Space 2006: First step towards manned mission

Bangalore, Dec 27: Pathbreaking achievements and pitfalls marked the Indian space endeavours in 2006, with the country taking the first step towards a manned mission and successfully testing the cryogenic engine upper stage but losing INSAT 4C due to the failure of the Geosynychronous satellite launch vehicle--GSLV F2.

A defective regulator in one of the booster motors of GSLV F2 sent the space scientists into gloom on July ten when the GSLV F2 disintegrated in midair 56 seconds after launch and plunged into the Bay of Bengal.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G Madhavan Nair, commenting on the year 2006, told UNI: ''the year was eventful for ISRO in that we made further forays in mastering advanced technologies like ground testing of our indigenous cryogenic stage for GSLV and demonstrating Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (SCRAMJET)'' adding ''Of course, we had a setback in 2006 when the fourth flight of our GSLV in July did not succeed in its mission''.

Mr Nair said ISRO also made substantial progress in realising GSLV-Mk III.

''Our Chandrayaan-1 mission progressed well and an important event in this mission was ISRO signing MOU with NASA to include two of their instruments on board this spacecraft. We have also conducted studies on more challenging missions and we had discussions with Indian scientists on manned space mission,'' he said.

Looking ahead, Mr Nair said that in the coming year, ISRO would continue to look for many more challenges.

''We will double the number of missions, make further progress in technologies towards realising heavy lift launch vehicles, reusable launch vehicle and air breathing technologies to reduce the cost of access to space'' he added.

Mr Nair said ISRO had received the go ahead from the Government for setting up an indigenous and independent Indian Regional Satellite Navigation System (IRNSS). This would be a constellation of satellites providing satellite navigation systems both for civil aviation and other modes of transport. ISRO picked up momentum in commercial ventures too by bagging two contracts for building communication satellites for European customers jointly with the French Company EADS Astrium during the year, Mr Nair said.

''Our space applications have also expanded considerably with the EDUSAT network connecting 10,000 classrooms now and our telemedicine network expanding to connect 182 hospitals including 148 remote and rural hospitals,'' Mr Nair said, adding that ISRO had established 130 Village Resource Centres that facilitated access to spatial information on important aspects and enable farmers to take important decisions.

After a string of successes both in satellite deployment and launch vehicles, ISRO suffered a setback on July 10 when the fourth flight of GSLV-F2 met a watery grave in the Bay of Bengal after it deviated from the predetermined flight path due to a malfunction in one of the booster stages P4, barely seconds after the 49-metre-tall 414-tonne vehicle soared into the skies.

All the three earlier missions (GSLV-D1, D2 and F01) had been completely successful. GSLV-F02 was to place INSAT-4C, an operational satellite into Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

About 55 seconds into the flight, GSLV-F02 started deviating significantly from its nominal flight path resulting in the vehicle breaking up at 62 seconds after lift-off.

The primary cause for the failure was the sudden loss of thrust in one out of the four liquid propellant strap-on stages (S4) immediately after lift-off at 0.2 seconds due to a manufacturing defect in one of the fuel regulators.

UNI.