VOLUME - 9

CURRENT AFFAIRS TECHNOLOGY

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VOLUME - 09 SEPTEMBER - 2015 RELEASE - 09

ISRO puts GSAT-6 in orbit

Scripting another new chapter in its space technology,India moved a step forward by successfully launchingcommunication satellite GSAT 6 using its heavy rocketgeosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV D6). The49.1 metre tall rocket weighing 416 tonnes took offprecisely at 4:52 pm from the second launch pad at theSatish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), in this island in theBay of Bengal, about 90 km north of Chennai. This missionassumes more significance as this successful flight ofGSLV rocket will give the Indian space programme themuch needed booster by getting the cryogenic engineright, which is vital for its future launches. Indian SpaceResearch Organisation (ISRO) scientists, including itsChairman Mr. A S Kiran Kumar at the mission controlcentre, were jubilant and hugged each other when the rocket successfully placed the satelliteinto the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit after about 17 minutes of its launch. “As a result oftremendous amount of hard work by our team, today’s performance of the launch vehicle clearlydemonstrates that all the systems were performing very normally,” Mr. Kiran Kumar said. “Theintricacies of cryogenic engine have been understood,” he added. This would be the first GSLVmission for Isro in 19 months, the last one being the successful GSLV D5 mission in January lastyear. Recently, the Isro had successfully ground tested the indigenously developed High ThrustCryogenic Rocket Engine for a duration for 800 seconds on July 20 at the Liquid PropulsionsCentre at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. This is the third time the indigenously developed CryogenicUpper Stage (CUS) was being carried on board a GSLV flight. The GSLV is a three stage enginerocket has a total carrying capacity of around 2.2 tonne. The first stage is fired with solid fuel, thesecond with liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine. The satellite provides communicationthrough five spot beams in S band and a national beam in C band for strategic users. The cuboidshaped GSAT 6 has a lift off mass of 2,117 kg. Of this, propellants weigh 1,132 kg and the drymass of the satellite is 985 kg. One of the advanced features of GSAT 6 satellite is its S BandUnfurlable Antenna of six metre diameter. This is the largest satellite antenna realised by Isro.This antenna is utilised for five spot beams over the Indian main land. The spot beams exploitthe frequency reuse scheme to increase frequency spectrum utilisation efficiency. After its injectioninto the GTO, ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan takes control of GSAT 6 andperforms the initial orbit raising manoeuvres by repeatedly firing the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM)on board the satellite, finally placing it in the circular Geostationary Orbit. After this, s, deploymentof the antenna and three axis stabilisation of the satellite will be performed and the GSAT 6 willbe positioned at 83 degree East longitude. The satellite’s life span is nine years.

Source: www.deccanherald.com

India-France CouldConclude Rafale Talks in aFortnight

Mangalyaan sends homestunning 3D pictures ofCanyon on Mars

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Hitch for e-tailers: Govt may restrict drone usage to ‘line of sight’ services

In what would prove to be a hitch for e-tailers planning delivery services using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs),Centre is ready to notify norms for commercial operation of drones that are likely to restrict it to only line-of-sightservices. Sources in the know informed a meeting to deliberate on regulations for commercial operation of droneswas chaired by secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) last month. “Comments have in come in from defenceministry and Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been asked tosubmit their recommendations in the next two to three weeks. The norms are broadly being framed to allow line-of-sight operations of UAVs,” said a government official. A policy outlining guidelines is likely to be notified shortly. Withthis India will become one of the five countries worldwide to have notified regulations for commercial use of drones.Apart from the US, Australia, New Zealand and Spain have defined norms for operation of drones. However, theproposed guidelines may put a spanner in plans of e-tailers such as Amazon which in he had said it is looking atlaunching delivery of goods using drones first in India, if they are allowed for commercial use. Amazon had showcasedin the US its Prime Air drone, an octocopter in December 2013. India had banned private organisations and individualsfrom launching UAVs in October 2014. Once the DGCA’s norms are in place, UAV should open up a host of applicationsfor civilians. “The useful aspects of civilian drones are well known agriculture, wildlife conservation, search andrescue, aerial photography, etc,” said Mr. Amber Dubey, partner and India head (Aerospace and Defence), KPMG.However, drones also hold potential risks. Besides debates about their use for intrusive surveillance, battery failureor loss of navigational control could cause accidents. Apart from DGCA nod, the operator will require clearance fromthe air navigation service provider, the defence ministry and home affairs and other concerned agencies. The draftrules have been framed based on proposals which have been announced by the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) in the United States and by the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority (CASA) in Australia. FAA’s proposed rulespermit certified operators to fly UAVs weighing up to 55 pounds during day time. Commercial drones will be permittedto fly at a speed of up to 100 miles per hour and at heights of up to 500 feet. Operators will have to renew their permitevery two years. Soon, 5th nation with drone norms With this move, India will become one of the five countriesworldwide to have notified regulations for commercial use of drones soon Apart from the US, Australia, NewZealand and Spain have norms for operation of drones.

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Strength respects strength

Behind the genial personality, the late Dr A P J Kalam had a pretty tough as nails brain. In early 90’s when India wasgoing through a tough time sourcing Cryogenic engine technology from Russia, Dr Kalam advocated the need of in-house development of technology to make India selfreliant in space technology. We reproduce one of those rareinterviews he gave on the subject to any Indian reporter. This interview was originally published magazine. Oneperson is confident that irrespective of whether India gets the Cryogenic Technology or not, it will have to stand upfor itself because “strength respects strength”. The man is Dr Avil Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, better known asAbdul Kalam, the brain behind the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) space development programme.He is the chairman of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme and the director of the DefenceResearch and Development Organisation (DRDO). However, no longer with ISRO, Dr Abdul Kalam’s heart still lieswith the organization. A father figure to ISRO scientists, Dr Kalam is not exactly upset over Russia’s reneging on thedeal. Confident of himself and “his” scientists at ISRO, Dr Kalam says that it’s time Indians started respectingthemselves and became selfdependent. Talking in his South Block office, Dr ABDUL KALAM refused to discuss indetail India’s missile development programme. He, however, agreed to talk at length on the cryogenic engine deal.Excerpts from the interview: Is the Cryogenic engine deal on or off? There are conflicting signals coming fromvarious quarters. Dr Abdul Kalam: According to all the information reaching me, it is still on. There is no officialinformation that the deal is off. Irrespective of whether we get the technology or not, as far as I can see, India,especially the ISRO, should become self-sufficient. Q: Why in the first place, did India choose to depend on Soviettechnology in a crucial area like the country’s space programme? A: Good question. There are two reasons. Cryogenicengine technology would have coasted us Rs 400-500 crore. Secondly, it (that money) would have cost us at leasta five-year setback. So, ISRO decided to go faster, schedule wise, and have a cost advantage. Anybody would doit. If there is available technology which given me cost and schedule advantages, then I would go for it. There isnothing wrong in it. But today, technology is used as a tool for commercial purposes and we have to break such

strangleholds. We have to be self-sufficient. If you take any country or any space system, the fact remains that evenin developed countries; 30-40 percent of the space technology comes from other countries. You cannot makeeverything indigenously. For example, India is one of the leading countries in the solid propulsion system. ISRO isdeveloping the third largest booster fir its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) system. You have to be selectiveabout what you want. Q: Why is cryogenic technology important to India? A: cryogenic engine has the highestenergy level. It uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. Cryogenic engines help in increasing the satellite payload.Each kilogram of satellite payload has an advantage of a lakh of rupees. Normally you do not have to use a boosterwhen you use cryogenic engine. Since cryogenic engines facilitate a high payload, it is useful at the upper stages.This, in turn, means cutting down costs. Missile boosters are normally solid boosters. Therefore, you do not usecryogenic engines for missile launches. Q: Isn’t our dependence on foreign technology at variance with our aim ofbecome selfsufficient? A: Let me explain what has actually happened in rocketry, there is solid propulsion and liquidpropulsion. Initially, ISRO started concentrative on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Naturally, it should bethe highest priority. The decision was taken to go in for a XXX synchronous launch. At that time, a decision taken togo in for the cryogenic technology. The cryogenic technology was available not only in Russia but also in France andUSA, The Russians were offering the technology at the lower cost and therefore we opted for the Russian technology.Q: In spite of India’s intensions of using cryogenic technology for peaceful purpose USA? is not convinced? A: Worldpolitics is a strange thing. When politics and commercial interest combine, logic fails. Q: As a compromise, Russiahas offered India as many cryogenic engines as it wants without transfer of the actual technology…. A: I do not thinkISRO will accept such a solution. It may not help ISRO. We cannot and should not make compromises. Technologyhas to be our mission. That is the only way India can be great. Q: Do you really think that the ISRO scientists canovercome these difficulties in two years? A: Developing cryogenic technology has become a national commitment,a National programme. ISRO will gear up because it will become the single most important programme. If you askme, I think it will take four years. But I have seen in the past that any programme or project, if given the highestpriority, can be done faster and the time period for developing the technology can be reduced. So, one need not gettremendously worried. We will take it as a challenge. How to meet that challenge rather than this problem should beour concern now.

