their skills. "From 2011 till about 2020, all astronauts of the world had to come to Moscow to train, since Soyuz was the only vehicle flying to space back then," he said. Standing beside a scale model of the crew module, Mr Pratap expressed confidence in the development of the actual spacecraft at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the UR Rao Satellite Centre. "There is no denying the fact that not only me but all the other three astronauts as well-and I can say this for the entire space community-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has a very big name in the world of space," Mr Pratap added. He cited ISRO's achievements, including the Mars Orbiter Mission and Chandrayaan-3, as examples of the agency's credibility. "There has to be a great level of trust between a space traveller and his agency. Being a test pilot, I'm aware of the kind of testing protocols and how robust they are before a final product is cleared for spaceflight." The astronaut designates have visited major ISRO testing facilities, which Mr Pratap said has been a major confidence booster. "It's worked as a very big confidence-building measure and a boost to our trust in the vehicle." Mr Pratap also expressed satisfaction with the human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3, which is nearing completion. "I am more than happy. In aerospace, we don't go for big changes very soon. If a system is already proven and working, you don't change it just for comfort. Changes introduce new failure points." He emphasised that ISRO has wisely chosen to rely on its most robust and tested systems for the Gaganyaan mission. "And when it comes to the GSLV Mk3, or LVM-3, the whole world has immense trust in it. It has an enviable 100 per cent success record." Despite the long wait for a flight assignment, Mr Pratap remains grounded and patient. "Spaceflight takes time. We were awarded our space wings just last year. Globally, astronauts wait five to six years after that. Thomas Pesquet waited almost eight years," he noted. He added, "Anyone who wants to be an astronaut must accept that most of their 15-year astronaut career will be spent on Earth, working for science. It's not just about the flight. It's about patience, training, and character building." Mr Pratap and his fellow astronaut designates continue to keep their training sharp through regular technical meetings with ISRO and occasional flying stints with the Indian Air Force. "We go back to IAF once in a while and fly. Our engagement with ISRO includes regular interaction with designers and hardware developers. So both our piloting and test piloting skills are being maintained." Looking ahead, Mr Pratap is optimistic about India's broader space ambitions. "We need to think as Indians first and consider what we are about to achieve in the next two decades in spaceflight." He praised ISRO's parallel strategy in developing human spacecraft, docking systems, space station modules and lunar return capabilities. "ISRO is building all of this in parallel. The same capability that will bring back lunar samples will one day take humans to the moon and bring them back," he said. With government support and new funding, India is also developing a next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle. "It's for building bigger space stations in the future. The human space program is expanding, and things are looking good for us." When asked if he might one day go to the moon. Mr Pratap smiled and said, "It's too early to say. But what matters is that the nation progresses. Whether it's me or someone else, we should all be proud." As for Gaganyaan, he remains excited but measured. "Of course, I'm excited. But I'm also controlling my excitement. Let it happen at the right pace. Even if it's delayed by a year or more, what matters is that we have a successful mission."
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
1st time in 8 yrs, Isro workhorse PSLV fails on 101st launch; sat lost
: 's workhorse rocket PSLV malfunctioned mid-flight and failed to inject a satellite into orbit after an early morning launch on Sunday. The mission, designated PSLV-C61 , was Isro's 101st launch to place EOS-09 earth observation satellite into a sun-synchronous polar orbit. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The setback marks the third unsuccessful PSLV mission in 32 years, excluding a partial failure in 1997. PSLV-C61 lifted off at 5.59am from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Around six minutes into the flight, the rocket veered off its intended trajectory. 3rd-stage motor malfunctioning Isro chairman V Narayanan later said the rocket's performance was normal up to the second stage. 'The vehicle's third stage uses a solid motor system. There was a fall in chamber pressure in solid motor and the mission could not be accomplished. We are studying the performance,' Narayanan told newspersons. Sunday's mission was to place the 1,696kg EOS-09 radar imaging satellite into a 529-km orbit. EOS-09 carried a synthetic aperture radar for remote sensing through clouds and at night, with uses in agriculture, forestry, soil moisture monitoring, disaster response, and surveillance. This was Isro's 2nd consecutive mission failure this year PSLV-C61 was the 63rd PSLV flight and the 27th in its XL configuration, designed to carry heavier payloads. The PSLV has launched around 345 satellites for 34 countries and was also used in major Isro missions including Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission, and Astrosat. The first failure in PSLV's storied history occurred during the rocket's maiden flight, PSLV-D1, on Sept 20, 1993. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The second was PSLV-C39 on Aug 31, 2017, which failed to deploy the IRNSS-1H satellite due to a heat shield separation issue. This was also Isro's second consecutive mission failure in 2025. In Jan, the NVS-02 navigation satellite could not be moved to its final orbit due to a faulty oxidiser valve in its liquid apogee motor.
