The Indian space agency has announced its decision to transfer the technology to make portable medical <keyword id="6355647" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oxygen">oxygen</keyword> concentrators developed by the <keyword id="6382619" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Sarabhai-Space-Centre">Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre</keyword> (<keyword id="267271" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="VSSC">VSSC</keyword>). The Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) said that its rocket centre VSSC has developed medical oxygen concentrator '<keyword id="83725" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shwaas">Shwaas</keyword>', which can deliver an enriched level (over 95 per cent) of oxygen than in <keyword id="44509" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="air">air</keyword> to support patients with respiratory illness or who are on oxygen therapy. The device enhances the oxygen gas content by selectively separating the nitrogen gas from ambient air through Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA), it said. Shwaas is capable of supplying enriched oxygen continuously at 10 litres per minute (LPM) adequate for two patients at a time. According to the ISRO, the 600 W device operates at a voltage of 220 V/50 Hz, has a controllable oxygen flow of 0.5-10 LPM, has two oxygen outlets, oxygen concentration of 82 per cent and 95 per cent normal at a pressure of 50-80 kPa Shwaas has audible alarm for low purity, low &amp; high levels of pressure and flow rate of oxygen. The device, which weighs 42-44 kg, is 600 mm high, 500 mm long and 400 mm wide and has a <keyword id="6381337" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="LCD">LCD</keyword> display showing oxygen concentration, flow rate, and pressure. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/how-to-use-oxygen-concentrator-at-home/articleshow/82705333.cms">COVID-19: Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use an oxygen concentrator at home</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/check-out-airtel-and-reliance-jio-low-cost-plans-free-recharge-packs-and-covid-benefits/articleshow/82703621.cms">Airtel, Reliance Jio announce free recharge packs and benefits for subscribers – check out which telco has the best offers</a>

ISRO announces its decision to share technology to make portable medical oxygen concentrators developed by VSSC

<keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords">ISRO</keyword> has targeted to <keyword id="19997100" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="launch" source="keywords">launch</keyword> the first mission of the ambitious <keyword id="19945102" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gaganyaan" source="keywords">Gaganyaan</keyword> project by December, a top official said here on Friday. Currently, some of the rocket hardware for the human <keyword id="41531" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space" source="Orion">space</keyword> programme has reached the <keyword id="20021373" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satish-Dhawan-Space-Centre" source="keywords">Satish Dhawan Space Centre</keyword> here and the integration of the crew module was going on at the <keyword id="20054184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Sarabhai-Space-Centre" source="keywords">Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre</keyword>, Trivandrum, ISRO Chairman <keyword id="19929547" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="s-somanath" source="keywords">S Somanath</keyword> said. "Today, we are working on the first mission of the Gaganyaan called G1. The first unmanned mission. The status today is the rocket, the S200 stage, the L1, C32 stage are all at Satish Dhawan Space Centre," he said. He said the Crew Module integration was going on at VSSC Trivandrum while Crew Escape hardware was also ready. "So, we have to complete with full wiring and testing should be done. Our target is by November the whole system will reach here, possibly by December launch will happen," he said, responding to a query. Somanath was talking to reporters after successfully launching the third and final developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle that placed the Earth Observation Satellite into orbit earlier in the day. The success of the third and final developmental flight would pave the way for launch of commercial missions using the smallest vehicle by ISRO's commercial arm <keyword id="20038721" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NewSpace-India-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NewSpace India Ltd" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NewSpace India Ltd">NewSpace India Ltd</keyword> (NSIL). Today's successful mission of <keyword id="21471593" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SSLV" source="keywords">SSLV</keyword> allows industry to forge a partnership with ISRO for placing satellites into Low Earth Orbit. Besides, it would also allow a company to gain knowledge on rockets, launch vehicles, and satellites in the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle missions. To a query about the requirement for industries to partner with the ISRO for taking up commercial launch of SSLV missions, Somanath said a day-long meeting was recently held with the industry. "I am hoping that the first technology transfer will happen in India between ISRO and industry. The Request for Interest (RFI) was released and as a single (entity) or as consortia, a company can show interest on the technology transfer (from ISRO) and what were the expectations from ISRO and how to qualify for such missions," he said. From the interactions held with the industry it emerged there was a huge amount of interest for them to learn about space, he added. "We told them it will be a huge challenge for anyone to learn rocketry from scratch. It is not just transferring technology, we are transferring the knowledge on how things are done (at ISRO). It is not the drawings alone, it is the knowledge behind those drawings we transfer to industry," according to Somanath, also the Secretary, Department of Space. Through the industry partnerships, ISRO would teach them on how to build a rocket, he said and added that the industry should qualify as per the criteria put forth by ISRO. The company should possess manufacturing capabilities, manufacturing facilities and financial strengths of a company would be assessed, he said. "We will add weightage and marks based on the performance of the company and based on that the companies will be shortlisted and a contract would be given to them after the companies which have to pay a technology transfer fee," he said. Some of the unique features of SSLVs are -- it provides low-cost access to Space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, 'launch on demand' feasibility and SSLV missions demand minimal launch infrastructure.