Source : www.freepressjournal.com

INDIA-ISRAEL TO DEVELOP SHIELD TO COUNTER MISSILE, AIRCRAFT, DRONE ATTACKS

India and Israel are likely to test fire this month the long-range surface-to-air Barak 8 missile, jointly developed bythe two countries, which can act as a potent shield against incoming missiles, aircraft and drones, Times of Indiadisclosed. If the test to be done in Israel is successful, another would be conducted on board an Indian ship beforeSeptember. This, according to defence sources, will pave the way for installation of Barak 8 missiles, an upgradedversion of Barak systems both the countries use, on board Indian warships. Though initially the missile was tobe fired on board an Indian ship, defence sources said it would now be done on board an Israeli ship first. “Followingthe last test, the Indian Navy had recommended certain changes which have been incorporated. The coming testwill check whether the changes are successful. Following this, a test would be done on board an Indian ship,” thesources said. The Indian ship likely to be used for testing is INS Kolkata. The launchers and radars to track themissile are already in place. The test will be conducted against an incoming missile by the Navy. The missile is beingjointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, India’s DRDO, Israel’s Administration for the Development ofWeapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and other companies. The state-run Bharat DynamicsLimited (BDL) will series-produce the 70 km-range Barak-8, with 32 missiles to be initially fitted onto INS Kolkata.Barak 8 is being considered to be a major asset for Indian Navy because it would add a potent system designedto destroy any anti-ship missile launched by Pakistani or Chinese navy. Key to Barak 8’s ability to intercept incomingmissiles is Israel-made MF-STAR radar system which is capable of simultaneously tracking hundreds of airbornetargets to a range of more than 250 kilometers. —INP

Source : www.pakobserver.com

DGCA to regulate aircraft on takeoff weight

Aviation companies operating smaller aircraft like Beechkraft 200 and Cessna-170 would stand to gain more Aviationregulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed to regulate operations of smaller aircraft on thebasis of their take-off weight, setting standards in line with global practices. In case the proposed rules are finally

notified, non-scheduled aviation companies operating smaller aircraft like Beechkraft 200 and Cessna- 170 wouldstand to gain more from the liberal regulation. “The proposed categorisation delegates more responsibility on operators.It is going to be in conformity with international standards,” said Mr. Brigadier MK Idnani of SRC Aviation. Chief flightoperations inspector (CFOI) Mr. Ajay Singh in the DGCA, who headed the committee on classification of air transport,has suggested grouping of general aviation aircraft into two categories – airplanes with take-off weight of 5,700 kgand above with the other falling into 5,700 kg and below category for safety and operations regulation. The committeehas proposed similar classes for commercial air transportation, which would include all aircraft above 5,700 kg andturbojet aircraft. The commercial operations with bigger aircraft would include both domestic and international flights.Commercial air transport operations with smaller aircraft would cover all domestic air operations with non-turbojetaircraft below 5,700 kg. “The certification regulations based on above classification would have no distinction betweenplanes and helicopters although operating regulations would address the specific requirements of both categories ofaircraft,” said the DGCA proposal inviting stakeholder comments on the issue. Business and general aviation tradebody welcomed the DGCA proposal on recategorisation of air transport operations. “This is in right direction,” BusinessAircraft Operators Association (BAOA) said in a statement. The trade body had been demanding a “proportionate”policy/rule making for small operators based on the aircraft specifications.

Source : www.mydigitalfc.com

Tejas Mk-II: India may avail consultancy from European manufacturers who bid for MMRCA deal

India could avail consultancy from some of European aircraft manufacturers who had bid for the multi crore tenderfor fighter jets, won by Rafale, for the development of the Mark II version of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, timeline forwhich has been extended. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar said the projectfor design and development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas Mk II was sanctioned in November 2009 at a costof Rs Rs 2431.55 crore with Probable Date of Completion (PDC) of December 2018. However, because of delay infinalisation of Engine Contract, the project could start only in December 2013. “As a result, maiden flight of firstPrototype and Operational Clearance are likely to be completed by December 2019 and December 2022, respectively.There after induction,” he said. Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bengaluru is the Nodal Agency for designand development of LCA Tejas Mk II. Making it clear that ADA has not entered into any collaboration with Europeanaircraft manufacturers, who had bid for the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tenders for developmentof Tejas Mk II, he said, “However, ADA may like to avail consultancy from some of them”. Defence sources saidSweden has offered to collaborate with India on production of Light Combat Aircraft in the country as part of the‘Make in India’ initiative. Swedish company Saab had offered JAS39 Gripen E light fighter to India when the MMRCAtender was announced. The bid was finally won by French firm Dassault Aviation. DRDO had a few years ago hadsought Saab’s help in the Mark II version of Tejas, which will eventually be inducted into the Air Force. Saab is likelyto insist on a government to government (G2G) deal if they step in to assist India in developing and manufacturinga light fighter. Tejas Mk II would be an improved version of LCA Mk I. Some of the new systems and technologies,like Active Electrically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Unified Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite, On Board OxygenGeneration System (OBOGS), Upgraded Avionics are to be included in LCA Tejas Mk II to make the aircraft morecontemporary. “Technologies, systems engineering and experience gained during development of LCA Tejas Mk IIwould benefit the development of Fifth Generation Aircraft indigenously,” Mr. Parrikar said.

Source : www.economictimes.indiantimes.com

CSIR-IICT to set up Science Park at Hyderabad Digital classroom, Science Park for kids soon

The schoolchildren visiting the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology’s Science Park in the city will soon be able todiscuss science and mathematics with top experts. The institute is setting up a digital classroom that can help asmany as 300 students interact with scientists from the across the country in one session. The Science Park iscoming up at an estimated cost of Rs. 3 crore which the Department of Science and Technology recently granted tothe institute. The institute conducted an initiation ceremony where the park is set to come up in Vitalwadi, near

Narayanguda. The digital learning classroom is expected to become operational in six to eight months to providescientific education to students from government schools in both urban and rural areas. Scientists informed that thescience park would also give a glimpse of technologies from 37 Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)institutes across the country. Some of IICT’s technologies too will be put on display the park. Dr. U.S.N. Murthy,head of the Biology Department at IICT, said that IICT would display its membrane technology to purify wateraffected by fluorosis, among other projects such as energy generation from kitchen waste and poultry litter. “Ourpesticide technologies will also be made available. If any farmer wishes to implement them, he simply has to visitthe science park,” Dr. Murthy. Hyderabad district Collector Mrs. K. Nirmala flagged off a Swachh Bharat Bus duringthe inauguration event. IICT Director Dr. S. Chandrasekhar and other senior scientists from the organisation werepresent at the event. Swachh Bharat Bus’ was flagged off by Collector Mrs. K. Nirmala, at CSIR-IICT Science Park inNarayanguda in the city.

Source : www.thehindu.com

30 countries to show their products at MAKS 2015 aerospace show

More than 700 Russian and foreign companies from 30 countries will put their products on display at the MAKS-2015 aerospace show which will be held in the Moscow region’s town of Zhukovsky in late August, the organizers ofthe aerospace show said. “The exhibition grounds are almost fully booked. Some 584 Russian and 156 foreigncorporations and companies from 30 countries have applied for it [the aerospace show],” Russian Deputy Ministerof Industry and Trade Andrei Boginsky was quoted as saying in a statement released at a news conference onMAKS-2015. The organizers said that the first three days have been declared as business days. The flightdemonstration program will be curtailed this time. More than 110 aircraft of domestic and foreign producers will beshown at the static grounds. The organizers of the aerospace show said that 81 aircraft, including the jets of eightaerobatic groups, had applied for flights under the demonstration program. The Russian aerobatic team RussianKnights will conduct demonstration flights using Sukhoi Su 30 and Su 27 fighters, the Swifts team using MiG 29fighters, Falcons of Russia using Su 30 fighters.

Source : www.asia.rbth.com

India’s First Hypersonic Cruise Missile To Be Named After APJ Abdul Kalam

India’s first hypersonic cruise missile, BrahMos-II will be named after late president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. “Dr Kalamis the reason we are standing on the threshold of a new era of hypersonic weapons. That’s why BrahMos-II is beingnamed after him,” BrahMos CEO & MD Mr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. Thecurrent BrahMos missile is capable of taking out hardened targets such as underground bunkers and weaponstorage facilities at seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7), BrahMos-II (K) is being developed by the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace. The ‘K’ in it is for Kalam, the man who fired India’s missile and nuclearprogram, the news daily reported. Dr Kalam, during his last visit to BrahMos Aerospace headquarters in Delhi lastmonth had asked BrahMos Aerospace to speed up the development on hypersonic weapons technology and helpthe nation field an operational missile in three to five years. The existing BrahMos missile provides India the capabilityto hit targets 290 km away at nearly three times the speed of sound. It’s the world’s fastest supersonic cruisemissile. “We have a two-pronged approach to exploit the hypersonic realm - upgrading the existing BrahMos engineto achieve Mach 5+ speed in three to five years and simultaneously working on a pure hypersonic engine to breachMach 7 in five-seven years,” Mr. Mishra told HT.

Source : www.defenseworld.net

ISRO’s titanium sponge plant in Kerala fully commissioned

The indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant at Chavara in Kerala has been fully commissioned and has started commercialproduction required for space applications, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). ISRO took the initiative toset up a Titanium Sponge Plant (TSP) in the country to meet the requirements in strategic areas, says the spaceresearch body’s website.The annual requirement of titanium sponge for space programme is approximately 200-300 metric tonnes. ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has established a dedicated 500 MT per annum plant atM/s Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML), Chavara, Kollam district, it added. The plant is set up to enhance the

production capacity to 1,000 tonnes per annum in future, it said, adding that this is the only integrated plant in theworld that undertakes all activities right from mining of Ti minerals to manufacturing of aerospace grade Ti spongeunder one roof. The plant has started commercial production of Titanium sponge required for space and defenceapplications, ISRO said. With this, India has become the seventh country in the world producing Titanium spongecommercially. Approximately 350 MT Ti sponge has been realised till date with nearly 70 per cent yield of aerospacegrade (>99.7 per cent purity). Analysis of the results shows that the sponge produced is of superior quality, ISROsaid. Titanium (Ti) alloy products find extensive applications in aerospace and defence areas. Properties like highstrength to weight ratio and excellent corrosion resistance make Titanium alloys (like Ti6Al4V) useful for liquid propellanttanks for launch vehicles and satellites, gas bottle/liners, inter tank structures and interface rings for satellites.Pointing out that realisation of Titanium alloy wrought products and fabrication of hardware are carried indigenously,ISRO said, however, the raw material for aerospace grade Titanium alloys with high purity Titanium sponge wasbeing imported from countries like Russia, Japan and China despite the fact that India is endowed with the thirdlargest reserve of Titanium bearing minerals.

