Chandrayan-I set for Moon odyssey

Chennai, Oct 10: Chandrayan-I, India's maiden unmanned lunar mission has been fully integrated with all instruments and is all set for launch at 0620 hrs on Wednesday, Oct 22, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G Madhavan Nair has said.

In an interview to the All India Radio (AIR), Mr Nair said Chandrayan-I was undergoing final phase of checks at the launch complex and and it would be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building in two days. ''If everything goes right, the integrated vehicle would be moved to the launch pad on October 17. After going through the combined tests, the countdown operation for the launch will commence on October 22'', he said.

Admitting that the weather holds the key for the launch, he said as of now the weather was very clear.

''In the event of any disturbance, the launch might be delayed, he said, adding ''we have a launch window between October 22 to 28 and we will be able to make it''.

The 2G spectrum licence was allocated to them in some of the sectors, including Mumbai and Delhi, as per the criteria and norms laid out by the TRAI under the National Telecom Policy. ''The allocations were made after the authorities carefully considered the applications filed by SWAN. In some places like Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir, we have rejected their applications as they did not fullfil the conditions laid out by the TRAI,'' he added.

Mr Raja said even his predecessor Dayanidhi Maran, who had granted 24 licences during his tenure as Union Minister, had followed the guidelines laid out by the TRAI.

Likening the allocation of 2G spectrum to the goose that lays golden egg, Mr Raja denied the charges of revenue loss to the government.

''In fact, during the last four years the government had earned a revenue of more than Rs 40,000 crore from revenue share in licence and spectrum allotment from service providers.

''Each service provider has to pay an average of Rs 3,000 crore every year to the government as revenue share.

''This will result in more revenue in line with the increase in subscriber base than the one time revenue earned through auctioning,'' he added.

UNI