ISRO targets first Gaganyaan mission launch by December: Chairman

New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): The <keyword id="19915130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Space Research Organisation" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Indian Space Research Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (<keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords">ISRO</keyword>) on Sunday achieved another success in the <keyword id="21046346" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reusable-Launch-Vehicle" source="keywords">Reusable Launch Vehicle</keyword> (RLV) landing experiment (LEX). The third and final test in the series of LEX (03) was conducted at 07:10 IST at the <keyword id="22149303" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aeronautical-Test-Range" source="keywords">Aeronautical Test Range</keyword> (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka. Following the success of the RLV LEX-01 and LEX-02 missions, <keyword id="22149668" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RLV-LEX-03" source="keywords">RLV LEX-03</keyword> re-demonstrated the <keyword id="21054893" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="autonomous-landing" source="keywords">autonomous landing</keyword> capability of the RLV under more challenging release conditions (cross range of 500 m against 150 m for LEX-02) and more severe wind conditions. The winged vehicle, named '<keyword id="21046350" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pushpak" source="keywords">Pushpak</keyword>', was released from an <keyword id="19992067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Air Force" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Indian Air Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> Chinook Helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km. From a release point 4.5 km away from the runway, Pushpak autonomously executed cross-range correction manoeuvres, approached the runway, and performed a precise horizontal landing at the runway centerline. Due to this vehicle's low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration, the landing velocity exceeded 320 kmph, compared to 260 kmph for a commercial aircraft and 280 kmph for a typical fighter aircraft. After touchdown, the vehicle's velocity was reduced to nearly 100 kmph using its brake parachute, after which the landing gear brakes were employed for deceleration and stop on the runway. During this ground roll phase, Pushpak utilises its rudder and nose wheel steering system to autonomously maintain a stable and precise ground roll along the runway. This mission simulated the approach and landing interface and high-speed landing conditions for a vehicle returning from space, reaffirming ISRO's expertise in acquiring the most critical technologies required for the development of a RLV. Through this mission, the advanced guidance algorithm catering to longitudinal and lateral plane error corrections, which is essential for the future Orbital Re-entry Mission, has been validated. Notably, the RLV-LEX uses multisensor fusion, including sensors like an Inertial sensor, Radar altimeter, Flush air data system, Pseudolite system and NavIC. Notably, the RLV-LEX-03 mission reused the winged body and flight systems as such without any modification, from the LEX-02 mission, demonstrating the robustness of ISRO's capability of design and reuse flight systems for multiple missions. The mission, led by VSSC, was a collaborative effort involving multiple ISRO centres (SAC, ISTRAC, SDSC-SHAR), with significant support from the Indian Air Force (IAF), Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA) under the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Indian aerospace industrial partners, Indian Oil Corporation of India, and Airport Authority of India. S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO/Secretary, Department of Space, congratulated the team for their efforts in maintaining the success streak on such complex missions. Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair, Director of VSSC, emphasised that this consistent success boosts ISRO's confidence in the critical technologies essential for future orbital re-entry missions.

'Pushpak' aces test: ISRO achieves yet another success in Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) landing experiment

The Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro" source="Orion">ISRO</keyword>) on Friday said it has developed a microprocessor-controlled knee (MPK) which is ten times cheaper against imported ones. According to the ISRO, the MPK will benefit above-knee amputees to walk with a comfortable gait. With microprocessors, the artificial limb offers additional capabilities for the amputee than those offered by the passive limbs without microprocessors. The space agency said the MPK has enabled an amputee to walk about 100 metre in a corridor with minimum support and efforts are underway to improvise the performance. These smart MPKs are being developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO under an MoU with National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (NILD), Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (Divyangjan) (PDUNIPPD (D)), and the Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO). An MPK consists of a microprocessor, hydraulic damper, load and knee angle sensors, composite knee-case, Li-ion battery, electrical harness, and interface elements. The microprocessor detects the state of gait based on the sensor data. The control software estimates the real-time damping needed to attain the desired gait by changing the stiffness of the system that is achieved by a hydraulic damper operated by a DC motor. Walking parameters specific to amputees can be set using PC-based software to improve one's comfort. The interface plots the parameters in real time during walking. After testing the MPK with a normal person, the artificial limb was tested with an amputee, identified by NILD for conducting walking trials. The trials were conducted at a NILD lab jointly by the NILD and the VSSC. The socket and fitment of MPK to amputee were realised by the NILD. The VSSC tuned amputee-specific parameters. Initial walking trials were conducted with the support of parallel bars. Subsequently, the amputee could walk about 100 m in the corridor with minimum support. All the sub-systems of the knee performed satisfactorily. According to ISRO, the MPKs currently available in India are imported and priced between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 60 lakh based on the complexity and functionality. The ISRO MPKs, once commercialised, are expected to cost around Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Optimisation of MPKs in terms of mass and envelope size is underway. More intelligence is being incorporated into the system to help the amputee walk through uneven terrains with advanced features for more comfort, ISRO said. However, ISRO did not specify the timeline for coming out with the final product that would be commercialised. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/online-e-commerce-player-meesho-is-the-new-crorepati-factory/articleshow/94399429.cms">Online e-commerce player Meesho is the new crorepati factory</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-great-indian-festival-sale-best-deals-and-offers/articleshow/94004700.cms">The best Amazon Great Indian Festival deals and offers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rupee-likely-to-touch-82-against-the-greenback/articleshow/94399853.cms">Rupee likely to touch 82 against the greenback</a>

