Union Minister has provided Status of India's state Space Programs, includes Gaganyaan program, New Spaceport and technology transfers for Launch Vehicles and Satellites
INDIA: Minister of State for Space; Dr. Jitendra Singh answered National Portal of India about the status of India's most aspiring Gaganyaan human spaceflight program and efforts towards inducting reusability in launch systems, commercialization of the space technology, Space Start-ups, Indian Space Association (ISpA), Satellite based broadband services and the second launch site in Tamil Nadu.
Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Program
The Space Minister has announced that an Astronaut training facility has been commissioned in Bengaluru. The Vyomanauts (Indian Astronauts) who completed the first leg training in Russia, are currently progressing well at the newly commissioned astronaut training facility.
The Testing of human rated VIKAS Engine for the first phase of demonstration tests for the Launch system (HLS) and design of all systems and sub-systems and Service module propulsion system of Gaganyaan spacecraft has completed and the construction of an integration facility for Orbital module preparation is nearing completion.
The MoU (memorandum of understanding), Contracts and Implementation Arrangements (IA) related activities with both national and international agencies are progressing well. The design of various human centric products has been completed, and various prototypes are under realization. Receipt of Gaganyaan deliverables against contracts with M/s. Glavkosmos (Russia) and CNES (France) commenced. Roles and responsibility for crew recovery operations and rehearsals finalized. Detailed operational requirements for nominal missions scenarios worked out. The activities related to development of microgravity experiments have commenced, and the conceptual design for experiments is under review, says the minister.
Reusable Launch Systems
ISRO is planning to develop & demonstrate critical technologies for vertical take-off & vertical landing using a Test Vehicle, leading to recovery and reuse of the booster stage of a rocket in the future. The Union minister says; ISRO also developing a winged body Reusable Launch Vehicle, for which a series of technology demonstration missions are planned
Three High Throughput SATs for communication operational:
To meet the communication requirements of Indian Subcontinent, three high throughput satellites "GSAT-19, GSAT-29 and GSAT-11" with 25 Gbps capacity are now operational for providing broadband connectivity under the BharatNet program to Smart City Program and Rural areas where adequate optical fiber cable (OFC) connectivity is inaccessible. In addition, the GSAT-20 with 70 Gbps bandwidth throughput having national coverage is expected to be launched by ISRO's GSLV MkIII in the next few months, the minister informed.
India's Second Spaceport
The Current status of the second Spaceport being built at Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu.
The Minister says; With respect to second Launch Site at Kulasekarapattinam, the land acquisition activities are still under progress, ex-isro chairman says 50% of land handed over by Government of Tamil Nadu and full extent of the land is yet to be handed over to Department of Space/ISRO.
Incentivizing India's Space Start-ups
The Union minister said; Several initiatives have been taken by the Government for incentivizing start-ups being developed in the space sector. With the reforms announced in June 2020, an Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has been created which shall promote, handhold, authorize and monitor private sector activities in space domains. Besides, Department of Space (DoS) facilitates and expertise shall be extended to private entities to support their space activities. DoS is also in the process of bringing in forward-looking policies to create a stable regulatory environment. The Indian Space Association (ISpA) is a voluntary association of Indian space industries which will articulate industry views on space sector reforms and help them in guiding the reform process to have a vibrant and thriving space industries in the country.
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