Two new techno advancements in space science to take off in 2008

Kolkata, June 16 (UNI) The launch of Chandrayan-I and Astrosat from Sriharikota next year will be the first step in the advancement of space science in the country, Rajya Sabha member and eminent astrophysicist Dr Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan said here today.

Delivering the 2nd Raja Ramanna Memorial Lecture, Dr Kasturirangan talked extensively on the opportunities that would open up with the launch of Astrosat, a multi-wavelength astronomical observatory and Chandrayan-I, a spacecraft to carry India's first independant manned mission to the moon.

Planned for 2008, the Chandrayan-I mission involves placing a 525-kg satellite in a polar orbit 100-km above the moon. The satellite will be launched using a modified version of India's indigenous PSLV.

The spacecraft will initially be launched into a geo-synchronous transfer orbit, and subsequently manoeuvered into its final lunar orbit using its own propulsion system.

According to the astrophysicist, the scientific objectives for the Rs 300 crore project of Astrosat includes searching black hole sources, measuring the correlative intensity variation of gamma, UV and X rays in the electromagnetic spectrum of the atmosphere and detect broadband X-Ray emissions in the atmosphere.

The 1650 kg observatory will be circling the Earth at an altitude of 650 km at an inclination of more than eight degrees. The observatory is to put together multiplicity of instruments operating at different wavelenghts, from visible to gamma rays.

Besides the ISRO, various other private scientific research organisations will be involved in this project, he said.

The main objectives of Chandrayan-I include obtaining imagery of the moon's surface using high-resolution remote sensing instruments in the visible, near infra red, low and high-energy X-ray regions and explore mineral wealth and future needs of energy from the moon.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's 'Chandrayan', Rs 200 crore project, is not only aimed at landing an Indian on the moon, but also to explore the vast mineral resources and abundant energy potential and possibly answer a few questions regarding the Earth, about which we know very little, Dr Kasturirangan said.

UNI