ISRO develops microprocessor controlled knee

Scientist S. Somanath is all set to take over as the new Chairman of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/interview-these-former-isro-scientists-are-hoping-for-the-biggest-ever-funding-in-the-indian-spacetech-industry/articleshow/87911503.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Indian Space Research Organisation</a> (ISRO), succeeding K. Sivan. Somanath, who is currently Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in the Kerala state capital, will be fourth Keralite to occupy the topmost post in the Indian space sector. The previous Malayalees who have held the top post are K. Kasturirangan, G. Madhavan Nair, and K. Radhakrishnan. Sivan was given a year's extension and his term is set to end very soon and Somnath's name was cleared for the top office way back in 2019 itself, by virtue of his seniority in the ISRO hierarchy. Somanath completed his Pre Degree from the Maharaja's College, Ernakulam and did mechanical engineering from the TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, near here and in 1985 joined the VSSC centre here and has had no reason to look back after that. He later did his Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore with specialisation in Dynamics and Control. At the ISRO, he has been associated with the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Project during its initial phase. Later he became the Associate Director (Projects) of the VSSC and also the Project Director of the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle in 2010. He was also the Deputy Director of Propulsion and Space Ordinance Entity till November 2014. In June 2015, he took over as Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram, and served there until January 2018. Somanath then took over as Director of VSSC from Sivan who became Chairman of the ISRO and now he is all set to succeed him in the top post too.

Scientist S. Somanath to take over as new ISRO chairman

<keyword id="6358064" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="isro" source="Orion">ISRO</keyword>'s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has conducted the Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT) of its crew module deceleration system for the much-awaited maiden <keyword id="6797456" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gaganyaan" source="Orion">Gaganyaan</keyword> human spaceflight programme at the Babina Field Fire Range (BFFR) in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. The IMAT conducted on Friday marks a significant milestone toward realising the nation's ambitious Gaganyaan project, the <keyword id="116095" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-space-research-organisation" source="Orion">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (ISRO) said in a statement. The Gaganyaan deceleration system consists of three main parachutes, besides the smaller ACS, pilot, and drogue parachutes, to reduce the speed of the crew module to safe levels during its landing, the space agency said. Two of the three main chutes are sufficient to land the astronauts on earth, and the third is redundant, ISRO said adding that the IMAT test simulated the case when one main chute failed to open. The IMAT test is the first in a series of integrated parachute airdrop tests planned to simulate different failure conditions of the parachute system before it is deemed qualified to be used in the first human spaceflight mission. In this test, a five-tonne dummy mass, equivalent to the crew module mass, was taken to an altitude of 2.5 kilometres and dropped using the <keyword id="15141" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-air-force" source="Orion">Indian Air Force</keyword>'s IL-76 aircraft. Two small pyro-based mortar-deployed pilot parachutes then pulled the main parachutes. The main parachute sizes were initially restricted to a smaller area to reduce the opening shock. After seven seconds, the pyro-based reefing line cutters cut the area restricting line, allowing the parachutes to inflate fully. "The fully inflated main parachutes reduced the payload speed to a safe landing speed. The entire sequence lasted about 2-3 minutes as the scientists watched the different phases of the deployment sequence unfold with bated breath. There was loud cheer and applause as the payload mass landed softly on the ground and the gigantic parachutes collapsed," the statement read. The design and development of the parachute-based deceleration system is a joint venture of ISRO and the Defence <keyword id="73655" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="research-and-development" source="Orion">Research and Development</keyword> Organisation (DRDO). "The overall system design, analytical simulations of parachute deployment and crew module descent under various conditions, the design and development of ordnance devices for parachute extraction and ejection, assembly, mechanical and electrical integration of deceleration system, it's instrumentation and avionics for conducting this drop tests are done at ISRO's leading Research and Development centre, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram," the space agency explained. Senior ISRO and DRDO scientists and airforce officers were present when the crucial test was done. "Besides proving the calibre of the scientists of ISRO and DRDO, the test also demonstrated the active coordination between the country's premier agencies, namely ISRO, DRDO, the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Army," ISRO said quoting a senior official. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/india-on-course-to-become-worlds-second-largest-economy-by-2050-says-gautam-adani/articleshow/95622223.cms">India on course to become world’s second largest economy by 2050, says Gautam Adani</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/article/festive-releases-fail-at-the-box-office-but-theatres-pin-hopes-on-big-ticket-releases-to-return-to-pre-covid-glory/articleshow/95608276.cms">Festive releases fail at the box-office, but theatres pin hopes on big-ticket releases to return to pre-Covid glory</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/all-is-not-that-well-say-market-experts-even-as-stocks-chase-new-highs/articleshow/95599973.cms">‘All is not that well’, say market experts even as stocks chase new highs</a>

