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NewSpace India Limited (<keyword id="7835598" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nsil" source="Orion">NSIL</keyword>) launched GSAT-24 in its first "demand-driven" communication satellite mission post space sector reforms, leasing the entire capacity on board to Direct-to-Home (DTH) service provider <keyword id="13033014" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-play" source="Orion">Tata Play</keyword>. Built by Indian Space Research Organisation for NSIL, the satellite was successfully placed into geostationary orbit by the Ariane 5 rocket, operated by French company Arianespace, from Kourou in French Guiana (South America) on Thursday. GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4180 kg with pan-India coverage for meeting DTH application needs. NSIL, incorporated in March 2019, is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), under Department of Space (DOS) and is the commercial arm of ISRO. As part of "space reforms" announced by the Government in June 2020, NSIL was mandated to undertake operational satellite missions on a "demand driven" model, wherein it has the responsibility to build, launch, own &amp; operate satellites and provide services to its committed customer. The entire satellite capacity on-board GSAT-24 will be leased to its committed customer Tata Play, the DTH business of Tata Group, for meeting their DTH application needs. The Ariane 5 has successfully placed two satellites into geostationary orbit: MEASAT-3d for the Malaysian operator MEASAT, and GSAT-24, Arianespace said after launching them on-board Ariane-V VA257 flight from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's spaceport in Kourou. GSAT-24 is configured on ISRO's proven I-3k Bus with a mission life of 15 years. "'Demand-driven' mode basically means when a satellite is launched, one will know who the end customers are going to be and what's the kind of utilisation and commitment so that you have very effective utilisation of this satellite capacity once it goes into orbit", an NSIL official explained. "Earlier, the mode was more supply driven, with capacity being leased after the launch with largely no firm commitment by customers before hand", the official noted. "The entire mission is fully funded by NSIL -- satellite, launch, launch campaign, insurance, transportation, in-orbit maintenance and support. Once the satellite is up in orbit, this will be fully owned and operated by NSIL," NSIL Chairman and Managing Director Radhakrishnan Durairaj told PTI. "So, we will be the satellite operator for this particular satellite," he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-has-dropped-the-second-developer-beta-update-for-ios-16-with-revamped-message-filtering/articleshow/92404124.cms">Apple has dropped the second developer beta update for iOS 16 with revamped message filtering</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/half-of-the-earnings-of-indian-companies-ceos-at-risk/articleshow/92403167.cms">CEOs are paid more now but half of the earnings are 'at risk'</a>

Tata Play rents the entire capacity of the newly launched GSAT-24 satellite

<ul><li>The GSAT-11 is the <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword>’s (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) <keyword id="1398607" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Heaviest-Satellite">heaviest satellite</keyword> yet.</li><li>The launch that has been delayed since 2016, might finally happen in June this year. </li><li>ISRO's heaviest satellite yet weighs in at 5,725 kgs.</li></ul>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) just finished testing the GSAT-11, India’s ‘heaviest satellite ever’, and it <a href="https://www.ibtimes.co.in/isro-completes-tests-gsat-11-glitch-free-satellite-may-be-launched-soon-769738">passed</a> with flying colors. Tipping the scale to 5,725 kilograms, the GSAT-11 surpasses the previous <keyword id="6551145" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="heaviest-indian-satellite">heaviest Indian satellite</keyword>, the <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/heaviest-satellite-of-isro-launched/article19182436.ece">GSAT-17</a> that weighed in at 3477 kgs. To put it in perspective, the GSAT-11 weighs <a href="http://www.weirdconverter.com/weight.php">approximately</a> as much as 13 male polar bears or 24 baby grand pianos. Even the the PSLV-C37, <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/update/15-feb-2017/pslv-c37-successfully-launches-104-satellites-single-flight">launched</a> on 15 February 2017, with 104 satellites onboard, only weighed 1378 kgs cumulatively. India’s heaviest satellite was <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/gsat-11">originally</a> scheduled to be launched by the fourth quarter of 2016. After a series of delays, the GSAT-11 was finally shipped off to South America for its launch scheduled for May 25, 2018. Alas, that didn’t work out either and the satellite was <a href="http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/isro/launch-of-gsat-11-delayed-as-satellite-shipped-back-to-india/">shipped back</a> for a series of ‘<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-to-check-gsat-11-power-system-redundancy-logic/articleshow/63956798.cms?&amp;utm_source=Articleshow&amp;utm_medium=Organic&amp;utm_campaign=Related_Stories">technical checks</a>’. Those tests have now, officially, been completed and the GSAT-11 is good to go. ISRO is currently trying to figure out the next feasible launch date in coordination with Arianespace. Probably to be scheduled for sometime in June, the satellite will launch from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. It’s not surprising that ISRO is cautious about this launch after <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/isro-confirms-loss-of-contact-with-gsat-6a-after-indias-largest-communications-satellite-stops-sending-data-4413819.html">losing contact</a> with the GSAT-6A. That was India’s largest communications satellite and ISRO lost contact with it three days later, on April 1. Setting global standards The entire cost of the GSAT-11 is pegged at around ₹5 billion. That being said, the large satellite has solar panels as big as an average room, as well as 40 transponders that can transfer information at the speed of 14 gigabits per second (gbps). The GSAT-11 isn’t too far from breaking the record for being the heaviest satellite to launch globally. In comparison, the <a href="https://m.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/Ariane_5_Largest-ever_telecommunications_satellite_launched">TerreStar 1</a>, the heaviest and most powerful satellite ever launched, weighs 6910 kgs. The article header image is of the <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/galleries/GSLV-F08/GSAT-6A%20Mission%20Gallery/pade01h.jpg" data-type="tilCustomLink">GSLV-F08</a> liftoff.