Source : www.economictimes.com

DRDO to conduct joint research in defence with IIT-Kharagpur

To achieve self-reliance in select defence technologies through joint research, Defence Research and DevelopmentOrganisation (DRDO) signed a memorandum of collaboration with IIT-Kharagpur. DRDO director general Dr SChristopher, who was honoured with the Distinguished Alumnus Award at the IIT campus in West Bengal, signed thememorandum to facilitate research and training in areas of mutual interest by supplementing the resources of boththe institutions. The collaboration proposes a collaborative research and academic programme to meet the futuristicdefence technological requirements of the country in select areas of relevance to national defence, a release said. Italso aims at enhancing the quality of human resource by virtue of advanced training and exchange ofknowledge. Tentative areas of collaborative research were cyber physical systems, information security, life science,energy storage devices and materials and underwater vehicles. The directed basic and applied research initiativeswould be aimed to achieve self-reliance in select defence technologies, the release said. The agreement would alsofacilitate the bilateral mobility of faculty, researchers and students and resource sharing between both institutions, itadded.

Source : www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

ISRO to launch GSAT-6 communication satellite on August 27

The launch of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) D6 carrying India’s latest communication satelliteGSAT-6 is scheduled for August 27, Indian Space Research Organisation said. The launch of GSLV-D6 carryingGSAT-6 is scheduled at 1652 hours from Mr. Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, ISROsaid. ISRO chairman Mr. A S Kiran Kumar had earlier said that the satellite would be for strategic application. “It willgive you a capability with very small hand held device to communicate, so like a small mobile you can communicatedirectly through the satellite to any other part, because the antenna size is very large, so it has got a signal graspingpower much larger,” he had said. Mr. K Sivan, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, hadsaid that cost of the 2.5 tonne vehicle would be around Rs 250 crore, adding that the launch of GSAT 6 is expectedto give a huge impetus in the field of communication sector in the country.

Source : www.defencenews.in

Aerospace Gallery opened

“To realise this dream, he used to travel across the country for at least 25 days a month to interact with students andyouth,” Mr. Saleem added.Social activist Mr. Abdul Ghani said Dr Kalam hardly spent time for leisure. “To give a realtribute to the leader we should work towards fulfilling his dream of Vision 2020, than admiring his achievements,” theactivist said. Coimbatore corporation commissioner K. Park Group of Institutions opened the Dr. Kalam AerospaceGallery and launched a sapling planting drive to pay tributes to former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as part of

‘Keeping the Dreams Alive’ programme. Students from schools and colleges took part in the programme on thepremises of Tamil Nadu College of Engineering.

Source : www.nyoooz.com

India-France Could Conclude Rafale Talks in a Fortnight

Indian and French teams discussing the Dassault Rafale fighter jet purchase could wrap up their discussions withinthe next fortnight. According to informed sources, the talks are progressing and a draft agreement could be hammeredout as early as the first week of September. Meanwhile, a Reuters report quoted French sources as stating that anagreement is possible within the next 10 days. No further details were available. A spokesperson of the Indian AirForce (IAF) told defenseworld.net correspondent earlier this week that that the contract negotiations were on. Lastweek, there had been reports that the proposal to purchase 36 fighters could be delayed due to differences overoffsets and price of the twin-engine fighter. India is planning to buy 36 fighters off-the-shelf to meet the ‘urgent’requirements of the IAF.

Source : www.defenseworld.net

ISRO-NASA mission to use GSLV-D6 rocket

Successful launch of the GSAT-6 satellite by GSLV-D6, earning the launcher the “operational rocket” tag, will signaljoint collaboration between India’s ISRO and NASA of the United States. NASA ISRO SAR Mission (NISAR) isexpected to be launched on board GSLV-D6 in 2020-21, ISRO Chairman Mr. A.S. Kiran Kumar said, adding NISARwould be optimised for studying hazards and global environment change. Answering a query, a senior ISRO scientistsaid that using India’s GSLV and not going for space agencies abroad for launching satellites weighing up to 2 tonnewould help save on foreign exchange. “GSLV will cost just one third of the cost we have to spend on foreignagencies,” he said. Mr. Kumar said that GSLV cannot be compared to PSLV for commercial purposes as both havebeen assigned intended payload capabilities. “GSLV is also a good candidate for commercial payloads,” he said. Asenior official said that there were about 10 Indian satellites which were lined up to be launched on board GSLV -D6.

Source : www.thehindu.com

First orbit raising operation of GSAT-6 completes successfully

After successful launch of GSAT-6, the country’s latest communication satellite into a Geosynchronous TransferOrbit, Indian Space Research Organisation said it has performed the first orbit raising of the satellite. “First orbitraising operation of GSAT-6 was successfully completed by firing the Apogee Motor for 3385 seconds at 08:35 hrsIST on August 28,” ISRO said. Realised orbit is 8,408 km (perigee height) by 35,708 km (apogee height) with aninclination of 7.5 degree and an orbital period of 13 hours, 15 minutes and 24 sec, it said. ISRO had successfullylaunched GSAT-6, having an indigenous cryogenic engine, on-board the GSLV-D6 rocket from the spaceport atSriharikota. Soon after its injection into GTO, the two solar arrays of GSAT-6 were automatically deployed and theMaster Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka took control of GSAT-6, ISRO had said after the launch. In thecoming days, GSAT-6’s orbit will be raised from its present GTO to the final circular Geostationary Orbit (GSO) byfiring the satellite’s Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) in stages, it had said. The satellite will be commissioned into serviceafter the completion of orbit raising operations, deployment of its 6 m wide sieve shaped unfurlable antenna, thesatellite’s positioning in its designated orbital slot of 83 degree East longitude in the GSO and in-orbit testing of itscommunication payloads. GSAT-6 is the 25th geostationary communication satellite of India built by ISRO and 12thin the GSAT series. It provides communication through five spot beams in S-band and a national beam in C-band forstrategic users. The cuboid shaped GSAT-6 had a lift-off mass of 2117 kg. Of this, propellants weighed 1132 kg andthe dry mass of the satellite was 985 kg at the time of launch.

Source : www.ibnlive.com

TECHNOLOGY

IISc all set to launch supercomputing mission

The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), to have supercomputers networked between academic and R&Dinstitutions across the country has kicked off with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) ready to roll out the first projectunder the mega programme. IITs, the Centres for Development of Advanced Computing (CDACs) and the IndianInstitutes of Scientific Education and Research (IISERs) will be networked through supercomputers in order toconduct collaborative research. IISc researchers will look into applications of supercomputing ranging from materialsresearch to life sciences issues like drug discovery. IISc officials said the team has identified research areas and isnow only awaiting the first instalment of the overall budget. IISc is expecting around Rs 150-250 crore as the initialgrant. “The sanction has been given, its only a matter of release of funds,” IISc officials said. The entire project costsaround Rs 4,500 crore which will be utilised to connect national academic and R&D institutions with a grid of 73 high-performance computing facilities. Of the total funds, Rs 2,800 crore will come from the Ministry of Science andTechnology and the remaining Rs 1,700 crore from the IT department. As far as supercomputing is concerned, Indiais ranked at 74, while China holds the first place. The mission has been conceptualised and is being evolved keepingin view the increasing computing demand of the scientific and academic community in the country, internationaltechnology trends and roadmaps, strategic importance and emergence of supercomputing as a benchmark forscientific and technological advancements. These supercomputers will also be networked on the nationalsupercomputing grid over the National Knowledge Network (NKN), a programme of the government which connectsacademic institutions and R&D labs over a high speed network. The computers will be located mostly in academicinstitutions, universities and research organisations. The National Supercomputing Mission was proposed in 2011 bya group of scientists and the planning commission which saw the need to supplement India’s supercomputingcapabilities. “But over the years, India’s supercomputing powers have lagged behind other nations. Currently, China,United States, Japan, Switzerland and Germany figure prominently in the list of countries with most supercomputingpowers. Tianhe-2, a Chinese supercomputer, is the fastest in the world with a performance of 33.86 peta-flops persecond (quadrillions of calculations per second) according to the November list of Top500, a ranking of supercomputersacross the world. Bengaluru will also focus on skill development and lay the groundwork for future supercomputinginitiatives,” IISc researchers said. In the next seven years, supercomputer performance is expected to touch ExaFLOPS(1000 peta flops) level and India will not be behind. The supercomputer grid will be connected on a high speednetwork that will enable researchers to collaborate easily. The supercomputing initiative is looking at geo-exploration,finding reserves of oil and gas, astrophysics, disaster management and flood forecasting among other focus areaslike drug discovery. The network will comprise three large scale computers, 20 mid-sized supercomputers and 50lower-end computers. The project is jointly being implemented by the CDAC and the Indian Institute of Science(IISc).