ISRO conducts parachute airdrop test of Gaganyaan programme

<ul><li>The <keyword id="1025729" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pslv-xl" source="Orion">PSLV-XL</keyword> variant <keyword id="9428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rocket" source="Orion">rocket</keyword> carries the 1,480.7 kg Aditya-L1 spacecraft as its sole passenger that will study the <keyword id="45681" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar" source="Orion">solar</keyword> activities. </li><li> About 63 minutes after the lift off, the rocket will eject Aditya-L1 and the whole mission comes to an end at about 73 minutes with the passivation of the fourth stage. </li><li>The flight plan includes switching off the rocket's fourth stage twice, allowing it to coast for about 30 minutes - 26 minutes after the first cut off and about 3 minutes after the second cut off. </li></ul> India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C57 (PSLV-C57) lifted off with the country's Aditya-L1 spacecraft to study the <keyword id="24879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sun" source="Orion">Sun</keyword>, on Saturday morning. The PSLV-XL variant rocket carries the 1,480.7 kg Aditya-L1 spacecraft as its sole passenger that will study the solar activities. The 44.4 metre tall PSLV-C57 rocket with a lift off mass of 321 ton carrying Aditya-L1 -- named after the Sun God in Hindu mythology -- blasted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) here at 11.50 a.m. Slowly rising up towards the skies with a thick orange flame at its tail, the rocket gained speed with a sound resembling rolling thunder and went up and up leaving a thick plume while the people assembled at the viewing gallery clapped their hands with pride. Interestingly, this will be one of the longest missions for the rocket as well as for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). About 63 minutes after the lift off, the rocket will eject Aditya-L1 and the whole mission comes to an end at about 73 minutes with the passivation of the fourth stage. "We have to meet the argument of perigee of the satellite. For that we are following two burn strategies for the fourth stage. After first burn there is a long coasting to achieve the argument of perigee that occurs naturally," Dr S. Unnikrishnan, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) told IANS about the long flight duration. The flight plan includes switching off the rocket's fourth stage twice, allowing it to coast for about 30 minutes - 26 minutes after the first cut off and about 3 minutes after the second cut off. Initially, Aditya-L1 will be ejected in a low earth orbit (LEO). Then the orbit will be elliptical. As the spacecraft travels towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point (L1), it will exit the earth's gravitational Sphere of Influence (SOI). After exit from SOI, the cruise phase will start and subsequently the spacecraft will be injected into a large halo orbit around the L1 -- the point where the gravitational pull of two large bodies - Sun and Earth- will be equal and hence the spacecraft will not gravitate towards any one of the planet. The total travel time from launch to L1 would take about four months for Aditya-L1 and the distance will be about 1.5 million km from the Earth. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is about 3,84,000 km. "A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses. This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real time," the ISRO said. The scientific objectives of Aditya-L1 mission includes, study of coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, Coronal Mass Ejections (CME), dynamics of solar atmosphere and temperature anisotropy. In its normal configuration PSLV is a four stage/engine expendable rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively with six booster motors strapped on to the first stage to give higher thrust during the initial flight moments. The rocket that flew on Saturday was the XL variant - with longer strap-on motors. Interestingly, the XL variant rocket was used for the first time for India's first interplanetary mission - the Chandrayaan-1 or Moon Mission -1. Later the rocket was used for Chandrayaan-2 and Mars Mission/Mars Orbiter Mission. And Saturday's PSLV-XL variant is flying for the 25th time for another interplanetary mission. The Saturday rocketing comes soon after India landing on the Moon on August 23 with its lander safely landing on the lunar soil in a text book style. Later the rover rolled down and started doing experiments. Be that as it may, the Indian space agency said, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors. "Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1, thus providing important scientific studies of the propagatory effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium," ISRO said. Aditya-L1's seven payloads are expected to provide the most crucial information to understand the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics, dynamics of space weather, propagation of particle and fields and others, the Indian space agency said. The ISRO said the major science objectives of Aditya-L1 mission are: Study of solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics, study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionised plasma, and initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares. It will also observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun. Other objectives are physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism, the diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma: Temperature, velocity and density, development, dynamics and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME), to identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events, magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona, and the drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics of solar wind). ISRO said that the Sun estimated to be 4.5 billion years old is a hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium gases and is the source of energy for the solar system. "The gravity of the Sun holds all the objects of the solar system together. At the central region of the sun, known as 'core', the temperature can reach as high as 15 million degree Celsius," it said. At this temperature, a process called nuclear fusion takes place in the core which powers the Sun. The visible surface of the sun known as photosphere is relatively cool and has a temperature of about 5,500 degree Celsius, the ISRO said. The Sun is the nearest star and therefore can be studied in much more detail as compared to other stars. By studying the Sun, we can learn much more about stars in our Milky Way as well as about stars in various other galaxies, the ISRO said. The Sun is a very dynamic star that extends much beyond what we see. It shows several eruptive phenomena and releases immense amounts of energy in the solar system. If such explosive solar phenomena is directed towards the earth, it could cause various types of disturbances in the near earth space environment. Various spacecraft and communication systems are prone to such disturbances and therefore an early warning of such events is important for taking corrective measures beforehand. In addition to these, if an astronaut is directly exposed to such explosive phenomena, he/she would be in danger. The various thermal and magnetic phenomena on the sun are of extreme nature. Thus, the Sun also provides a good natural laboratory to understand those phenomena which cannot be directly studied in the lab. The Indians space agency said all the seven payloads carried by Aditya-L1 are indigenously developed by different laboratories in the country in close coordination with it. The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) instrument is developed at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru; Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument at Inter University Centre for Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics, Pune; Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) at Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad; Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA) at Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram; Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) and High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) payloads at U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru and the Magnetometer at the Laboratory for Electro Optics Systems, Bengaluru.