Hans India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
India leading cost-effective space prog: PM
New Delhi: Noting that India has become a global space power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country is leading the most cost-effective but successful space programme in the entire world and is going to scale new heights in the future. 'Many youths are attaining new milestones in the field of space startups,' Modi said, adding that 10 years ago, there was only one company, but today there are more than 325 space startups working in the country. In his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', the PM also paid tributes to former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, who passed away last week. 'Two days ago we lost the country's great scientist Dr K Kasturirangan. Whenever I met Kasturirangan, we discussed topics like the talent of Indian youth, modern education, Space-Science. His contribution in lending newer heights to science, education and India's space programme shall always be remembered. ISRO attained a new identity under his leadership,' he said. The space programmes that moved forward under his guidance gave global recognition to India's efforts, Modi said. Many of the satellites that India uses today were launched under the supervision of Dr. Kasturirangan, he said. 'There was one more special facet to his personality, which the younger generation can learn from. He always accorded importance to innovation. The vision of learning, knowing and doing something new is very inspiring,' Modi said. 'His selfless service to the country and contribution to nation building will always be remembered. Very humbly, I pay my tribute to Kasturirangan,' he said. Noting that April marks 50 years of the launch of the Aryabhata Satellite, Modi said, 'Today, when we look back and remember this journey of 50 years, we realise how far we have come. This flight of India's dreams in space once commenced with just conviction. Some young scientists with the passion to do something for the nation - they neither had the modern resources like today, nor the access to world technology as such. If at all they had anything, it was talent, dedication, hard work and the passion to do something for the country.' 'You must have seen pictures of our scientists carrying critical equipment themselves on bullock carts and bicycles. It is the result of that very dedication and spirit of service to the nation that so much has changed today,' he said. Modi pointed out that India has become a global space power, pointing 'We have created a record by launching 104 satellites simultaneously. We have become the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon. India has launched the Mars Orbiter Mission and we have reached pretty close to the Sun through the Aditya - L1 Mission,' he said.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
India leading most cost-effective, successful space programme in world: PM
Noting that India has become a global space power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country is leading the most cost-effective but successful space programme in the entire world and is going to scale new heights in the future. Many youth are attaining new milestones in the field of space startups, Modi said, adding 10 years ago, there was only one company, but today there are more than 325 space startups working in the country. In his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', he also paid tributes to former Isro chief K Kasturirangan, who passed away last week. "Two days ago we lost the country's great scientist Dr. K. Kasturirangan ji. Whenever I met Kasturirangan ji, we discussed topics like the talent of Indian youth, modern education, Space-Science. His contribution in lending newer heights to science, education and India's space programme shall always be remembered. Isro attained a new identity under his leadership," he said. The space programmes that moved forward under his guidance gave global recognition to India's efforts, Modi said. Many of the satellites that India uses today were launched under the supervision of Dr. Kasturirangan, he said. "There was one more special facet to his personality, which the younger generation can learn from. He always accorded importance to innovation. The vision of learning, knowing and doing something new is very inspiring," Modi said. The prime minister said Kasturirangan also played a major role in formulating the new National Education Policy of the country. Kasturirangan came up with the idea of '?'?forward looking" education according to the modern needs of the 21st century, Modi said. "His selfless service to the country and contribution to nation building will always be remembered. Very humbly, I pay my tribute to Dr. K. Kasturirangan," he said. Noting that April marks 50 years of the launch of the Aryabhata Satellite, Modi said, "Today, when we look back and remember this journey of 50 years, we realise how far we have come. This flight of India's dreams in space once commenced with just conviction. Some young scientists with the passion to do something for the nation - they neither had the modern resources like today, nor the access to world technology as such. If at all they had anything, it was talent, dedication, hard work and the passion to do something for the country." "You must have seen pictures of our scientists carrying critical equipment themselves on bullock carts and bicycles. It is the result of that very dedication and spirit of service to the nation that so much has changed today," he said. Modi pointed out that India has become a global space power, pointing "We have created a record by launching 104 satellites simultaneously. We have become the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon. India has launched the Mars Orbiter Mission and we have reached pretty close to the Sun through the Aditya - L1 Mission," he said. Today, India is leading the most cost-effective but successful space programme in the entire world, he pointed out. Many countries of the world take help from Isro for their satellites and space missions, Modi said. "When we see a satellite launch by Isro, we are filled with pride. I had a similar feeling when I witnessed the launch of PSLV-C-23 in 2014. I was also present at the Isro Centre in Bengaluru during the landing of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. At that time Chandrayaan failed to achieve the