Source : www.deccanherald.com

NASA to Hire ISRO for Next Assignment

In what could be the strongest endorsement for the capability of India in space technology, the Indian Space ResearchOrganisation (ISRO) will soon launch a satellite for NASA from its launch pad at Sriharikota. Speaking to Express onthe sidelines of the fifth convocation of AMET University here, ISRO chairman Mr. AS Kiran Kumar said that the USwould be the 20th country to sign up with India to launch its satellite from Sriharikota. Mr. AS Kiran Kumar To a queryon why the US was keen on launching its satellite from India, Mr. Kumar said that it was due to the cost-effectivetechnology. He said the US would be using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle one of the most efficient space vesselaround that has launched all foreign satellites, especially for Low Earth Orbit satellites. The space agency has linedup 28 foreign satellites launches from Sriharikota. “We have till now launched 45 foreign satellites; the need of thehour is to increase our capacity,” said the ISRO chairman. Expanding its capabilities to heavier payloads, the agencyis all ready to launch the GSLV-Mark-II by the end of this month. “We will be launching the 2.2 tonne satellite whichis undergoing final tests at Sriharikota. We plan to make the next launch in August,” said Mr. Kumar. The launch ofGSLV-Mark-II is significant, as this will put to test India’s indigenously developed cryogenic engine CE-7.5 with acapacity of 2.2 tonnes. The GSLV Mark I used cryogenic engine developed by Russians. The success will also paveway for GSLV Mark III, which is likely to be tested by the end of next year. He also said that by March 2016, the ISROwould be launching seven new satellites. After having tasted success with its Moon and Mars Missions, Mr. Kumar

said that India was now considering a mission to Venus. “It is in the initial discussion stage. We are considering amission to Venus,” the scientist said.

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Government allocated Rs 470 cr for GSLV Mk III launch

An amount of Rs 470 crore has been allocated for the development of GSLV Mk III launch vehicle in the Twelfth FiveYear Plan, said a senior Union Minister. India’s first indigenously designed and developed high thrust cryogenicengine meant for next generation GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle is under advanced stage of development. The enginewill be used for powering the India’s heaviest rocket under development-geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle(GSLV) Mk-III with a capacity to put into orbit satellites weighing four tonnes. The endurance hot test of high thrustindigenous cryogenic engine of GSLV Mk III has been successfully conducted for duration of 800 seconds on July16, 2015. Further tests are planned under high altitude conditions and stage configuration, prior to the realisation offlight stage. The developmental flights of GSLV Mk-III are targeted for completion by 2017 timeframe and theproduction of the cryogenic engine would commence thereafter, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge)Development of NorthEastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, AtomicEnergy and Space, Mr. Jitendra Singh said in a reply to unstarred question in Lok Sabha. The high performancecryogenic engine was designed and developed at its Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Kerala. TheLPSC has also developed a smaller cryogenic engine (12.5 ton propellant) and successfully flight tested it in GSLVMk-II vehicle on January 5, 2014. The bigger cryogenic engine has higher fuel capacity of 27 tonne as compared to12.5 tonne that powers GSLV Mk-II. The indigenous cryogenic engine will be used for powering the cryogenic stage(C25), the upper stage of GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle of ISRO, which can put satellites of up to 4 tonnes inGeosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSLV Mk III is conceived and designed to make ISRO fully self reliant inlaunching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4500 to 5000 kg. It would also enhancethe capability of the country to be a competitive player in the multimillion dollar commercial launch market. Thevehicle envisages multimission launch capability for GTO, LEO, Polar and intermediate circular orbits GSLV-Mk IIIis designed to be a three stage vehicle, with 42.4 m tall with a lift off weight of 630 tonnes. First stage comprises twoidentical S200 Large Solid Booster (LSB) with 200 tonne solid propellant, that are strapped on to the second stage,the L110 re-startable liquid stage. The third stage is the C25 LOX/LH2 cryo stage. The large payload fairing measures5 m in diameter and can accommodate a payload volume of 100 cu m. Realisation of GSLV Mk-III will help ISRO toput heavier satellites into orbit.

Source : www.business-standard.com

ISS astronauts to dine on lettuce from ‘space farm’

Astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) will for the first time eat food that was grown on the orbitinglaboratory after harvesting a crop of ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce. “Expedition 44 crew members, includingNASA astronaut Scott Kelly, are ready to sample the fruits of their labour after harvesting the crop of red romainelettuce from the ‘Veggie’ plant growth system on the nation’s orbiting laboratory,” the US space agency said. Theastronauts will clean the leafy vegetables with citric acid-based, food safe sanitising wipes before consumingthem. They will eat half of the space bounty, setting aside the other half to be packaged and frozen on the stationuntil it can be returned to Earth for scientific analysis. NASA’s plant experiment, called Veg-01, is being used tostudy the in-orbit function and performance of the plant growth facility and its rooting “pillows,” which contain theseeds. NASA is maturing Veggie technology aboard the space station to provide future pioneers with a sustainablefood supplement — a critical part of NASA’s journey to Mars. As NASA moves toward long-duration explorationmissions farther into the solar system, Veggie will be a resource for crew food growth and consumption. It also couldbe used by astronauts for recreational gardening activities during deep space missions. The first pillows wereactivated, watered and cared for by Expedition 39 flight engineer Steve Swanson. The Veggie system was developedby Orbital Technologies Corp (ORBITEC) in Madison, Wisconsin, and tested at Kennedy before flight.

Source : www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

ISS Photos Help Scientists Measure Light Pollution on Earth

Photos taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have helped scientists reliably measurethe amount of light pollution worldwide. The study not only has the well-known signatures of cities and streets butalso the effects of faint indirectly scattered light, which up to now had not been measured quantitatively. The newresults confirm that this diffuse glow, which is seen from space, is scattered light from streetlights and buildings. Thisis the component responsible for the brightening of the night skies in and around cities, which drastically limits thevisibility of faint stars and the Milky Way. “Until the advent of new satellites, astronaut photography was our onlycolour and high-resolution window on the Earth,” said lead scientist Mr. Alejandro Sanchez de Miguel from theUniversidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. The team that had researchers from Quebec-based Cegep de Sherbrookecollege in Canada found that European countries and cities with a higher public debt also have higher energyconsumption for street lighting per inhabitant. The total cost of the energy consumption for street lights is 6,300million euros per year in the European Union, said the researchers in a project called “Cities at Night”. Starting inJuly 2014, this huge project required the cataloguing of over 130,000 images the ISS’s entire high-resolution archiveand geo-referencing them to place them on a map. The images were also calibrated using the stars in the backgroundsky over the ISS, as well as ground-based measurements of the night sky brightness. The aim is to produce a globalcolour map of the Earth at night from pictures taken by the ISS astronauts using a standard digital camera. “The nextphase of the project aims to gather funding to keep the project running, so it can extend its colour map of thenightside of the Earth,” the scientists noted.

Source : www.ndtv.com

BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to be fired from Sukhoi by year end

The air version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile will be test-fired from a modified Sukhoi (Su-30 MKI) fighterduring the end of this year. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) officials had earlier told OneIndia that the test will beheld during March 2015. Speaking to OneIndia recently, BrahMos Aerospace CEO Mr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra saidthat post electrical and mechanical integration of the launcher, it is now being put through a series of quality tests.We have received the first modified Sukhoi from HAL in February and the aircraft undertook some flights fitted withthe launcher. It has to carry the missile weighing around 2.5 tonnes. Currently, the launcher is undergoing stringentQTs (quality tests), Mr. Sudhir Kumar said. HAL had handed over the first BrahMos missile-integrated Sukhoi to theIndian Air Force (IAF) during Aero India 2015. HAL Chairman Mr. T Suvarna Raju had termed the event as a proudmoment for the Company. The successful completion of the first Su 30 aircraft integrated with BrahMos missileshows the synergy between DRDO, HAL and IAF. We are hopeful of rolling out the second aircraft in a record time,Mr. Raju had told OneIndia during Aero India. Integrating the missile was a challenging task for HAL Nasik Division.Right from the project inception in 2010, HAL had to overcome several difficulties due to limited design data of Su-30 MkI available with them. The avionics standards are so different for such a complex programme. We dont havethe luxury to test too many missiles. I am confident the missile will be ready for test by the end of this year, Mr. Mishrasaid. BrahMos air variant will be ready for induction into the IAF possibly after one or two test-firings. Second Sukhoitoo getting ready We want to complete all simulation tests as planned ahead of test-firing the missile. Secondaircraft is also getting ready, Mr. Mishra said. As per the contract, both Sukhois will have to be kept ready ahead oftest-firing the BrahMos missile. The IAF will have the choice of picking one aircraft ahead of the mission or themaiden test-firing. The crucial part during the forthcoming mission is the home-grown launcher. Designed by BrahMosAerospace, it is being manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited (BATL). Meanwhile, asreported by OneIndia, BrahMos Aerospace decided to name the next-generation hypersonic version of BrahMossupersonic cruise missile after former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

Source : www.ibcnews.com

Scientists stumbled upon salt deposits on Mars point towards planet’s last habitable surface water

In a new research, scientists have stumbled upon salt deposits on Mars, pointing towards what could have been thelast habitable surface water on the Red Plant before it went cold and dry. Researchers at the University of ColoradoBoulder have discovered evidence of an ancient lake that likely represents some of the last potentially habitable

surface water ever to exist on the Mars. The study examined an 18-square-mile chloride salt deposit in the planet’sMeridiani region near the Mars Opportunity rover’s landing site. Digital terrain mapping and mineralogical analysis of thefeatures surrounding the deposit indicate that this one-time lakebed is no older than 3.6 billion years old, well after thetime period when Mars is thought to have been warm enough to sustain large amounts of surface water planet-wide.Planetary scientists believe that the solar system formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Lead author Mr. BrianHynek said that it was a long-lived lake, and they were able to put a very good time boundary on its maximum age,adding that they can be pretty certain that this is one of the last instances of a sizeable lake on Mars. The researchersestimated that the lake was only about eight percent as salty as the Earth’s oceans and therefore may have beenhospitable to microbial life. Mr. Hynek said that by salinity alone, it certainly seems as though this lake would have beenhabitable throughout much of its existence.