After the moon, a journey to the sun with Aditya-L1

The countdown for the November 7 launch of the Indian rocket, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C49 (PSLV-C49), carrying the country's radar imaging satellite and nine other foreign satellites will begin on Friday. "The 26-hour countdown for the rocket launch will start tomorrow (Friday) from the first launch pad. The rocket with 10 satellites is expected to lift off at 3 p.m. on November 7 from the <keyword id="6355143" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sriharikota">Sriharikota</keyword> rocket port," a senior official told IANS. The proposed launch will be the first space mission for the Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) in 2020. The nine foreign satellites are from: Lithuania (1-technology demonstrator), Luxembourg (4 maritime application satellites by Kleos Space) and the US (4-Lemur multi mission remote sensing satellites). However, the primary passenger of the 44.5 metre tall PSLV-C49 will be the Indian radar imaging satellite EOS-01 (formerly RISAT-2BR2) with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can shoot pictures in all weather conditions. The satellite can take pictures day and night and will be useful for surveillance as well as civilian activities. This time around, the ISRO will be using the PSLV rocket's DL variant that will have two strap-on booster motors. This rocket variant was used the first time to put into orbit Microsat R satellite on January 24, 2019. The PSLV is a four stage/engine rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively with six booster motors strapped on to the first stage to give higher thrust during the initial flight moments. S. Somanath, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), had told IANS earlier that three rockets were getting ready for the launch at the rocket port in Sriharikota -- the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C49 (PSLV C49), PSLV C50 and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). After PSLV-C49, the next one to fly will be PSLV-C50 with the GSAT-12R satellite. It will fly from the second launch pad, he added. "We are targeting PSLV-C50 sometime in December. It needs about 30 days to get ready for another launch after one launch," Somanath had said. The other Indian satellites that are ready for launch are GISAT, Microsat-2A and GSAT-12R. The launch of the GISAT-1 satellite slated for March 5 this year was postponed due to technical reasons a day before the launch. "The GISAT-1 satellite will be carried by a GSLV rocket. The GSLV rocket was dismantled after the launch was called off. The rocket is being refurbished. The rocket's cryogenic engine has been brought down and it is being readied again," Somanath had said. According to him, the GSLV carrying GISAT-1 is expected to fly after PSLV C50. Somanath also said that the ISRO has developed a Virtual Launch Control Centre to test the rocket systems at the rocket port in Sriharikota remotely from the Thiruvananthapuram-based VSSC. "With Covid-19 pandemic prevailing, the Indian space agency in order to reduce the number of people travelling to Sriharikota, has developed a Virtual Launch Control Centre at VSSC. As a result, the testing of various rocket systems is being done at VSSC," Somnath had told IANS. The physical launch control centre is located in the building, housing the Mission Control Centre in Sriharikota and the systems there have been replicated at the VSSC in the form of a virtual launch control centre. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-and-indian-banks-wait-as-supreme-court-adjourns-loan-moratorium-hearing-to-november-18/articleshow/79057919.cms">RBI and banks caught in the crosshairs as the Supreme Court adjourns loan moratorium hearing for a second time to November 18</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/sbi-share-price-rises-over-6-after-strong-earnings-with-analysts-pegging-it-to-be-the-first-to-recover-among-public-sector-banks/articleshow/79055329.cms">SBI rallies over 6% after strong earnings with analysts pegging it to be the first to recover among public sector banks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/donald-trump-vs-joe-biden-us-election-result-and-relations-with-india-and-pm-modi/articleshow/79022098.cms">If Joe Biden wins, he’ll be the third US president to deal with Modi — Here’s how that could play out</a>

Countdown for India's first launch of 2020 with its radar imaging satellite onboard begins on Friday

Thiruvananthapuram, June 26 (): Kerala's COVID-19 tally isinching towards the 4,000 mark as the state continued to see a sharp spike for the eight consecutive day with 150 people, including six CISF personnel and a health worker being infected on Friday. With the addition of the fresh cases, the infection count in the state has reached 3876. The new positive cases today include 91 from abroad and 48 people from other states. Ten people have been infected through contact, including five from Thiruvananthapuram,while one is a health worker. A 41-year-old VSSC employee and a 60-year-old retired worker from the organisation are among those infected. Presently, 1846 infected people are undergoing treatment in varioushospitals, while 2006 have recovered from the infection, including 65 who were cured and discharged today, health minister K K Shailaja said in a press release. Palakkad reported the highest spike of 23 cases today, Alappuzha 21, Kottayam 18, Malappuram and Kollam 16 cases each, Kannur 13, Ernakulam nine, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode seven each, Wayanad five, Pathnamthitta four, Idukki and Kasaragod two each. Of the infected in Kannur, six are CISF personnel-- two of them were on duty at Kannur airport and three are Army DSC (Defence Service Corps) canteen employees. At least 1,63,944 people are under observation in various districts-- 1,61,547 in home/institutional quarantine and 2,397 in hospitals, including 312 who were admitted today. There are totally 114 hotspots in the state. Palakaad has the highest number of cases-- 237 followed by Malappuram 191, Kollam 183, Pathanamthitta 177, Kannur 157 and Alappuzha 154. UD BN WELCOME BN WELCOME

Kerala reports 150 new COVID-19 cases, tally inching towards 4000 mark

<ul><li>The <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) is all set to launch the second edition of its Young Scientists Programme — YUVIKA (YUva VIgyani KAryakram). </li><li>The registration for the same will begin on February 3, 2020 and the last date to apply is February 24. </li><li>The space agency said that the two-week long programme will be held from May 11 to May 22.</li></ul>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the second edition of its Young Scientists Programme — <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/isro-to-launch-young-scientists-programme-for-students-on-feb-3-check-eligibility-criteria-other-details/story/395311.html">YUVIKA (YUva VIgyani KAryakram) </a>— for school students. It's registrations will begin on February 3, 2020 and the last date of application is February 24. Students can visit the agency’s official website <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/">isro.gov.in</a> to apply. The space agency said that the ten day long programme — which will be held from May 11 to May 22 — aims to create awareness of space theories and related technologies. Students currently in the 9th grade can apply for the programme — including OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India). ISRO will select three candidates across each Union Territory based on their scores in the 8th grade — including the participation extent of students in extracurricular activities. The state-wise selected candidates will be announced on March 2, 2020 while the final list will come out on March 30. These candidates will be spread across ISRO centres in India — including Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru, Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad and North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) in Shillong. Percentage relaxation The applicant must have scored good marks in the 8th grade as it holds 60% weightage in the selection process. In addition, a certificate of performance in co-curricular activities like debates and essays shall be required while filling up the online application. Performance records at the state and national level shall be given an added advantage. District level prizes will be given 2% weightage while state level certificates will have 4% weightage. The national level and international participation will account for 6% and 10% weightage, respectively. The students from rural schools will have an added 15% weightage and the participants of NCC and NSS will also get 5% weightage.

