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A few more challenges ahead

The mandarins of the Indian Space Research Organisation can at last heave a collective sigh of relief. The country’s first indigenous cryogenic stage sailed smoothly through the last of its ground tests recently when it was fired for the full flight duration of 12 minutes. By burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, this technology, which is difficult to master, provides much more efficient propulsion than is possible through other liquid or solid propellants. The indigenous cryogenic stage can now replace the Russian-built one on India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) that is used to send into orbit communication satellites weighing about two tonnes. The first flight of the GSLV with the indigenous stage is scheduled for 2008. There will be greater confidence too in tackling the development of the cryogenic stage needed for the more powerful GSLV Mark-III, which is expected to fly in 2009. Moreover, should the country embark on manned spaceflight (which is likely), it will probably fall on the GSLV with the indigenous cryogenic stage to take the first Indians to space from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. The acquisition of cryogenic technology has been a long and difficult journey for ISRO, with many a stumble en route. More than 20 years have passed since the space agency prepared a detailed report on developing cryogenic technology indigenously. However, it then opted to try and import the technology. When the contract to get the technology from the Russians fell apart under pressure from the United States, a programme to develop the technology indigenously was finally launched 13 years ago.

More difficult challenges lie ahead. For all spacefaring nations, the issue now is of reducing the cost of access to space. With the exception of the Space Shuttle, which will be retired in three years, spacecraft, cargo, and humans journey into space aboard launch vehicles no different from those that began the space age 50 years ago. These are “expendable launch vehicles” that can be used for just one flight. It is easy to see that reusable launch vehicles are essential if spaceflight is to become anything like air transportation today. But such reusable vehicles demand major technological advances, especially propulsion systems and new materials. Towards that end, ISRO plans to begin flight-testing two early prototypes during 2008. The agency hopes to have its first operational reusable launch vehicle, a two-stage one, ready around 2025 and a single-stage version some years later. Those are ambitious objectives that must be met in order for India to maintain its access to space.

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