Source : www.ibcnews.com

Mangalyaan sends home stunning 3D pictures of Canyon on Mars

Mangalyaan, which is India’s first interplanetary mission has recently sent home stunning three-dimensional images ofthe Valles Marineris, a 5,000 kilometers long canyon on the Red Planet. The 3-D images, released on the ocassion ofIndependence Day, were captured with the Mars Colour Camera (MCC) on July 19 when Mangalyaan was at an altitudeof 1857 km from the surface of Mars. The package of images also includes the pictures of the Opir Chasma, a valley 62km wide and bordered by high cliffs. Earlier this year, India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has also beamed back highresolution pictures of prominent Martian landmarks including the Aurorae Chaos, a part of chaos terrain which comprisesirregular flat topped blocks several kilometres across. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, which costs around Rs 450 croresand is less than the budget of Hollywood space movie ‘Gravity’, was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian SpaceResearch Organisation (ISRO) from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. On September 24, 2014, the MOM spacecraft wassuccessfully inserted into the Martian orbitafter a 298-day transit to Mars. Thus, India became the first Asian country toreach Mars and the first in the world to enter Martian orbit in its first attempt. The mission is a ‘technology demonstrator’project to develop the technologies for design, planning, management, and operations of an interplanetary mission.

Source : www.zeenews.india.com

NASA spacecraft finds glowing neon gas on moon

NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft has confirmed for the first time theexistence of neon gas in moon’s atmosphere. Neon gas is commonly used in electric signs on Earth because of itsintense glow. Scientists have speculated on the presence of neon in the lunar atmosphere for decades. “The presenceof neon in the exosphere of the moon has been a subject of speculation since the Apollo missions, but no credibledetections were made,” said Mr. Mehdi Benna of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Wewere very pleased to not only finally confirm its presence but to show that it is relatively abundant,” added Benna, alsofrom University of Maryland, Baltimore County. There is not enough neon to make the moon visibly glow because themoon’s atmosphere is extremely tenuous, about 100 trillion times less dense than Earth’s atmosphere at sea level. Adense atmosphere like Earth’s is relatively rare in our solar system because an object has to be sufficiently massive tohave enough gravity to hold onto it. “It is critical to learn about the lunar exosphere before sustained human explorationsubstantially alters it,” Mr. Benna noted. Since the moon’s atmosphere is so thin, rocket exhaust and outgassing fromspacecraft could easily change its composition. The LADEE confirms that the moon’s exosphere is made up of mostlyhelium, argon and neon. Their relative abundance is dependent on the time of day on the moon - argon peaks atsunrise, with neon at 4 a.m. and helium at 1 a.m. The spacecraft conducted systematic measurements of these gasesfor seven months, which allowed the team to understand how these gases are supplied to the exosphere, and how theyare ultimately lost. It also revealed an unexpected source of some of the helium in the lunar exosphere. This helium isbeing produced at a rate equivalent to about seven litres per second at standard atmospheric pressure. “These discoverieshighlight the limitations of current exospheric models, and the need for more sophisticated ones in the future,” Mr.Benna concluded in a paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters

Source : www.zeenews.india.com

US Naval Research Lab Tests Amphibious Drone Successfully

The US Naval Research Lab (NRL) recently tested a drone that can land on water and travel under water. The newdrone, named Flimmer is designed to carry sensors into places difficult for regular vehicles. The amphibian UAV isinspired by a bird that can find hostile submarines, detect chemicals and inspect oil spills. Although the NRL wasable to successfully test Flimmer earlier this month, according to NRL magazine, Spectra, “combining these twodiametrically opposed vehicles to design a flying submarine comes down to a balancing act between buoyancy,weight, and structural elements.” There are challenges aplenty as aerodynamics and hydrodynamics require differentdesigns. Officials quoted by Spectra found that “controlling the vehicle in forward motion underwater was identical to‘flying’ the aircraft. The configuration of an aircraft shape and traditional aircraft control surfaces of rudder, elevator,and ailerons functions exactly the same whether in air or water.” A test sub that merged basic submarine and aircraftdesigns was recently dropped from 1,000 feet and hit speeds of 50 knots as it was manually guided to a target in thewater. Once submerged, two inflatable bladders provided pitch and heave control as the vessel hit speeds of 10knots.

Source : www.defenseworld.net

Kochi airport becomes world’s first to operate on solar power

Scripting a new chapter, the Cochin International Airport here today became the first in the world to operate completelyon solar power. Kerala Chief Minister Mr. Oommen Chandy inaugurated the 12 MWp solar power plant, comprising46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres near the cargo complex, at a function at the airport this morning. With this,the airport will have 50000 to 60000 units of electricity per day to be consumed for all its operational functions, whichtechnically makes the airport ‘absolutely power neutral,’ Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) said in a release,adding, it is the first airport in the world to operate completely on solar power. CIAL had ventured into the Solar PVsector during March 2013, by installing a 100 kWp solar PV Plant on the roof top of the Arrival Terminal Block. Thiswas a trendsetter in the field of grid-connected solar PV in Kerala. The plant was installed by the Kolkata-basedVikram Solar Pvt. Ltd. A total of 400 polycrystalline modules of 250Wp with five numbers of 20kW capacity ‘Refu-solmake string inverters’ were used in this plant. It is a grid connected system without any battery storage. After thesuccessful commissioning of this plant, CIAL installed a 1 MWp solar PV power plant partly on the roof top and partlyon the ground in the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar facility within the airport premises. This plant was installed byEmvee Photovoltaic Power Pvt. Ltd. 4000 monocrystalline modules of 250Wp with 33 numbers of 30kW capacityDelta make string inverters were used in this plant, which is the first Megawatt scale installation of solar PV systemin Kerala, the release said. Both these plants are equipped with a SCADA system, through which remote monitoringis carried out. After commissioning, these plants have so far saved more than 550MT of CO2 emission contributingto the efforts of CIAL towards minimising environmental degradation, CIAL said.

Source : www.deccanherald.com

Russia to Build New Medium-Class Carrier Rocket by 2022

The first flying prototype of the new Soyuz-5 carrier rocket could be built by 2022, Mr. Alexander Kirilin, generaldirector of Samara-based Progress rocket and space company, said. “The Soyuz-5.1 is a medium-class carrierrocket with a launch weight of about 270 tonnes,” Mr. Kirilin said in an interview with RIA Novosti published. “It couldreplace the Soyuz-2 carrier rockets in the future,” he added. According to Mr. Kirilin, the draft design of the Soyuz-5is expected to be ready by the end of 2015. A scale mock-up model of the Soyuz-5 will be displayed at the MAKS-2015 air show outside Moscow on August 25-30. Russia’s future Soyuz-5 carrier rocket will be equipped with advancednew engines using ecology-friendly fuel, according to Mr. Alexander Kirilin. “One of the distinguishing features of theSoyuz-5 is the use of liquefied natural gas as fuel,” Mr. Kirilin said in an interview with RIA Novosti published. “Theengines will be developed from scratch, which would allow us to apply a variety of advanced technological andeconomic characteristics that would make Soyuz-5 competitive on global markets,” Mr. Kirilin said. “The design ofSoyuz-5 allows the addition of extra side blocks to make it a heavy-class rocket, but we are focusing now on aprototype with operational payload of 9 metric tons,” he added. At the same time, Mr. Kirillin stressed that the Soyuz-5 will not compete with the ongoing development of the Angara family of carrier rockets. The first launch of a Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with a Progress space freighter since the April mission failure has been scheduled for the end of

this year, Mr. Alexander Kirilin said. The failure of the Soyuz-2.1a launch on April 28 led to the loss of the Progress M-27M cargo spacecraft carrying supplies for the International Space Station. Launches of the Soyuz-2.1a-Progresstandem have been suspended since then. “We are taking steps to identify the causes of the failure and to fix theproblems. The next launch of a Soyuz-2.1a with a Progress cargo spacecraft is planned for the end of 2015,” TheProgress rocket and space company is the developer of the Soyuz-2 family of carrier rockets.

Source : www.defenseworld.net

Russia Test Fires 10,000 Km Ballistic Missile

Russia’s Strategic Missile Force (SMF) test-launched a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile with a 10,000 km range.The single warhead missile can carry a nuclear weapon with a 550 kiloton yield. The surprise launch has majorimplications on the Russia-US START treaty which limits the number of nuclear weapons and their delivery mechanismseach country can have. Russian media reported today quoting a press release from the SMF that the launch of theRS-12M Topol missile was carried out from the Kapustin Yar testing range in southern Russia’s Astrakhan Region.The simulated warhead hit a designated target at the Sary-Shagan test range with pre-programmed precision, therelease said. The missile was developed 30 years ago and was intended to hit targets in America. It has a length is22.7 meters and the first stage has a body diameter of 1.9 meters. The mass at launch is 47,200 kilograms, includingthe 1,200-kilogram payload. China recently tested a ballistic missile capable of reaching American shores.

Source : www.defenseworld.net

70-year-old solar mystery solved

Solar physicists have captured the first direct observational signatures of a solar phenomenon that has eluded theworld of science for over 70 years. This new information can explain how the solar corona reaches temperatures of1,000,000 degrees Celsius the so called “coronal heating problem”. Resonant absorption is a process where twodifferent types of magnetically driven waves resonate, strengthening one of them. Researchers looked at a type ofmagnetic waves which can propagate through a prominence a filamentary structure of cool, dense gas floating in thecorona. The team found that magnetically driven resonance helps heat the Sun’s atmosphere. The solar corona, theouter layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, is composed of extremely high temperature gas, known as plasma, withtemperatures reaching millions of degrees Celsius. As the outer layer of the Sun, the part farthest from the core wherethe nuclear reactions powering the sun occur, it would logically be expected to be the coolest part of the Sun. “But it is200 times hotter than the photosphere, the layer beneath it,” the authors said. This contradiction, dubbed as “thecoronal heating problem,” has puzzled astrophysicists ever since the temperature of the corona was first measuredover 70 years ago. For this, a research team from Japan, the US and Europe led by Drs Joten Okamoto and Mr.Patrick Antolin combined high-resolution observations from JAXA’s Hinode mission and NASA’s IRIS (Interface RegionImaging Spectrograph) mission. They were able to detect and identify the observational signatures of resonantabsorption. “The work shows how the power of multiple satellites can be combined to investigate long-standingastrophysical problems and will serve as an example for other research looking for similar heating in other solarobservations,” the team said.

