News Highlights:
Recently, the Year End Review of the Department of Space for the year 2022 under the Ministry of Science and Technology was released.
Key achievements of the Department of Space for the last 8 years:
- Successful Missions:
- Altogether 44 spacecraft missions, 42 launch vehicle missions and 5 technology demonstrators, have been successfully realized, since 2014 till date.
- India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft:
- India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft successfully entered into an orbit around planet Mars, putting India into a league of select nations which had sent a spacecraft to the Red Planet.
- The spacecraft is still functional even after 7 years of operation against the designed life of 6 months and serving the nation with a lot of interesting scientific data.
- It is providing valuable scientific data for the research community.
- 50th PSLV Launch:
- The launch of PSLV-C48/ RISAT-2BR1 in Dec 2019 marked the 50th launch of PSLV, the workhorse launch vehicle.
- RISAT-2BR1 will keep a check on infiltration by allowing round-the-clock surveillance across the border.
- ISRO System for Safe & Sustained Operations Management (IS4OM):
- In July 2022, the Ministry of science dedicated the ISRO System for Safe & Sustained Operations Management (IS4OM) to the nation.
- It is a facility that is conceived with a holistic approach towards ensuring safety and sustainability while reaping the benefits of sustainable utilisation of outer space for national development.
- Launch Vehicle Mark (LVM) 3:
- LVM3 /OneWeb India-1 Mission was successfully accomplished in October 2022.
- With this launch, LVM3 exemplifies Atmanirbharata and enhances India’s competitive edge in the global commercial launch service market.
- Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT):
- As part of the Gaganyaan programme, the IMAT of crew module deceleration system was successfully carried out at Babina Field Fire Range (BFFR), Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh in November 2022.
- Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator:
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully demonstrated new technology with Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD) – a game changer with multiple applications for future missions.
- The IAD has huge potential in a variety of space applications like recovery of spent stages of rockets, landing payloads on Mars or Venus and making space habitat for human space flight missions.
- PSLV-C54:
- PSLV-C54 successfully launched the EOS-06 satellite in November 2022 along with Eight Nano-satellites including INDIA-BHUTAN SAT (INS-2B).
- The launch of the new satellite is part of India’s efforts to back Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s plans to use advanced technology, including ICT and space technology, for the development of Bhutan.
Academic support, Capacity building and Outreach:
- Space Technology Incubation Centers (STIC):
- In order to boost space research activities, STIC have been established since 2018.
- Under this initiative, nine Space Technology Cells (STC), Six STIC and Six Regional Academic Centres for Space (RACS) are operational.
- Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Sciences:
- Recently, Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Sciences was jointly established by ISRO/DoS and the Central University of Jammu.
- UNNATI (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly &Training by ISRO:
- In June 2018, India announced a capacity-building training programme UNNATI (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training by ISRO) on Nanosatellites development through a combination of theoretical coursework and hands-on training on Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT).
- “Young Scientist Programme” or the “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (YUVIKA):
- In 2019, ISRO launched an annual special programme called “Young Scientist Programme” or the “Yuva VIgyani KAryakram” (YUVIKA) in line with the Government’s vision “Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan”.
- The Program is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to young talents with the intent of encouraging them in the fascinating domain of outer space.
- SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN):
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Social Alpha today signed an MoU in Dec 2022 to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN), India’s first dedicated platform for innovation curation and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Reforms and Enhanced Participation of Industries:
- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL):
- In 2019, the NSIL got incorporated as a wholly owned Government of India Undertaking/ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).
- It was aimed at enabling Indian Industries to scale up a high-technology manufacturing base for the space programmes and to commercially exploit the products and services emanating from the Indian Space Programme for meeting domestic and global customer needs.
- GSAT-24 communication satellite which is the first demand-driven mission of NSIL was launched from Kourou, French Guiana, in June 2022.
- Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe):
- IN-SPACe was launched to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure.
- It acts as a single-point interface between ISRO and everyone who wants to participate in space-related activities or use India’s space resources.
- Indian Space Association (ISpA):
- ISpA aspires to be the collective voice of the Indian Space industry. ISpA will be represented by leading domestic and global corporations that have advanced capabilities in space and satellite technologies.
- First Private Launchpad & Mission Control Center:
- First private launchpad & mission control centre established by M/s Agnikul Cosmos Pvt. Ltd., Chennai in ISRO campus at SDSC, SHAR in November 2022.
- Indian Space Policy – 2022:
- Indian Space Policy – 2022 policy is cleared by the Space Commission.
- The Policy has undergone extensive deliberations with industry groups, and inter-ministerial consultations have been reviewed by Empowered Technology Group and are under further approval process.
Disaster Management:
Monitoring flood inundation, generation of flood hazard zonation atlases of flood-prone states, developing flood early warning models, multiple daily detections & dissemination of active forest fires, forecasting cyclone track; intensity & landfall, damage assessment due to earthquakes and landslides, etc. were carried out.
COVID-19 related supports:
During the COVID-19 pandemic period, devices like Mechanical Ventilator & Medical Oxygen Concentrators were developed, and the technologies are transferred to Indian industries.
Pic Courtesy: Freepik
Content Source: PIB