India’s top space agency will launch its heaviest satellite ever in June

The Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro" source="Orion">ISRO</keyword>) is chalking out the crucial tasks to be done in 2022 and the steps to be taken to increase the number of satellite launches and its manufacturing, said a top official. He also said the regulator for private space sector players Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe) having Ahmedabad as the headquarters has started hiring people for the top posts from ISRO. "ISRO is looking at the important tasks that can be done this year and the steps to be taken to increase the number of launches and also to increase satellite manufacturing," S.Somanath, Chairman ISRO and Secretary, Department of Space told IANS. According to him, the space agency will look at increasing the space missions with its rockets - Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), upcoming Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). Most of the launches get bunched in the second half of the year and ISRO is looking at expanding it. The Indian space agency has to launch OCEANSAT-3, INS-2B, ANAND- by PSLV-C53 and Micro SAT by the newly developed small rocket Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in May. Further, the launch of four ton communication satellite GSAT-24 is also scheduled during the first quarter of this year using Ariane 5 rocket owned by Arianespace. The space agency is also looking at the government policy to increase the manufacturing of satellites. It is said the government has put ISRO on hold from manufacturing satellites without signing up the users upfront. According to Somanath, the industry feedback on the various draft policies issued for the private and public sector players has been received and the final policies will be announced. Questioned about the Space Activities Bill, he said the Bill is being drafted incorporating INSPACe as the earlier Bill was drafted before the announcement of space sector reforms and the regulator for the private players. The Space Activities Bill is being drafted incorporating INSPACe. The earlier Bill did not have INSPACe. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/itc-paytm-zomato-among-stocks-to-watch-on-march-16/slidelist/90249211.cms">ITC, Paytm, Zomato among stocks to watch on March 16</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/india-logs-2876-new-covid-19-infections-and-98-fatalities-in-last-24-hours/articleshow/90252569.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">India logs 2,876 new COVID-19 infections and 98 fatalities in last 24 hours</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/russias-reliance-on-humanitarian-corridors-in-ukraine-comes-from-its-playbook-in-syria-experts-say/articleshow/90245670.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Russia's reliance on 'humanitarian corridors' in Ukraine comes from its playbook in Syria, experts say</a>