Source : www.deccanherald.com

IISc scientists plan fly-sized surveillance plane

The team of scientists at IISc is deciphering insect flight to mimic the same in a mechanical process. However, theteam says that understanding insect flight is a challenging task. Insects can not only flap and rotate their wings but alsodeform them momentarily. Such stunts help them perform enviable acrobatics. They can also change their speed anddirection very quickly and land on a flower dancing in a gale. Using sophisticated visualising techniques and computationaltools, researchers at the Nonlinear Multi-functional Composites - Analysis and Design Laboratory (NMCAD Lab) atIISc, headed by Prof Dineshkumar Harursampath, say that insect flight is much more than what meets the unaidedeye. Earlier, the flight of a fly seemed to defy the aerodynamic principles on which aircrafts were single satellitesupplies a new image every few days. The University of Michigan is directing the CYGNSS mission for NASA, includingsatellite design and production and science data processing.

Source : www.ibnlive.com

First-ever remote-controlled NASA aircraft to track hurricanes

In a first, a unique remotely piloted aircraft from NASA is set to take off this week to improve track and intensityforecasts of hurricanes as part of the new generation weather forecast observations tools. From now until the end ofSeptember, the aircraft called Global Hawk will fly over the Atlantic Ocean basin to collect data on temperature,moisture, wind speed and direction. The Global Hawk is equipped with instruments to profile the inner workings ofstorms. “We are flying the Global Hawk above hurricanes and other severe storms to refine it as a new, powerful toolto better forecast where hurricanes go and how intense they are,” said Mr. Robbie Hood, director of unmannedaircraft system programme at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Scientists will alsotest whether the data from the Global Hawk can help replace data collected by satellites in the unlikely event that asatellite goes down. “The mission is part of NOAA’s work to improve our nation’s preparedness and resilience tohurricanes and other severe storms,” he said in a statement. The real-time data will go into National WeatherService forecast models at the National Hurricane Center. Operating from the aircraft ground control station locatedat NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia, NOAA will work with NASA scientists on the missioncalled “Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology” (SHOUT). The mission builds on earlier collaborativestorm research led by NASA and will move the Global Hawk closer to being put into operational use as a weatherforecast observations tool. “The Global Hawk allows us to stay over these weather patterns a greater amount of timethan manned aircraft,” added Mr. Gary Wick, NOAA’s lead scientist for the mission. Global Hawk flies higher andlonger than any manned aircraft. It allows data collection from 60,000 feet, an altitude nearly twice as high asmanned aircraft, to the ocean surface. It can gather weather data continuously for up to 24 hours. “It provides us withan observing tool that has the endurance of a satellite but provides finer resolution data and precision of an aircraft,”he noted.

Source :www.ibnlive.com

NASA’s new micro-satellites to improve hurricane forecasting

NASA engineers have started working on the first of eight micro-satellites under the Cyclone Global NavigationSatellite System (CYGNSS) project. The system, being built at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio,Texas, will improve hurricane forecasting by making measurements of ocean surface winds in and near the eye wallof tropical cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes throughout their life cycle. Communication antennas, attitude control,GPS receiver, and other instrumentation will be installed on the satellite frame in the coming weeks. “We are now inthe last phase of the beginning of a new era in hurricane observations,” said Mr. Chris Ruf, CYGNSS principalinvestigator at the University of Michigan, Mr. Ann Arbor. CYGNSS mission - a constellation of eight micro-satellites- will allow scientists to probe the inner core of hurricanes from space frequently for the first time, using both directand reflected signals from existing GPS satellites to obtain estimates of surface wind speeds over the ocean. Thesemeasurements will advance forecasting methods by providing data that can lead to better predictions of hurricanetracks, intensities and storm surges. The CYGNSS constellation will be deployed into low-Earth orbit with successivesatellites passing over the same region approximately every 12 minutes. As the CYGNSS and GPS satellites circleEarth, their interaction will provide a new image of wind speeds over the entire tropics every few hours, whereas asingle satellite supplies a new image every few days. The University of Michigan is directing the CYGNSS missionfor NASA, including satellite design and production and science data processing.

Source :www.ibnlive.com

NASA Drones to Explore Moon and Mars

NASA engineers are developing drones that can fly to areas which are inaccessible to rovers - such as the shadedregion of a crater - on Mars, asteroids and Moon to gather samples. The flying robotic vehicles - similar to quad-copters but designed for the thin atmosphere of Mars and the airless voids of asteroids and the Moon - would use alander as a base to replenish batteries and propellants between flights. “This is a prospecting robot,” said Mr. RobMueller, senior technologist for advanced projects at Swamp Works at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.“The first step in being able to use resources on Mars or an asteroid is to find out where the resources are. They aremost likely in hard-to-access areas where there is permanent shadow. “Some of the crater walls are angled 30degrees or more, and that’s far too steep for a traditional rover to navigate and climb,” he said. The machines being

built fall under the name Extreme Access Flyers, and their designers intend to create vehicles that can travel into theshaded regions of a crater and pull out small amounts of soil to see whether it holds the water-ice promised byreadings from orbiting spacecraft. Running on propellants made from resources on the distant worlds, the machineswould be small enough for a lander to bring several of them to the surface at once, so if one fails, the mission is notlost. Cold-gas jets using oxygen or steam water vapour will take on the lifting and manoeuvring duties performed bythe rotors on Earth. For navigation, the team is programming the flyer to recognise terrain and landmarks and guideitself to areas controllers on Earth send it to or even scout on its own the best places to take samples from. “It wouldhave enough propellant to fly for a number of minutes on Mars or on the Moon, hours on an asteroid,” said Mr. MikeDuPuis, co-investigator of the Extreme Access Flyer project. For the sampling itself, designers currently envision amodular approach that would let the flyer take one tool at a time to a sample area to gather about seven grammes ofmaterial at a time. That’s enough for instruments to analyse and, throughout the course of many flights, is enough togather samples that would show Earth-bound scientists a complete geological picture of an area. In the SwampWorks laboratory, the team has assembled several models designed to test aspects of the final machine. A largequad-copter about five feet across that uses ducted fans is about the size of the prototype the team has in mind for anoperational mission in space. The uses for the sampling vehicle may not be solely extra-terrestrial, Mueller said. OnEarth, an aerial vehicle that can pull a few grams of dirt from an area potentially brimming with toxins would be veryvaluable for first responders or those researching a new area who does not want to risk humans.

Source : www.ndtv.com

NASA camera reveals dark side of moon

From nearly a million miles away, a NASA camera has captured a stunning view of the far side of the moon as it movedin front of the sun-lit side of Earth last month. The images show the fully illuminated “dark side” of the moon that isnever visible from Earth. The lunar far side lacks the large and dark basaltic plains (called maria) that are so prominenton the Earth-facing side. A thin sliver of shadowed area of moon is visible on its right side. “It is surprising how muchbrighter Earth is than the moon. Our planet is a truly brilliant object in dark space compared to the lunar surface,” saidMr. Adam Szabo, project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The images werecaptured by NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC), a four megapixel CCD camera and telescopeaboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite orbiting a million miles from Earth. EPIC maintainsa constant view of the fully-illuminated Earth as it rotates, providing scientific observations of ozone, vegetation, cloudheight and aerosols in the atmosphere. The far side of the moon was not seen until 1959 when the Soviet Luna 3spacecraft returned the first images. Since then, several NASA missions have imaged the lunar far side in great detail.The same side of the moon always faces an earthbound observer because the moon is tidally locked to Earth. Thatmeans its orbital period is the same as its rotation around its axis. Once EPIC begins regular observations next month,NASA will post daily colour images of Earth to a dedicated public website. About twice a year, the camera will capturethe moon and Earth together as the orbit of DSCOVR crosses the orbital plane of the moon.

Source : www.thehindu.com

BUSINESS

Reliance Group plans $1bn Aerospace Park

The Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Group has selected Mihan near Nagpur in Maharashtra for developing India’s firstsmart city for the defence sector. Known as Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park (DAAP), the smart city will be devel-oped at a cost of $1 billion to manufacture helicopters for both commercial and military applications. The projectwould be the first integrated facility in aerospace structure, engine design and manufacture, fabrication and platformintegration in the country. The move is part of the Reliance Group’s aggressive play in defence, seeking to capture aslice of the $100 billion worth of opportunities that the sector would soon throw up as part of the NDA government’s‘Make in India’ programme to focus on indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment. Confirming the move,Reliance Group chairman Mr. Anil Ambani said, “The group plans to develop DAAP as a centre of excellence in the