ISRO’s Young Scientist Programme will be open for registrations today, apply @isro.gov.in

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51668993.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" />K Sivan, well-known rocket scientist and Director of the <keyword id="6382619" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Sarabhai-Space-Centre">Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre</keyword> (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, says with a little tweaking, these materials and technologies developed for hi-tech space applications can easily be spun off for societal use. 
 
“ISRO uses tax payer money so it is answerable to the Indian public,” he says. 
 <keyword id="6358064" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO">ISRO</keyword>’s rockets and satellites certainly help people but there are many more developments hidden in the ‘temples of technology’ like the VSSC that can be used to save lives. 
 If some of these technologies were being used possibly Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad and the nine other soldiers who lost their lives earlier this year at the <keyword id="42770" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Siachen">Siachen</keyword> Glacier could well have been saved. If only these soldiers were using clothing made of the ‘silica aerogel’ they may possibly have been saved from freezing to death. Similarly, if the soldiers were equipped with suitable hand held ‘search and rescue’ devices, their location could have been easily pin-pointed using Indian satellites and rescue efforts could have been speeded up. 
 
Recently India’s main lab that specialises in making rockets for the country mastered the art of making the ‘world’s lightest artificial material’ called ‘silica aerogel’. This aerogel is actually a solid but within its complex matrix it encapsulates 99 per cent air. This gives it several unique properties– it is incredibly light, it is a great thermal insulator. 
 
Naga Priya, scientist in Advanced Materials &amp; Ceramics Division at VSSC who is part of the team that made this material, explains that the process to make the silica aerogel is highly guarded so standardising the procedure to make the aerogel took her team a lot of effort. 
 
The team hopes to use some of the ‘silica aerogel’ for insulating the tanks that hold the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the cryogenic engines. Since it is lightweight, it could also be used in designing the space suits that future Indian astronauts may be wearing. The small buggy that will be part of the Chandrayaan-2 and will run around the lunar surface in 2018 could also see the use of the ‘silica aerogel’ as an insulator. 
 
Naga Priya explains her lab is already in discussion with the Indian Ordnance Factory that manufactures clothes for the soldiers to see how this new material can be sandwiched between layers of cloth for making light weight parkas, socks and gloves for the soldiers who are posted at Siachen. 
 
The Indian space scientists have already made small pieces of the silica aerogel that resemble a fabric but still it is very fragile and suitable fabric has to be developed that can effectively sandwich this great insulator. 
 
There are other societal benefits of using the ‘silica aerogel’, if window panes are given a coating of this new material, light would easily pass but heat would be contained, says Naga Priya. 
 
She says imagine a building, whose exterior is coated with this top class insulator, the building would be cool in summer and warm in winter. It would reduce the load on air conditioning and could lead to saving a lot of electricity and help combat climate change. 
 
It is not that the material is fully ready to be deployed for all these varied uses, it is still very expensive to make and some of it is very fragile. The team at VSSC uses evaporation at ambient temperature to make some of the aerogels. This is cheaper than the specialised super critical drying technique used to make aerogels for special applications. There are many industrial applications like in furnaces where these special materials can also be easily used. 
 
Scientists at ISRO have developed small portable devices that can help in search and rescue. There are handheld devices that can be carried by trekkers and soldiers when they traverse the desolate regions. These smart devices can be activated using a button and once initiated it emits a radio beacon that can be detected by satellites. 
 
Using the Global Positioning System (GPS) the exact location of the person who is in distress can be automatically pin pointed. The battery-powered device sends up a signal, which can then be automatically tracked at ground stations in Lucknow and Bengaluru. If only Lance Naik Hanumanthappa were carrying this device his rescue could have been greatly speeded up. 
 
A similar but slightly larger device has been made by VSSC for use by fishermen. This can be fitted on the fishing boats and can be triggered manually or when it encounters salt water it gets triggered. This device transmits a pulsed signal in the 406 MHz band and can help in locating ships lost at sea. 
 The batteries are robust enough to transmit a signal for at least 65 hours at a stretch. ISRO has helped save the lives of many trekkers in the <keyword id="52569" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="himalayas">Himalayas</keyword> and is eager to help the Indian Armed Forces in case they seek to use the device at the remote locations in times of emergency. 
 
Ensuring uninterrupted maintenance-free power supply at remote locations is a nightmare for technologists, now the scientists at VSSC have made a portable fuel cell system that can produce electricity directly from fuel through an electrochemical process where the only inputs needed are hydrogen gas and air. 
 
Based on the ‘proton exchange membrane’ technology the gadget made at VSSC can generate up to about 100 watts of power. This is like lighting a single bulb but then there are several small devices that need only a small amount of power for it to work round the clock. An all-weather automatic weather station powered using this indigenously made fuel cell is currently being tested at Dehradun. 
 
Another digital GPS device has been deployed at the Gangotri Glacier to see how this hydrogen powered device works at high altitudes. There are also plans to use the sophisticated G-SAT-6 satellite’s multimedia communication capability to deploy surveillance systems in remote locations from where Pakistani infiltrators creep into Indian territory and make devastating terrorist attacks on India. 
 