ISRO to chalk out plans to increase number of launches, satellite manufacturing

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

<ul><li>At the start of 2020, Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) Chairman and Secretary Department of Space K. Sivan said that the space agency was planning to have 25 launches. </li><li>All was going well for ISRO after the crashlanding of India's moon lander Vikram on the lunar surface in 2019.</li><li>The first setback of the year for ISRO came on March 4, when it had to call off the launch of GISAT-1, a day before its actual launch, owing to technical reasons. </li></ul>What would have been an insipid first half of the calendar year 2020 for the Indian space agency turned a bit interesting towards the end, with the government announcing its decision to open up the sector to private participation. At the start of 2020, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman and Secretary Department of Space K. Sivan said that the space agency was planning to have 25 launches -- including Aditya-L1 satellite, <keyword id="1512353" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Geo-Imaging-Satellite">Geo Imaging Satellite</keyword> (GISAT-1), realisation of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) or small rocket (carrying capacity 500 kg), navigation satellite with indigenous atomic clocks and <keyword id="9550825" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-data-relay-satellite-system">Indian Data Relay Satellite System</keyword> (IDRSS), and GSAT-20 satellite with electric propulsion. Sivan also said India will embark on its third moon mission 'Chandrayaan-3' and attempt to land a lander on the lunar surface sometime in 2020-21. All was going well for ISRO after the crashlanding of India's moon lander Vikram on the lunar surface in 2019. The year began well ISRO with the launch of the 3,357 kg communication satellite GSAT-30 by the European space agency Arianespace rocket Ariane 5 on January 17. The ISRO also showcased its robot/half-humanoid -- Vyommitra - which was part of its human space mission programme 'Gaganyaan'. The first setback of the year for ISRO came on March 4, when it had to call off the launch of GISAT-1, a day before its actual launch, owing to technical reasons. The ISRO did not share any detail about the technical reasons, or the glitch, and its rectification since then. It is also not known when the satellite with a very good camera would be launched. Then came the Covid-19 lockdown within and outside India that had its cascading impact on ISRO's core plans like the realisation of SSLV, launch of GISAT-1, delay in the first test-flight of the rocket as part of Gaganyaan mission. "During the lockdown, industries that were supplying components were not working. Our own officials were not able to attend office. Further travel to Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh for satellite launch by the officials were not possible due to the lockdown," Sivan told IANS. It is also not known when ISRO will be able to restart its satellite launch operations. With coronavirus infection spreading fast in the county, ISRO also started work on developing a low-cost ventilator and sanitiser. Meanwhile, two positive developments happened for ISRO -- securing an Indian patent for its liquid cooling and heating garment (LCHG) suitable for space applications and for its method of manufacturing highland lunar soil simulant or simply lunar/moon soil. On May 16, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Indian private sector will be a co-traveller in India's space-sector journey and a level-playing field will be provided for them in satellites, launches, and space-based services. She also said that a predictable policy and regulatory environment will be provided to private players. The future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel and others are to be opened up for the private sector, adding there will be a liberal geo-spatial data policy for providing remote-sensing data to tech-entrepreneurs subject to various checks. Welcoming the announcement, sectoral experts suggested various models for restructuring of ISRO and also urged the government to set up an independent regulator and also enact necessary legislation. On June 24, the Union Cabinet decided to set up Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), making ISRO to focus on research and development (R&amp;D) of new technologies, exploration missions, and human spaceflight programme. Singh said the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to set up IN-SPACe to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. He also said the New Space India Limited (NSIL) will endeavour to re-orient space activities from a 'supply driven' model to 'demand driven' model, thereby ensuring optimum utilisation of the country's space assets. Former ISRO Chairman <keyword id="52158" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="madhavan-nair">Madhavan Nair</keyword> said there should be a national space law to define responsibilities and liabilities. Pointing out the role envisaged for IN-SPACe and the demand for a sectoral regulator, when queried whether the proposed body could be converted into the space sector regulator, Sivan told IANS: "IN-SPACe could be turned into a regulatory body when the necessary laws and regulations are in place." "We are on the job of getting ready the Space Activities Bill. It will define the space activities, liabilities and other aspects," he added. As part of the reform process, new navigation policy is also being proposed. Suitable changes in the remote sensing data policy as well as SATCOM policy are on the anvil to align them to an open and inclusive space sector, said Sivan. "The best is to establish an independent regulator -- <keyword id="9550824" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-regulatory-authority-of-india">Space Regulatory Authority of India</keyword> (SRAI) -- which will create a level-playing field for many of the emerging players," Narayan Prasad, Chief Operating Officer, satsearch, told IANS. Establishing an independent regulator could allow a systematic review and reforms on a continuous basis rather than one-off announcements, Prasad said. As per current scheme of things, IN-SPACe will have its own directorates for technical, legal, safety and security, monitoring as well as activities promotion for assessing the private sector's needs and coordination of the activities. IN-SPACe would have a board and representatives from industry, academia and the government, Sivan said. "Initially, IN-SPACe will be manned by people from the existing space setup. Later, people from outside will be taken in. It will have its funds from the budgetary allocations for the DoS. The new body may not need big financial allocations," Sivan remarked. Stressing that the ISRO's importance will not diminish with the entry of IN-SPACe, Sivan said all the existing centres - manufacturing, services, rocket launch centres - would continue to be with the ISRO. "The ISRO will be involved in research and development in advanced technologies, human space missions. It will also share its technological expertise with the private parties. The proposed new body will not disturb the existing ones. It will be another autonomous body," Sivan said. Industry officials are hoping to see further steps being taken by the government regarding the space sector during the second half of 2020. But as regards the satellite launches - domestic as well as foreign for a fee - by ISRO during the year depends on the spread or control of coronavirus and the resultant lockdown. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/photographer-of-the-viral-black-panther-images-from-india-shares-his-story/articleshow/76830618.cms">INTERVIEW: Shaaz Jung opens up about the blood, sweat and years behind the viral images of a rare black panther</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/harvard-and-mit-are-suing-ice-to-block-its-order-forcing-international-students-to-leave-the-us-if-their-course-is-online-only/articleshow/76856699.cms">Harvard, MIT, and Northeastern University are suing ICE to block its order forcing international students to leave the US if their course is online-only</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/russian-scammers-are-conning-senior-executives-into-giving-away-2-7-million-by-impersonating-real-ceos-and-lawyers/articleshow/76849870.cms">Russian scammers are conning senior executives into giving away $2.7 million by impersonating real CEOs and lawyers</a>