aerospace segment on the lines of the global centre of ship building at Pipavav in Gujarat.” Earlier this year, theReliance Group added heft in its defence manufacturing by buying out Nikhil Gandhi-promoted Pipavav Defenceand Offshore Engineering (PDOE), which houses India’s largest dry dock facility to build warships. It subsequentlycommitted investments of Rs 5,000 crore towards indigenization efforts. Company officials told TOI that Mihanwas selected after negotiating with the governments of Maharashtra, UP, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for landfor the project. DAAP may draw some influences from Aerospace Valley in France, a cluster of aerospace compa-nies and research centres concentrated around Toulouse. About 500 companies - including Airbus, EADS, Air FranceIndustries and Dassault Aviation - operate in the cluster, creating jobs for around 1.2 lakh people. The aerospacepark, comprising a cluster of manufacturers, will indigenously produce and deliver major aircraft components andspares and cater to the avionics requirements of the aerospace industry and will generate direct employment forover 2,000 people in the skilled category. Besides, it would also provide for 10,000 indirect jobs. Reliance Defence& Aerospace (RDA), a Reliance Group company, has shown interest for the tenders of providing 387 Army recon-naissance and surveillance helicopters and 100 Naval utility helicopters, estimated to be valued at Rs 25,000 crore.It is also in talks with a few potential partners for a tie-up. Sikorsky, Eurocopter and Kamov are some of the tophelicopter manufacturers said to be in talks for a tie-up but Reliance officials refused to comment on potentialtechnology partners, citing non-disclosure agreements signed with them. DAAP will not only create indigenouscapabilities but will also add to skill development in the core aviation industry as it is pursuing opportunities tomeet home-grown solutions for the defence sector as the company plans to include fully integrated solutionsstarting from sub-assemblies to completed platforms with an ability for maintenance, repairs and overhaul (MRO)for the life cycle of platforms, said sources in the know, adding that the group is in discussion with various OEMs forsupporting its growth strategy. The Narendra Modi government has redesigned its military procurement programmeunder the ‘Make in India’ initiative and has also allowed a 49% FDI in defence to promote local manufacturing aswell as to aid the much needed technology transfer. The buy and make (India) scheme, under which these tenderswill be issued, requires an Indian company to bid after tying up with a technology provider. It seeks to establish therequired defence industrial base in the country to gradually move away from being the world’s largest importer ofdefence hardware.

Source : www.timesofindia.indiantimes.com

India Exported Helicopters, Aircraft Spares, Military Hardware In 2014--15

India has exported defense equipment worth INR 670 crore (US $104 million) that include helicopters, bullet proofjackets, aircraft spares and military hardware to 22 countries in 2014- 15. India has exported forging equipment,electronic assemblies, flight control panels to the US, transmitting tubes to UK and MIG, Sukhoi Su- 30 aircraft isdesigned to counter a variety of aerial threats including fast moving aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehiclesup to a range of 25 km and an altitude of 20 km. The mobile area defence system can engage multiple targetssimultaneously and is configured to adapt to future requirements as well.

Source : www.ibcnews.com

ISRO’s Commercial Arm ‘Antrix’ Made Profits Worth $140 Million In Last 5 Years

Antrix, the commercial and marketing entity of ISRO, responsible for commercial exploitation of space products,technical consultancy services and transfer of technologies developed by ISRO, has made profits worth -896 crores($140 Million) in last 5 years. The information was made public by Mr. Jeetendra Singh, Union Minister for Scienceand Technology, in response to a question raised in RajyaSabha. According to the details, in 2010-2011, Antrixearned a total profit of -138.86 crore, -170.98 crore in 2011-12, -177.07 in 2012-13, -200.50 in 2013-14 and -205.10until now in 2014-15. This can be majorly credited to the various launches of foreign satellites successfully completedby ISRO in last five years (45 foreign satellites till date). Some of the major satellites launched by ISRO in recenttimes include the latest 5 UK satellites launch by PSLV-C28 which was the heaviest satellite launch undertaken byISRO and another launch of 5 satellites including French SPOT-7 by PSLV-C23 last year and satellites of Canada,Germany and Singapore. While ISRO is certainly making its presence felt in space industry all over the world with itshighly successful Mars Orbitor Mission and successful testing of indigenous cryogenic engine, it is still way behindits international counterparts. For instance, as opposed to the $100 million made by ISRO (and not profit) in last 8

years, Arianespace, a French company and the most dominant player in the commercial space launch marketreported revenues of •1.399 and a •3 million profit just last year. However, more and more nations are getting toISRO, for lighter satellite launches, most recently the US, for the commercial space launch of their satellites. Again,this is largely due to PSLV’s massive success in the past decade or so. A major reason behind this wide gap is thefact, that most of the foreign satellites launched by ISRO are light satellites (less than 1600 Kg) and as per theindustry reports, 80% of revenues from satellite launches come from heavy satellites. The success of PSLVs inlaunching satellites less than 1500 Kgs have made them an international choice for a wide range of telecommunicationand scientific space missions. To successfully launch heavy satellites, ISRO relies on Geostationary Satellite LaunchVehicles (GSLV) on which it has been working for past two decades. After 3 failures, the space organisation gainedsuccess for the first time last year, since the first launch in 2001. This was even more significant due to the fact thatit was achieved using India’s first indigenous cryogenic engine. So, it may still be a long road before GSLVs becomecommercially acceptable choice for foreign heavy satellites and taste success like PSLVs, but given the recentachievements of ISRO and India’s focused efforts on developing satellite and space technology, only sky is the limit(or not..!) for India to become a major force in satellite launches and space exploration.

Source : www.thetechportal.in

Indian Navy’s Sikorsky Chopper Procurement Rebooted

Indian navy’s procurement of the 16 multi-role naval helicopters from Sikorsky could be delayed following a restartof negotiations with the US company. The negotiations have restarted after the American company demanded for aprice escalation to which the Indian MOD had refused, Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar told Indian parliamen.In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar said the procurement proposal for thehelicopters is being processed in accordance with the Defence Procurement procedure. Further, the request forprice escalation was not found acceptable by the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC). “The vendor has beeninformed accordingly,” he said.Defence officials said that fresh rounds of negotiations have started and it has beenmade clear that the price cannot be escalated.

Source :www.defenseworld.net

India Bought $20 Billion Defense Equipment From 18 Foreign Vendors During 2014-2015

The Indian Defense Ministry has signed 18 international contracts worth INR 29,222 Crore (US $20.1 billion) betweenMay 2014 and February 2015. The contracts were signed with armaments manufacturers from the USA, Russia, theUK, Israel, Germany and France. “Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP) details direct dealing with the OriginalEquipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or Authorized Vendors or Government Sponsored Export Agencies (applicable incase of countries where domestic laws do not permit direct export by OEM),” Defense Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikarsaid in an answer in parliament. “It also provides that vendor is required to give full details of any agents / technicalconsultants / authorised vendors that may have been appointed by them for marketing of this equipment in India.These details should include the scope of work and responsibilities that have been entrusted with the said party inIndia,” Mr. Parrikar said. Mr. Parrikar’s reply shows a possibility of changing mindset in the MoD about the employmentof middlemen in potential defense deals on the basis of full disclosure. Observers believe that this can also beincluded in the DPP as a policy statement as a laid down procedure.

Source :www.defenseworld.net

India May Take the Rafale Route to Purchase Russian T-50 fifth generation Stealth Fighters

India may opt for off-the-shelf purchase of three squadrons of the Russian T-50 fifth generation stealth fighters,instead of taking the earlier Joint R & D route to manufacture 127 fighters in India. Just as the Indian MoD abandoneddiscussions for licence-manufacture of the Rafale in India and went in for direct procurement of three squadrons, itmay do the same in case of the T-50 for speedier procurement. The T-50 aircraft, also called the PAK-FA (ProspectiveAirborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) is currently in advanced development in Russia with five prototypes undergoingtests. The Russian air force plans to induct 12 aircraft from 2016 onwards. Russian Deputy Defence Minister in

charge of Armaments, Mr. Yuri Borisov, has said in May this year after visiting the Sukhoi T-50 production plant, thecompany is ready to start mass production of the fifth generation fighter starting in 2016. The Tribune newspaperreported quoting unnamed sources that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has scaled down its needs in view of budgetaryconstraints and may now buy three squadrons (around 18 planes in each), besides a few more for pilot training.Another reason could be long gestation period; it will take about 8 years for the first aircraft to be delivered to the IAFin case India opts for the R&D contract route. India is faced with a severe shortage of aircraft and with Chinadeveloping its own stealth fighter, India need to come up with its own sooner than later. Indian Defence Minister Mr.Manohar Parrikar had told parliament last week that the preliminary design stage of the fifth generation fighteraircraft programme completed in June 2013 incurring an expenditure of Rs 1,483.15 crore (US$240 million).

Source :www.ibcnews.com

Defence ministry to clear Rs 5,000 crore procurement of Made in India Akash missile systems

The defence ministry is set to clear a Rs 5,000 crore procurement of Made in India Akash missile systems for the airforce in a contract that will involve significant private sector participation, with companies like Tata Power SED andLarsen & Toubro likely to get major work portions. An air force plan to induct seven squadrons of the Akash anti-airmissile systems has been cleared at several levels and is likely to get a final approval from the high-powereddefence acquisition committee shortly, sources told ET. Fourteen firing units of the missile will be bought for theseven squadrons. While state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd will be given the main contract under a repeat order “the airforce has already contracted for eight squadrons of the missile systems out of which two have been inducted” themajor system providers include Electronics Corporation of India, Hindustan Aeronautics, Tata Power SED and L&T.Induction of the system, which has an indigenous content of 96% will also benefit a number of small and mediumscale industries that have been participating in the programme. The Akash programme, which was approved forprocurement first in 2010, is a major Make in India initiative with the air force cleared to progressively induct 45 firingunits over the next few years. The army has inducted its first Akash Weapon System which was ceremoniallyhanded over to it by BEL in May. The indigenously developed supersonic short range surface-to-air missile systemis designed to counter a variety of aerial threats including fast moving aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerialvehicles up to a range of 25 km and an altitude of 20 km. The mobile area defence system can engage multipletargets simultaneously and is configured to adapt to future requirements as well.

