<p>The year 2015 is shaping to be a busy year for the Indian space agency. It will launch five foreign satellites apart from its own four navigation satellites and a communication satellite.<br /><br />The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also launch a heavy communication satellite, GSAT-15, with around 40 transponders - automatic receivers and transmitters for communication and broadcast of signals using the Ariane rocket of Arianespace from French Guiana.<br /><br />"We will be completing the IRNSS (Indian Regional Satellite Navigation System) constellation by launching four more satellites and operationalise the navigation system.<br /><br /> The geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) rocket is getting ready to launch GSAT-6 communication satellite," ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan told IANS in a telephone interview from Bangalore.<br /><br />He said astronomy satellite Astrosat will be launched in 2015.<br /><br />As to the commercial launches, India will next year launch five foreign satellites, including three from Britain. India has also signed up contracts to launch two Indonesian satellites.<br />Radhakrishnan said 2015 will see ISRO enhancing the space applications for the central and state governments.<br /><br />Queried whether ISRO was dispersing its resources looking at human space mission when the focus should be on developing GSLV rockets to carry heavy communication satellites, Radhakrishnan said: "ISRO's projects are not mutually exclusive.</p>.<p> The cryogenic engine for the heavy rocket is under development and will take two years for the rocket to be flight ready."<br /><br />The Indian space agency will test-fly its heaviest rocket GSLV-Mark III designed to carry satellites weighing around four tonnes.<br /><br />While the rocket's cryogenic engine is under development, ISRO decided to test the atmospheric flight stability of the rocket, with the two engines carrying a giant cup-cake like crew module.</p>.<p><br />The crew module will not carry any living being and is only for learning the atmospheric re-entry characteristics of the module.</p>.<p><br />The main objective of the crew module is to demonstrate its re-entry flight and aero braking, end-to-end parachute system validation.<br /><br />The 630-tonne rocket will go up to 126 km. The crew capsule will get detached and fall into the Bay of Bengal 20 minutes after blast off.<br /><br />The descent speed of the crew module will be controlled by three parachutes.<br />According to an ISRO official, it will be in the size of a small bedroom and can accommodate two-three people.</p>.<p><br />With regard to infrastructure development, Radhakrishnan said the second rocket assembly building at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh would increase the number of launches. </p>.<p><br />"Study is under progress on the construction of a third launch pad. We have to take into consideration the kind of launch vehicles - GSLV-Mark III - and other future rockets to be developed while building the third launch pad," Radhakrishnan said. <br />He added that the health of the Mars Orbiter - launched last year - is good.<br /></p>
<p>The year 2015 is shaping to be a busy year for the Indian space agency. It will launch five foreign satellites apart from its own four navigation satellites and a communication satellite.<br /><br />The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also launch a heavy communication satellite, GSAT-15, with around 40 transponders - automatic receivers and transmitters for communication and broadcast of signals using the Ariane rocket of Arianespace from French Guiana.<br /><br />"We will be completing the IRNSS (Indian Regional Satellite Navigation System) constellation by launching four more satellites and operationalise the navigation system.<br /><br /> The geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) rocket is getting ready to launch GSAT-6 communication satellite," ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan told IANS in a telephone interview from Bangalore.<br /><br />He said astronomy satellite Astrosat will be launched in 2015.<br /><br />As to the commercial launches, India will next year launch five foreign satellites, including three from Britain. India has also signed up contracts to launch two Indonesian satellites.<br />Radhakrishnan said 2015 will see ISRO enhancing the space applications for the central and state governments.<br /><br />Queried whether ISRO was dispersing its resources looking at human space mission when the focus should be on developing GSLV rockets to carry heavy communication satellites, Radhakrishnan said: "ISRO's projects are not mutually exclusive.</p>.<p> The cryogenic engine for the heavy rocket is under development and will take two years for the rocket to be flight ready."<br /><br />The Indian space agency will test-fly its heaviest rocket GSLV-Mark III designed to carry satellites weighing around four tonnes.<br /><br />While the rocket's cryogenic engine is under development, ISRO decided to test the atmospheric flight stability of the rocket, with the two engines carrying a giant cup-cake like crew module.</p>.<p><br />The crew module will not carry any living being and is only for learning the atmospheric re-entry characteristics of the module.</p>.<p><br />The main objective of the crew module is to demonstrate its re-entry flight and aero braking, end-to-end parachute system validation.<br /><br />The 630-tonne rocket will go up to 126 km. The crew capsule will get detached and fall into the Bay of Bengal 20 minutes after blast off.<br /><br />The descent speed of the crew module will be controlled by three parachutes.<br />According to an ISRO official, it will be in the size of a small bedroom and can accommodate two-three people.</p>.<p><br />With regard to infrastructure development, Radhakrishnan said the second rocket assembly building at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh would increase the number of launches. </p>.<p><br />"Study is under progress on the construction of a third launch pad. We have to take into consideration the kind of launch vehicles - GSLV-Mark III - and other future rockets to be developed while building the third launch pad," Radhakrishnan said. <br />He added that the health of the Mars Orbiter - launched last year - is good.<br /></p>