CONTENTS
Introduction
India recognised the potential of space science and technology for the socio-economic development of the society soon after the launch of Sputnik by erstwhile USSR in 1957. The Indian space efforts started in the sixties with the establishment of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station near Thiruvananthapuram for the investigation of ionosphere using sounding rockets. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was established in 1969 under the Department of Atomic Energy. The Government of India gave fillip to the space activities by formally setting up the Space Commission and the Department of Space (DOS) in June 1972 and ISRO was also brought under Department of Space.
Over the last three decades, India has achieved an enviable progress in the design, development and operation of space systems, as well as using the systems for vital services like telecommunication, television broadcasting, meteorology, disaster warning and natural resources survey and management. The space programme has become largely self-reliant with capability to design and build its own satellites for providing space services and to launch them using indigenously designed and developed launch vehicles.
The successful first test flight of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from Sriharikota on April 18, 2001 was the most significant milestone of the Indian space programme during the year 2001-02. The launch unequivocally demonstrated India’s capability to place satellites into geo-synchronous transfer orbits. India is among the six nations in the world to achieve such a capability. The launch of GSLV is the culmination of efforts of several DOS centres and other institutions that involved complex interfaces between scientific and technological disciplines, industries and research institutions.
Another important milestone during the year was the successful flight of PSLV-C3 on October 22, 2001 from Sriharikota. In this fifth consecutively successful flight, PSLV placed three satellites — India’s Technology Experiment Satellite, TES, Belgian PROBA and German BIRD into their intended polar sun-synchronous orbit. The requirement of a higher orbit for the Belgian PROBA compared to other two satellites was successfully met by a flight manoeuvre. Both German and Belgium satellites were launched under commercial agreements. The flight has clearly established the reliability of PSLV for launching not only the Indian remote sensing satellites, but also, multiple satellites thus making it an attractive vehicle for the international space community to launch their satellites. PSLV is also planned to be used for a geo-synchronous transfer orbit mission for launching India’s METSAT in 2002-03.
The INSAT system for telecommunication, television broadcasting and meteorology has received further boost during the year with the successful launch of INSAT-3C on January 24, 2002. INSAT-3C will not only augment the present INSAT system but also continue the services of some of the satellites that need to be phased out at the end of their mission life. INSAT is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in the world with five satellites, INSAT-2C, INSAT-2DT, INSAT-2E, INSAT-3B and INSAT-3C. Three more satellites, INSAT-3A, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3E are now in various stages of design, development and testing. The INSAT system also includes a few transponders leased from other agencies for meeting the current demands.
Planning of INSAT-4 series of satellites has been initiated based on detailed discussions with the various users. Seven satellites are proposed in the INSAT-4 series. With a view to enhance the INSAT
system, both in terms of the transponder capacity and addition of newer services, experimental communication satellites, GSATs, are being built, which are launched during the developmental test flights of GSLV. GSAT-1 has already been launched and GSAT-2 is now under fabrication and testing. An exclusive satellite for meteorological services, METSAT is in an advanced stage of development.
Besides the use of INSAT for telecommunication, broadcasting and meteorological services, emphasis is being given for using the system for grassroots level applications like developmental communication and satellite-based training. New initiatives have been taken for using INSAT for introduction of tele-medicine to make speciality treatment accessible to the population in remote areas.
The Indian remote sensing satellite system, IRS, which has the biggest constellation of satellites, continues to provide space–based remote sensing data for a number of applications in India and abroad. IRS system, at present, has five satellites, namely, IRS-1C, IRS-1D, IRS-P3, IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT) and Technology Experiment Satellite (TES). The TES which was successfully launched during the year has given further fillip to advance the technology of remote sensing in India. It has enabled testing new satellite hardware and demonstrating newer remote sensing techniques. It incorporates a panchromatic camera providing a spatial resolution of up to 1 m. Work on follow-on remote sensing satellites like RESOURCESAT, CARTOSAT-1 and CARTOSAT-2, is progressing well. They will not only continue the services of the present IRS satellites but also enhance the service capabilities.
The remote sensing applications continue to expand to several new areas; the data has been used to assess damage due to floods, earthquakes, etc and for helping in relief operations.
The announcement of Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP) during the year will help to streamline the availability of remote sensing data from Indian and foreign satellites to users in India.
In the field of space sciences, the cryogenic sampler that had been developed by ISRO for Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, has been used to detect micro-organisms in the stratosphere, which could have far reaching implications on the understanding of the origin of life on earth. Detailed analyses of the samples collected are now going on in scientific research laboratories in India and abroad. Educational and research institutions in India continue to participate in the space programme taking up projects under the Sponsored Research scheme of DOS. During the year, 22 new projects were initiated under the scheme. The task team constituted to study the feasibility and scientific objectives for undertaking an unmanned mission to the moon has made substantial progress in their work.
India continues to pursue active co-operation with several nations. During the year, Phase-B in-house publication "Space India’’ and other publications, telecast of major events like launch of GSLV and PSLV, arranging exhibitions, etc. During the year two media workshops were conducted to familiarise the media on the nuances involved in development and operation of space systems and their applications. The space programme information is also available to the public on the website www.isro.org.
In the area of human resources, new initiatives have been undertaken to recruit and retain talented youngsters to serve the Indian space programme. A live register of Doctorates has been opened so as to select qualified engineers. Campus recruitment of Post-Graduates has also been continued during the year. study of the Indo-French joint satellite mission Megha-Tropiques has been initiated. India has signed the international charter on space and major disasters that envisages use of space systems in the event of natural or technological disasters.
The launch of two satellites - one of Belgium and another of Germany - on board PSLV marks an important event during the year under commercial marketing of India’s space capabilities. Data from IRS satellites continue to be received by several ground stations worldwide. The lease agreement of transponders on board INSAT-2E to INTELSAT has continued.
DOS
continues to make efforts to keep the general public informed of the achievements
under the space programme and its applications through its in-house publication
"Space India’’ and other publications, telecast of major events like
launch of GSLV and PSLV, arranging exhibitions, etc. During the year two
media workshops were conducted to familiarise the media on the nuances
involved in development and operation of space systems and their applications.
The space programme information is also available to the public on the
website www.isro.org.
In the area of human resources, new initiatives have been undertaken to recruit and retain talented youngsters to serve the Indian space programme. A live register of Doctorates has been opened so as to select qualified engineers. Campus recruitment of Post-Graduates has also been continued during the year.
The successful developmental flight of GSLV giving India the geo-synchronous satellite launch capability, the fifth consecutive successful flight of PSLV placing TES along with two foreign satellites into intended polar orbits, launch of INSAT-3C as well as the substantial progress made in the development of follow-on satellites in INSAT and IRS series, have given fillip to the Indian space programme during the year. Keeping in view the capabilities built so far and the demands of the various end users of space systems, the Department of Space is formulating its Tenth Five Year Plan that is expected to result in India emerging as a leading nation with a self-reliant space programme benefiting all cross sections of the society.
