The Hindu : Front Page : “ISRO can put an Indian into space before 2015”

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Thursday, Oct 23, 2008
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“ISRO can put an Indian into space before 2015”

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: “It is a complex and challenging task,” but the Indian Space Research Organisation can put an Indian astronaut into space before 2015, ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair said on Wednesday.

He told a press conference at Sriharikota that the ISRO had prepared a project report on sending an Indian into space. The Space Commission approved the ISRO’s proposal. “We are awaiting the government clearance.”

The ISRO could design a module carrying two persons into space. An astronaut corps had to be trained. India’s manned mission to space would cost Rs.12,000 crore.

Asked whether he expected international cooperation in this venture, Mr. Nair said the ISRO would like to be self-reliant. “We do not have any proposal for cooperation with other countries but we are not averse to it.”

Planning a mission to send an Indian spacecraft to the Mars had started, he said. The ISRO’s Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) could take a spacecraft to that planet.

“The technical capability exists and mission planning has started. We are looking at proposals from the scientific community [to carry instruments on board the spacecraft to the Mars]. As soon as we get them, we fill finalise them and plan our mission to the Mars.”

A technology demonstrator of the Indian reusable launch vehicle would be flight-tested in two years, Mr. Nair said.

S. Ramakrishnan, Director (Projects), Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, said mission studies on sending an Indian spacecraft to the Mars were being done.

“Our Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle can take a 250-kg spacecraft to the Mars. The GSLV-mark III can put a one-tonne spacecraft in orbit around the Mars.”

M. Annadurai, Project Director, Chandrayaan-1, said Chandrayaan-2 would fructify by 2012 or 2013, and it would drop a lander/rover on the Moon. Russia would provide the rover for it. The rover would come out of the lander. The rover would go about and pick up lunar soil samples. “While Chandrayaan-1 is a remote-sensing mission for locating chemicals and minerals in the lunar soil, Chandrayaan-2 will do in situ analysis of lunar soil, chemicals, helium 3, etc.”

Asked when the country could send an Indian to the Moon, Mr. Annadurai said, “In 20 years, a manned mission is possible, if called for.”

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