expected success, it was a very difficult time for the scientists. But I could see with my own eyes the patience of the scientists and their zeal to achieve something," he said. And a few years later, the whole world too noticed how the same scientists made Chandrayaan-3 a success, the PM added. Noting that India has opened her space sector for the private sector as well, Modi said today many youth are attaining new milestones in the field of space startups. "The times to come are ushering in a lot of new possibilities in is going to scale new heights. The country is busy preparing for many important missions like Gaganyaan, SpaDeX and Chandrayaan-4. We are also working on the Venus Orbiter Mission and Mars Lander Mission," he said. Indian space scientists are going to fill the people of the country with new pride through their innovations, Modi said. Recalling the 'Champaran Satyagraha', Modi said it was the first big experiment by Bapu in India. "The entire British rule was shaken by Bapu's Satyagraha. The British had to suspend the law that forced farmers to cultivate indigo. This was a victory that infused new confidence in the freedom struggle. All of you must be aware that another son of Bihar also contributed a lot to this Satyagraha, who became the first President of the country after Independence. The great personality was Dr. Rajendra Prasad. He also wrote a book on the 'Champaran Satyagraha'," Modi said. Many more indelible chapters of the freedom struggle are associated with April itself, he said. "Gandhiji's 'Dandi March' culminated on the 6th of April itself. This march which commenced on the 12th of March and continued for 24 days had shaken the British. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in April itself. The marks of this blood stained history are still present on the soil of Punjab," Modi said. He said that in a few days, on May 10, the anniversary of the first freedom struggle would also be there. The spark that arose in that first battle for freedom, later became a torch for millions of freedom fighters, Modi said. "On April 26, we observed the death anniversary of the great hero of the 1857 revolution, Babu Veer Kunwar Singh. The entire country derives inspiration from this great freedom fighter of Bihar. We have to keep alive the immortal inspirations of lakhs of such freedom fighters," he said. The energy received from them provides renewed strength to our resolve of 'Amrit Kaal', Modi added. He said the biggest strength of the country is our 140 crore citizens, their capability, their will power, and when crores of people join a campaign together, its impact is huge. He cited the example of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign and pointed out that on the 5th of June, on 'World Environment Day', this campaign is completing one year. "During this one year, under this campaign, more than 140 crore trees have been planted in the name of the mother across the country. Observing this initiative of India, people outside the country have also planted trees in the name of their mother," he said. In his broadcast, Modi also lauded how in Wayanad, saffron is not being grown in any field or soil but with the help of aeroponics technique. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United News of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
India is leading the most cost-effective and successful space programme in the world: PM Modi
New Delhi, Apr 27 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India has emerged as a global space power and is now leading the most cost-effective but successful space programme in the entire world. Addressing the 121st episode of Mann ki Baat, Modi said that many countries are taking the help of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for their satellites and space missions. He said, "April marks 50 years of the launch of the Aryabhatta Satellite. Today, when we look back and remember this journey, we realise how far we have come. This flight of India's dreams in space once commenced with just conviction." Recalling the time when some young scientists worked with no modern resources or technology, often carrying critical equipment themselves on bullock carts and bicycles, Modi said, It was their "talent, dedication, hard work and the passion to do something for the country", that laid the foundation of India's space success. He said, "Today India has become a global space power. We have created a record by launching 104 Satellites simultaneously. We have become the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon". "India has launched the Mars Orbiter Mission and we have reached pretty close to the Sun through the Aditya - L1 Mission. Today India is leading the most cost effective but successful space program in the entire world," Modi said. The Prime Minister said that India has opened her space sector for the private players resulting in many youth attaining new milestones in the field of space Startups. He said that India's space sector has seen a massive growth. Ten years ago, there was only one company, but today there are more than 325 space Startups working in the country. He said, "The times to come are ushering in a lot of new possibilities in space. India is going to scale new heights. The country is busy preparing for many important missions like Gaganyaan, SpaDeX and Chandrayaan-4. We are also working on the Venus Orbiter Mission and Mars Lander Mission. Our space scientists are going to fill the countrymen with new pride through their innovations." The Prime Minister while paying tributes to former ISRO chief Dr K Kasturirangan who passed away recently, said, "His contribution in lending newer heights to science, education and India's space programme shall always be remembered. ISRO attained a new identity under his leadership. The space programmes that moved forward under his guidance gave global recognition to India's efforts. Many of the satellites that India uses today were launched under the supervision of Dr Kasturirangan." The Prime Minister said that Dr Kasturirangan always accorded importance to innovation. He also played a major role in formulating the new National Education Policy of the country. "Dr Kasturirangan came up with the idea of forward looking education according to the modern needs of the 21st century. His selfless service to the country and contribution to nation building will always be remembered," the Prime Minister said. UNI RBE RN