Such automatic remotely operated cameras could be powered using the maintenance free ‘fuel cells’ and then they could beam pictures up to the Indian satellites through which soldiers could maintain a 24×7 vigil from far away, this would be akin to having closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) but in places where there is neither power supply nor continuous human presence. 
 
Sivan says suitable industrial partners are being actively identified and the technologies will transferred so that so called ‘rocket science’ no longer remains rocket science. More importantly he says ‘desi technology’ can be used to power the ‘Make in India’ effort and help save lives.

​Here's how ISRO's space technology can save lives of soldiers at Siachen

The <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (<keyword id="6358064" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="ISRO">ISRO</keyword>) has developed a solar hybrid electric car and successfully tested it on an uphill drive. The solar car has been designed using in-house resources at the <keyword id="6382619" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Sarabhai-Space-Centre">Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre</keyword> (VSSC) in Thiruvanathanapuram, the facility centre for making various types of rockets like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Reusable Launch Vehicle. The car runs on high-energy lithium ion batteries. After the successful test, ISRO is now looking to bring down the car's cost. "An ideal transportation system should envisage zero emission without any pollution," ISRO stated.

ISRO develops solar hybrid electric car

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50758221.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> Hence starts the journey of private companies into space research! <keyword id="3223069" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kineco-Kaman">Kineco Kaman</keyword> Composites India (KKCI) has become the first private company in India to manufacture a Dual Helix Antenna Array (DHAA) assembly, which was launched into the space aboard <keyword id="6358064" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="ISRO">ISRO</keyword>'s fifth Indian Regional Navigation <keyword id="6358065" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Satellite">Satellite</keyword> (IRNSS-1E) this month. 
 
"The DHAA assembly is a very complex and high precision structure made using a combination of Carbon and Aramid Composites. The manufacturing of this DHAA requires hi-tech engineering and manufacturing competence, benchmarked with the best in the world," Shekhar Sardessai, Chairman and MD, Kineco Kaman Composites-India Private Limited told PTI. 
IRNSS is a cluster of seven satellites comprising three geo-stationary and four geo-synchronous satellites. 
 
DHAA was manufactured by Kineco Kaman for ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Trivandrum and was integrated into IRNSS-1E, which was successfully put into the orbit by PSLV-C31 on January 2, he said. 
 
"The IRNSS will be the Indian version of the global positioning system (GPS) and will be called Standard Positioning Service (SPS). Once all the satellites are placed in orbit, which is expected to be by March 2016, free SPS services will be available to all civilians," Sardessai said. 
 
Kineco Kaman -- a joint venture of Kineco Group Goa, India and Kaman Aerospace Group-USA -- had earlier received a contract for the manufacture and supply of 10 sets of DHAA assemblies for VSSC Trivandrum in 2015. 
 
 
(Image credits: indiatimes)

Kineco Kaman becomes first Indian private company to put antenna into orbit via ISRO

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45617019.cms" /> Researchers at <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (ISRO) will analyze the data recorded by nearly 200 sensors in the dummy crew module of Geo-Synchronous <keyword id="6358065" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satellite">Satellite</keyword> Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mark-III), which reached Tamil Nadu’s Kamarajar Port on Sunday, said a senior ISRO official. 
 
S Somanath, project director, GSLV-Mark III told a leading news agency, "The crew module has around 200 sensors to record various aspects of the flight. Our team at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvanthapuram will study the data." 
 
The crew module consists of a static recorder, which inspects the various aspects: thermal, acoustics, velocity, electronics performance, and more such. 
 
On December 18, ISRO successfully launched its heaviest rocket ever—GSLV Mark-III—with an experimental crew module. With this, the Indian space agency will now be able to send astronauts to explore the deep dark web of outer space. 
 The 630-tonne rocket and human crew module of ISRO were lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota exactly at 9:30 am (IST). Few minutes after this, the crew module separated from the rocket at an altitude of 126 km and re-entered Earth's <keyword id="6366415" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="atmosphere">atmosphere</keyword> (about 80 km from sea level). And then, it descended in a ballistic mode and splashed down into the <keyword id="55869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bay-of-Bengal">Bay of Bengal</keyword>, some 180 km from Indira Point, which is the southern tip of the Andaman and Nicobar <keyword id="589972" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Islands">Islands</keyword>, reported PTI. 
 
The total budget of the experimental mission carried out by the Indian space agency was Rs 155 crore, and this includes the cost of crew module as well.

ISRO Researchers To Analyse 'Black Box' Of GSLV-Mark III's Dummy Module

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/44479034.cms" /> India, as a country, today stands at the crossroads as it tries to take the centre stage in the world economy; harness its innate strengths; gain a stronghold in the world’s political stage; and reinforce its place in the global scientific fraternity. The recent ‘<keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword>’ campaign and <keyword id="1506013" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="mangalyaan">Mangalyaan</keyword> success was just a teaser for the world. 
 As the world wakes up to the power that lies within the sub-continent, it’s time that Indians should start focusing on education says Dr Govind Swarup, the Emeritus Professor from National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of TIFR. The well-known <keyword id="2546530" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Radio-Astronomer">radio astronomer</keyword> shared several insights and perspectives on how India can establish the intellectual potential and become one of the world’s best developed nations in a candid conversation with Richa Sharma, Deputy Editor-Business Insider India. Below are the excerpts: 
 
Q. Sir, you laid the foundation of radio astrophysics in India, and built the GMRT, a lot has changed, right from technology to science governing the Physics. How do you view all these changes? 
I look at them with positivity and lots of hope. But my fear is brain drain. Today, very few bright students join research institutes or Indian universities as many get attracted to software industries in lieu of handsome salary package. Many go abroad. This must change and for this we need to overcome the ‘caste system’ dividing our education system into four buckets/boxes. (He pauses and then explains) I say, we have a caste system in education because we’ve science colleges and research institutes in one box, engineering colleges in second, medical colleges in third box and humanities in fourth. In most American Universities, all are offered in one campus and students at undergraduate and postgraduate level are required to take 20 to 30 % courses outside their discipline. 
 
