Thursday, November 5, 2009

GSLV or GSLV Mk-III ??


Well, anybody who is through follower of the Indian Space Program would know that ISRO plans to use the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) as the launch vehicle for the OV (Orbital Vehicle). Yes, ISRO has previously expressed it's interest in using the GSLV Mk-III as crew launch vehicle in the future. But, a new article on Flightglobal by Rob Coppinger has put our perspective of Indian Human Spaceflight Program into an abyss.

The article quotes the outgoing Chairman of ISRO, Madhavan Nair, as saying that India would be using it's launch vehicle-in-development, the GSLV Mk-III, as launch vehicle for the manned capsule. What's astounding is that, it completely derails our understanding on the Indian Human Spaceflight Program.

In February of this year, prior to the start of Aero India-09, there were has series of seminars held by ISRO in which the-then Chairman of ISRO, Madhavan Nair, publicized the concept design of the Orbital Vehicle(OV) and had since repeatedly reiterated that the fact that the present version of the GSLV would be used to launch the crew capsule.

Yet, according to new article, ISRO has designated(or re-designated) the Mk-III as the launcher for the OV. According to the previous plan, Mk-III would eventually have been man-rated and would have launched an upgraded/uprated version of the basic orbital vehicle concept with an orbital module and docking capabilities.

So, we can conclude saying that either the article has mixed up facts or that ISRO has actually changed the launcher for OV to Mk-III. If the latter were to be true (which I truly doubt), we can expect some major delays and budget shortcomings in the schedule of the HSF.

3 comments:

  1. The real competition is to colonize the atmmsphere of Venus. Check it out.

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  2. Indian space future




    I have a good look into future Indian space launches, I fell India will be same level as china but India, this is what you will have look out for and go infront of China.
    China is building a space station I don't if the Indian government knows this china will put a Pakistani scientist on that space station!
    What gets me is the Indian economy spouse to be so big yet the Indian government allows those two Bullies to push India out of the way “ who are Pakistanis “ way do you allow them to push you about ?
    This is what you must do ! on your first space mission for a week way don't you use that trip for the following exercise.
    a/ space walk
    b/ fix one of your satellite ?
    If you do achieve this then, you got get your Rover on the surface off the moon, before the chine's.
    You should build a Hercules (robots) and let them start building your base on the moon. you know what is on the moons surface if this is going to benefit India in the long term go out and get it “ don't let the terrorist next door bully you.

    India you have done will since 1947, “go India Go”



    Jo heart

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  3. NASA's "interest" in assisting India


    It is in the Interest off NASA when they offer to help, Remember when Chandrayaan 1, had taken many other pay loads to or near the Moon, one off interment was from America.
    The Americans bragged how they had discovered the water on the moon., they never said once that it was chandrayaan1 had carried the interment to the moon.
    How many times have the Americans been on the moon, they brought back rocks, how come they never discover water on the moon in the 60s
    Never trust the Americans or carry any off there astronauts to the moon, they only say we did again before the Chinese and the Indians.

    prem lal

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