news related to ISRO

Cooperation with China

India has not signed any agreement with China to develop remote sensing satellites for disaster management and preparedness.               However, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and China NationalSpace Agency (CNSA) on cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space was signed on September 18, 2014 at New Delhi. As per this MoU, the Cooperative activities may include the following areas: (i)             Research and development of scientific experiment satellites, remote sensing satellites and communications satellites. (ii)           Launch, tracking and control services for satellites including in-orbit operation and management. (iii)          Research, development, utilization and applications of satellite ground systems.                                  (iv)   Material processing in space, atmospheric sciences, radio astronomy,                                  astrophysics and microgravity testing; and other mutually agreed areas.                         ISRO is pursuing cooperation with other countries on peaceful uses of outer space. Cooperative agreements are signed with 35 countries. The areas of cooperation include (i) Remote Sensing of Earth, (ii) Satellite Communication, (iii) Launch Services, (iv) Telemetry & Tracking Support, (v) Space Exploration, (vi) Space Law and (vii) Capacity Building. ISRO is currently working with space agencies of: (i) USA, to realize Dual frequency (L& S band) Synthetic Aperture Radar mission for Earth observation and (ii) Canada,to realize Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) to be accommodated in India’s ASTROSAT satellite. Achievements of ISRO The Government has taken a number of steps to popularise ISRO`s prowess in the field of space launches. Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), from 1999 onwards - till date, has successfully launched 40 satellites of foreign customers from 19 countries, using ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Further, contracts have been finalized to launch 16 satellites from 6 countries in the coming years. The ISRO has undertaken space launch services of developing countries in Asia and Africa. The ISRO, through its commercial arm Antrix, has already launched one satellite for developing countries in Asia namely, Indonesia and contract has been finalized for launching two more satellites of Indonesia. One satellite has also been launched for developing countries in Africa namely, Algeria. The space projects undertaken by Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, till date, include: (i) establishment of ground stations for reception of data from Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites along with processing facilities at 20 locations outside India; (ii) building two contemporary communication satellites for European customers, and one communication satellite for Indian strategic user; (iii) providing tracking support for over 70 spacecraft missions of foreign customers; (iv) provisioning of satellite transponder capacity from Indian communication satellites for telecommunication, TV broadcasting, Direct-To-Home (DTH) services and VSAT applications; (v) launching of 40 foreign satellites on-board ISRO’s PSLV; (vi) establishment of ground terminals for tele-education, tele-medicine, disaster mitigation and Village Resource Centres; and (vii) consultancy services to domestic and foreign clients. Indian Space Telescope At present, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) does not have any plan for developing an Indian Space Telescope similar to Hubble Space Telescope. ISRO intends to launch following projects for space exploration in the next three years.             1. A multi-wavelength astronomy satellite ‘ASTROSAT’ aimed at studying the celestial sources over a wide spectral region covering Visible, Ultraviolet, Soft X-rays and Hard X-ray bands.              2.  Chandrayaan-2 mission comprising of an Indian Orbiter, Lander and Rover. The Orbiter with scientific payloads will orbit around the moon.  The scientific payloads onboard the Orbiter, Lander and Rover are expected to perform mineralogical and elemental studies of the lunar surface.              3. A scientific mission ‘Aditya’ for solar studies to understand the physical processes that heat the solar corona.