Q. So, you want to say that science education should be revamped? 
 Yes, precisely. Almost all universities in India impart only education in science, but very little research isencouraged. Unless we combine undergraduate education with research and experiments in all disciplines (e.g in social sciences with field surveys), we cannot expect our universities to become world-class. 
 
Q. What’s your take on Mangalyaan success? ISRO scientists have created history by successfully inserting the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) into the Martian Orbit. This makes India the first country in the world to accomplish the feat in its maiden attempt. 
It’s a great achievement. Not only it has proved the technical skills of ISRO scientists but also mathematical ability by few in ISRO who calculated and mastered the gravitational variations across the solar system from the earth to mars that led to the unique success. But there’s a lesson that we should learn from this success. 
 
(Lesson?) We should enhance mathematics teaching and learning—right from primary levels to secondary levels across India in private schools, municipal schools and rural schools. Science can’t exist without Maths, you can even say vice-versa. A group in Orissa and Pune selects undergraduate students in Degree colleges and encourages them to go to municipal schools, interact with 20 students studying in class 5th or above, and impart mathematical knowledge. Imagine the impact we can create if we implement the same rule across thousands of science and engineering degree colleges in India. How do we tell Smiriti Irani? 
 
Q. From discovery of Type U solar radio bursts, gyro-radiation model for microwave radio emission from solar active regions; lunar occultation observations using the ORT to high angular resolution studies (about 1 to 10 arc sec) of more than 1,000 weak radio galaxies and quasars-you have done it all. Now, what’s next in your list? 
Next on my list is education. I dream of India, where we’ve world-class universities. I feel that’s the only way to capture the intellectual potential we have in the country, and make India one of the world’s best developed nations as well. 
 
From 1996 to 2004, I and Professor Bhide (former VC of the Pune University) struggled to set up a 5-year integrated Science Education and Research at the University of Pune. Our initiative was approved by the Cabinet in 2004, which later lead to the establishment of: 5 Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs); another National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER); and Center of Excellence in Basic Sciences at the Bombay University. I consider this as a bigger achievement than building the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). 
 
I hope that the Modi Government would select four State Universities across India on competitive basis, provide sufficient funds, ensure that faculty is selected on a national basis and thus in due course improve our ~ 250 or more universities. There’s tremendous talent going untapped in our young population. Apart from education and nurturing talents at the bottom of the pyramid, we need to take special care of the top that would contribute to innovation. At age of 85, I can’t contribute more to these dreams, but I am sure there are others who can pave us on the road to faster growth and success. 
 
Q. That’s an intriguing thought sir, but we would still like to know what are you researching these days? We heard that you are making observations with the GMRT for problems related to cosmology. 
Currently, I am closely guiding a student from VSSC (isn’t it Trivandrum??), ISRO, to analyze observations made with the GMRT of the planet Venus and to investigate any heat flow and its magnitude from its interior. Along with Dr Sandeep Sirothia of NCRA, currently in South Africa, we are also analyzing GMRT data of "Extremely Cold Spot" in the microwave background that has cosmological implications. 
 
Q. You are probably the reason why people think of being a radio astronomer—the term however, is not known to many. Can you please explain what it’s all about in simpler words? 
Radio Astronomy is a new subject. Using radio telescopes (large antennas connected to very sensitive electronics), it has been discovered that one in a million galaxy is a very powerful source of radio emission emitting trillions of power due to presence of massive black holes at the centre of certain galaxies that give rise to outflow of powerful jets of electrons and positrons as matter spirals from galaxy to the central black holes. Many other discoveries have been made in Radio Astronomy and has brought Nobel Prize to 8 radio astronomers over the last 50 years. 
 
India has GMRT, the world's largest radio telescope operating from 130 MHz to 1430 MHz. It is being used by astronomers and students from India and 31 countries in the world including astronomers from Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Stanford. There are only a few other scientific instruments in India that has been used by international scientists and that too on a limited occasions. 
 
Q. Any tips for our readers, who want to become a radio astronomer? 
A good education background and exceptional analytical skills is all that you need. If you have completed B.Sc. and M.Sc levels in Physics and Mathematics, Or B.Tech in Electronics and telecommunications, you can sit in for competitive tests held in this field. National Centre of Radio physics of TIFR at Pune, Raman Research Institute at Bangalore and a few other places, annually select students through JEST, IUCAA-NCRA (INIAT) and TIFR entrance exams. 
 
<a href="http://www.iiap.res.in/Swarup">(Dr Govind Swarup is an internationally well known pioneer in the field of radio astronomy who is known for building ingenious, economical and powerful observational facilities for front-line research in radio astronomy, namely, the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) in South India and the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) near Pune, that are amongst the largest in the world.) </a> 
 
 
Image: <a href="http://ncra.tifr.res.in/ncra/people/academic/emeritus-professor/Swarup">ncra.tifr.res.in</a>

You Searched For "VSSC" and got 15 results

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You Searched For "VSSC" and got 15 results

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