What is the position of India in space-technology?

Answer 1

some questions cant have an appropriate answers like this one.Because the condition of the field is in such a position.At every moment the placement of any country in space and technology takes its changes.The reason is"EVERY COUNTRY TRIES FOR ITS BEST POSITION AMONG OTHER COUNTRIES"

Answer 2

INDIA'S SPACE PROGRAMME

The policy of the Indian Government in space activity is under the overall responsibility of the Space Commission. The Space Commission formulates guidelines and policies to promote the development and application of space science and technology.

In this activity the Space Commission is supported by other national level committees, such as INSAT Coordination Committee (ICC), the Planning Committee on Natural Resources Management System (PCNNRMS) and the Advisory Committee on Space Sciences (ADCOS).

The Department of Space (DOS), created in 1972, acts as the implementing arm of the Space Commission's policies and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), under the guidance of DOS, is the main space-dedicated body to implement the national space programme and meet the national developmental needs.

ISRO coordinates the space programmes related to different activities such as the development of satellite communication, earth observation, launch vehicles, space science, space-industry development and support to disaster management. ISRO is also active in international cooperation and other tasks related to the implementation and coordination of the national space programme.

Another key actor in space activity in India is the Antrix Corporation Limited. This company is the commercial arm of DOS and is responsible for the marketing and international promotion and exploitation of products and services related to the Indian space programme. In particular, Antrix markets subsystems and components for satellites, undertakes contracts for satellites to user specifications, provides launch services and tracking facilities and other related services and activities.

In close collaboration with ISRO, several specialised establishments operate under the responsibility of DOS. These establishments, located in various places all over the country, have responsibility in different fields of the space activity. The main space centres are:

• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) - specialised in the development of satellite launch vehicles and sounding rockets
• ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) - the lead centre for satellite development, covering structures, thermal systems, spacecraft mechanisms, power systems and satellite integration
• Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) - SHAR- Sriharikota Space Centre - India's prime launching pad facility, providing the launch infrastructure as well as solid propellant processing and their testing. A second launch pad has been recently built at SDSC SHAR
• Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) - the lead centre in the area of liquid and cryogenic propulsion for launch vehicles and satellites
• Space Applications Centre (SAC) - specialised in the development of payloads for communication, meteorological and remote sensing satellites; it conducts space applications research and development
• ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) - it provides mission support to low-Earth orbit satellites and to launch vehicle missions
• Master Control Facility (MCF) - the monitoring and control centre for the geo-stationary satellites
• ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) - carries out research and development in inertial sensors and systems and allied satellite elements
• National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) - an autonomous institution supported by DOS, it is responsible for acquisition, processing and distribution of data from remote sensing satellites, based in Hyderabad.

India has developed several national space applications: in the area of telecommunication and meteorological satellites the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) is the organisation responsible for the management and operation of the fleet of in orbit satellites. INSAT is a joint venture between DOS, the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), India Meteorological Department (IMD), All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan.

INSAT currently operates nine satellites (INSAT 2 and 3 series, Kalpana-1, and the most recent one, INSAT 4A, launched in December 2005). Several satellites are planned for launch in the time frame of 2006-2008, including INSAT-3D, INSAT 4B and C, GSAT-4 and 5.

In the area of Earth Observation, the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite system is the world's largest constellation of satellites in operation. It consists of seven satellites in total, IRS-1C and D, Resourcesat-1, IRS-P3, Oceansat-1, TES and the latest Cartosat-1, the advanced mapping applications satellite (launched in May 2005). Other earth observation satellites are planned to be launched in the 2006-2008 timeframe: Cartosat-2, Oceansat-2 and the Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT).

Space applications satellites are used for development activities covering the entire Indian territory. In the educational field, some pilot projects under the EDUSAT Programme have been started in favour of schools, colleges and other levels of education. Primary school children are covered by the Educational TV (ETV) as well. GRAMSAT is an initiative to provide communications network for computer connectivity, data broadcasting, TV broadcasting and e-governance. Telemedicine is a further application of satellite communications in remote hospitals and health centres in distant villages.

In the field of search and rescue, India is a member of the international COSPAS-SARSAT programme for providing distress alert and position location service through LEOSAR (Low Earth Orbit Search And Rescue) satellite system. In satellite Navigation, India decided to implement an indigenous Satellite-Based Regional GPS Augmentation System also known as Space-Based Augmentation System (SBAS). The Indian SBAS system has been given an acronym - GPS And GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN); the first navigation payload is expected to be flown on the GSAT-4 satellite in 2006-07.

The National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS), under the aegis of DOS, carries out projects of data utilisation of RESOURCESAT-1, launched in October 2003, for remote sensing and applications such as snow cover discrimination, multiple crop discrimination, crop condition assessment, surface wetness, delineation of soil mapping and salinity, discrimination of different forest types and crown densities, regional level land use/land cover information and updating of regional geologic mapping.

In space transportation activity, India made rapid progress in the design, development, manufacture and operation of two launch vehicle systems:

• the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), with a payload capability of 2000 kg, for launching communication satellites into GTO and
• the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with a payload capability of 1600 kg, for launching remote sensing satellites into polar orbits.

Three successful flights of GSLV have been made to date and progress is being made in the national development of Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) to replace the Russian-procured cryogenic stage on GSLV. The development of GSLV-Mk III is also on a positive path: it is a three-stage vehicle with a capability to launch 4 tonne satellites into GTO and its first launch is expected to take place in 2007-08 timeframe.

Six successful flights of the PSLV have already taken place which has demonstrated the Indian significant acquired capability in independent access to space. PSLV-C7 will place in orbit the Cartosat-2 remote sensing satellite and the Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE) in 2006-07. PSLV-C8 is planned as a commercial flight to launch the Italian manufactured AGILE satellite.

In Space Science, India is preparing for two important scientific missions to take place in the 2007-08 timeframe: Chandrayaan-1 and Astrosat.

Chandrayaan-1 is India's first scientific mission to the Moon, it will carry payloads designed and developed nationally: a Terrain Mapping Camera, a Hyper-Spectral Imager, a Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument, a Low Energy X-ray spectrometer and a High Energy X-ray spectrometer and other instruments.

The Astrosat scientific mission will enable multi-wavelength studies of a variety of celestial sources and phenomena using a cluster of X-ray astronomy instruments and Ultraviolet (UV) imaging telescope. The nationally developed scientific instruments include three X-ray instruments, an Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope and an X-ray Scanning Sky Monitor.

A significant result of the space programme is the development of national industrial capabilities in several areas of activity. The space industry partnership has allowed the participation of some 500 industries in small, medium and large-scale sectors either through procurement contracts, know-how transfers or provision of technical consultancy. Through its association with the space programme, Indian industry is able to develop advanced technology and to handle complex manufacturing of space systems and components. Considering the world potential for space markets and the role played by Antrix Corporation in the international marketing of space products and services, the activity of Indian space industries is expected to grow further.

A scaled-down technology demonstrator is scheduled to fly around 2008.

Recently ISRO tested a scramjet air-breathing engine which produced Mach 6 for seven seconds.

ISRO is continuing research related to using scramjets in RLVs after 2010.