ISRO doesn't know when it will be ready to restart space launches

<ul><li><keyword id="819905" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="instagram" source="Orion">Instagram</keyword> is testing new options to verify your age.</li><li>Users under the age of 18 or over 18 will require to verify their age.</li><li>According to Instagram, stored driving license information will be deleted within 30 days.</li></ul>Meta-owned Instagram on Thursday said it is testing new options for people to verify their age by uploading an ID like driver's license or ID card, along with other methods in a bid to provide age-appropriate experiences on the platform. Starting with the US, if someone attempts to edit their date of birth on Instagram from under the age of 18 to 18 or over, Instagram will require them to verify their age. They can verify their age by uploading their ID, record a video selfie or ask mutual friends to verify the age. The person vouching must be at least 18 years old and must not be vouching for anyone else at that time. "We're testing this so we can make sure teens and adults are in the right experience for their age group. We are also partnering with Yoti, a company that specializes in online age verification, to help ensure people's privacy," the company said in a statement. "Your ID will be stored securely on our servers and is deleted within 30 days," it added. The users can choose to upload a video selfie to verify their age. "After you take a video selfie, we share the image with Yoti, and nothing else. The technology cannot recognize your identity - just your age," informed the company. In 2019, Instagram first began asking people to provide their age when signing up. "We require people to be at least 13 years old to sign up for Instagram. In some countries, our minimum age is higher," said Instagram. For teenagers (age 13-17), Instagram provides them with age-appropriate experiences like defaulting them into private accounts, preventing unwanted contact from adults they don't know and limiting the options advertisers have to reach them with ads. "If you choose to upload a video selfie to verify your age, Meta and Yoti delete it once your age is confirmed. Your video is not used for anything else other than to verify your age. If you choose to upload an ID, after you send us a copy of your ID, it'll be encrypted and stored securely," said Instagram. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/isros-latest-communication-satellite-g[%E2%80%A6]24-launched-check-all-details-here/slidelist/92412077.cms">ISRO’s latest communication satellite GSAT-24 launched - check all details here</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/how-to-change-upi-pin-in-google-pay/articleshow/92411354.cms">How to change UPI pin in Google Pay</a>

Instagram could soon ask for your driving license to verify your age

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.

You Searched For "gsat 24 satellite" and got 7 results

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You Searched For "gsat 24 satellite" and got 7 results

Tata Play rents the entire capacity of the newly launched GSAT-24 satellite

PTI

India’s top space agency will launch its heaviest satellite ever in June

Prabhjote Gill

ISRO to chalk out plans to increase number of launches, satellite manufacturing

IANS

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

IANS

ISRO doesn't know when it will be ready to restart space launches

IANS

Instagram could soon ask for your driving license to verify your age

IANS

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

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides

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