Source :www.ibcnews.com

Boeing sees India’s plane demand soaring

Boeing estimates that India will require 1,740 new aircraft worth around $240 billion over the next 20 years, Mr.Dinesh Keskar, Senior Vice-President, Asia-Pacific and India, Boeing Aeroplanes, said. “We feel that about 170 ofthese 1,740 aircraft will be as replacements for existing aircraft,” Mr. Keskar said, adding that the largest demandfrom airlines in India will come for single aisle aircraft such as the Boeing 737. The American aircraft maker estimatesthat over 1,400 of the 1,700 deliveries will be for single aisle aircraft over the next 20 years during the period. Therationale Explaining the rationale behind Boeing’s estimation of the country needing over 1,700 aircraft, Mr. Keskarsaid that the increase in disposable income, ability of Indians to travel not only within but also outside the country andthe growing commercial relations between India and the rest of the world will see the need for many aircraft to beinducted. Later answering questions on the reported decision of SpiceJet to acquire another 100 aircraft, Mr. Keskardeclined to get into the number of aircraft that the airline planned to acquire. “We have spoken to them. They willprobably stick with us. But it is too early to take a call on SpiceJet. The airline is interested in looking out at what thelong term fleet strategy should be. We will continue to discuss with them and at an appropriate time they will makethe decision,” Mr. Keskar said. The airline has been operating the Boeing 737 as a jet aircraft since it took to theskies. It has currently leased some Airbus A321s for a short period. ‘Ambitious plan’ Conceding that the fleet plan isambitious, Mr. Keskar said that they could easily take 100 aircraft. He pointed out that the good thing about theaviation business was that 100 aircraft cannot be delivered in a year. “They take 10 or more years to deliver. We donot build aeroplanes more than 12 months in advance. There are plenty of checks and balances in our system thatif we see things deteriorating we can take corrective action,” Mr. Keskar said.

Source :www.thehindu.com

India May Allow Offsets in Non-Defense Areas Under Proposed Defense Policy

India is likely to allow defense offsets obligations to be fulfilled in non-defence areas under the new DefenseProcurement Procedure (DPP) expected to be released in mid-October. There is speculation amongst non-governmental sectors that a draft Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP) circulating in the Ministry of Defense(MoD) for examinations. However, there is immense consternation about how the ‘Make in India’ mantra is going tobe incorporated in the DPP. Most veterans of the defense-industrial sector believe that all the six categories ofmanufacturing and procuring defense material have an element of ‘Make in India’ in the DPP, how this should beprovisioned is being awaited eagerly. Mr. Amit Cowshish, a former additional secretary looking after procurement, isone of those skeptics. According to him the 2006 DPP had incorporated the ‘Make’ category that had provisions like80 per cent of the total design and development cost of indigenous item to be borne by the company. The rest 20 percent was to be spent by the private manufacturer. But despite this generous offer by the government, the Indianprivate sector majors did not come forward because there was an element of competition. The provision had statedthat the ministry will choose two corporates for undergoing the design and development process and choose toprocure developed item from one of them based on laid down criterion. Apparently, this kind of competition was adampener because the big private sector corporate stayed away. Will this provision go now? Retired CommodoreAnil Jai Singh, now working with the private sector says, “There will be a technology development fund worth Rs 100crores for the medium and small scale enterprises.” On defense offsets, both Cowshish and Singh believe that thegovernment will allow the offset obligations will be allowed to be met by developing infrastructure projects defenseareas, besides bringing in second hand equipment etc.

Source :www.defenseworld.com

India set to turn a big buyer of airplanes

With four new airlines starting operations recently, a few more waiting in the wings and incumbent carriers expandingtheir fleet to cater to the growing demand for air travel in India (domestic passengers increased 21 per cent in thefirst-half of 2015), American airplane manufacturer Boeing has projected that airlines in India will buy 1,740 newairplanes in the next 20 years from different manufacturers. “Over the next 20 years, Boeing forecasts that India willneed 1,740 new airplanes worth $240 billion. India’s economy and the country’s potential for air travel growth, bothfor leisure and business, continue to be strong and we remain confident in the Indian commercial aerospace market,”said Mr. Dinesh Keskar, Senior VicePresident, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. As perBoeing’s annual India Current Market Outlook (CMO), which was released in Mumbai, the largest demand fromairlines in India will be for single-aisle airplanes numbering 1,460 with estimated value of $160 billion. Similarly,demand for twin-aisle airplanes will also grow and airlines will buy 260 widebody planes with an estimated value of$80 billion. Boeing said that 20 regional jets were expected to be purchased by airlines in the next 20 years with anestimated value of $1 billion. “The Indian market is highly competitive and airlines are adopting moderate pricingdiscipline and new business models, such as the growing number of low-cost carriers. We continue to believe thatBoeing’s comprehensive airplane family meets our customers’ needs,” Mr. Keskar said. Boeing has projected aworldwide demand for 38,050 new airplanes over the next 20 years with Indian carriers needing more than 4.5 percent of the total global demand during the forecast period. In India, airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, JetAirways and SpiceJet have Boeing aircraft in their fleet, while other airlines such as IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara, AirAsiaIndia have all Airbus A320 fleet.

Source :www.thehindu.com

Boeing sees demand for 1,740 new commercial aircraft in India

Boeing is forecasting demand for 1,740 new commercial aircraft in India over the next 20 years, with the majority ofthe requirements in the narrowbody market segment. In its 20-year forecast, the airframer expects the Indian marketto require 1,460 new single-aisle jets, 260 widebodies and 20 regional jets. This represents 4.6% of the forecastdeliveries worldwide, amounting to some $240 billion in value. Boeing projects worldwide demand for 38,050 newaircraft over the next 20 years, about 38% of which will come from Asia. “India’s economy and the country’s potentialfor air travel growth both for leisure and business continues to be strong and we remain confident in the Indian

commercial aerospace market,” says Mr. Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of Asia Pacific and India sales atBoeing Commercial Airplanes. The number of low-cost carrier in the country is also expected to grow to cover morethan 30% of the Indian market, adds Boeing.

Source :www.flightglobal.com

IndiGo confirms record 250 aircraft order with Airbus Group

IndiGo, India’s biggest airline, confirmed an order to buy as many as 250 Airbus Group SE A320 neo singleaisle jetsworth $26.6 billion at list prices, giving the plane maker its biggest order by volume. The agreement between the twowas signed and confirms an earlier provisional order by IndiGo in October last year. In its recent pre-IPO prospectus,the airline had clarified that the terms of agreement had lapsed, but it remained in talks with Airbus for a significantorder. The order by IndiGo, which flies one in three of India’s air travellers, comes at a time when Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi government is coming out with a new aviation policy with an aim to fly middle class at least once ayear in a market which is seeing increasing competition. “This new order further reaffirms IndiGo’s commitment tothe long-term development of affordable air transportation in India and overseas. “The additional fuel-efficient A320neo aircraft will enable us to continue to bring our low fares and courteous, and hassle-free service to more customersand markets and will create more job opportunities and growth,” IndiGo’s President Mr. Aditya Ghosh, said in astatement. With this order, Airbus has a backlog for more than 4,100 A320 neo planes, Airbus said in a statement.Launched in 2010, A 320 neo features new engines, and has become one the fastest selling aircraft in history. IndiGohas now ordered 530 A 320 family planes, Airbus and IndiGo said in two separate statements. However, both of themdid not give the timeline for the current order. The value of the order, $26.6 billion at list prices, could be lower asairlines gets discounts on bulk-purchase aircraft orders. IndiGo, with a 38 per cent share in the domestic market, hasset its sights to have a fleet of 1,000 aircraft without a time-frame. Known for big orders In 2011, IndiGo ordered 180planes worth $15 billion from Airbus, which was the biggest order in commercial aviation history at that time. Foundedby travel entrepreneur Mr. Rahul Bhatia and Mr. Rakesh Gangwal, a former chief executive of U.S. Airways, IndiGolaunched its service in 2006, a year after it launched $6 billion order for 100 Airbus A320 planes. One of the successesof IndiGo has been its “sale and-leaseback” model of buying aircraft, in which it sells newly bought aircraft to leasingcompanies and in a parallel transaction leases the same aircraft. InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., the owner of IndiGo, isplanning for an initial public offering, which could raise about $500 million valuing it at $4 billion, six-and-a-half timesmore than its nearest competitor Jet Airways and 18 times that of SpiceJet.

Source :www.thehindu.com

Price, Tech specs, Offsets Threaten To Delay Indian Dassault Rafale Purchase

Differences over price, technical specifications and offsets are threatening to derail or substantially delay negotiationsto purchase 36 Dassault Rafale aircraft by India. While India is going by the price arrived at during the previousnegotiations to purchase 126 aircraft, Dassault is reportedly asking for a new price since this a completely newnegotiation. Reuters reported today quoting unknown Indian defence sector sources that the two parties disagree onthe unit price. India is insisting on a price below US$ 200 million price per aircraft, a figure under the previousnegotiations to purchase 126 aircraft since there is no transfer of technology. The French side is reportedly insistingon the ‘frozen price’ since the aircraft to be delivered to India should be of the same configuration as agreed to underthe previous negotiations. While there was a provision for offsets of 50% of the value of the contract under theprevious contract, the French want the offsets to be capped at 30% and sufficient time be given to implement themwhich would eventually increase the cost of contract. A French news website, Usinenouvelle reported that the IndianAir Force (IAF) wants the Rafale aircraft to be equipped with the latest weapons, while under the Indo-Frenchagreement for the new contract, the configuration should be the same as under the previous contract negotiations.According to a French source close to the discussions quoted by Usinenouvelle, “differences of priorities in India aredelaying the process, the air force focusing on arms and the Ministry of Defence on offsets.” From the beginning, theIAF wants more weapons than they have already selected, while the Indian government requires” offsets, summarizesthe website.

Source :www.defenseworld.net

AWARDS

ISRO Expert Valarmathi 1st Recipient of Kalam Award

They are not very different, Mrs. N Valarmathi, senior scientist at ISRO, and late president late APJ Abdul Kalam, inwhose name the State Government recently instituted an award, the first of which she received from Chief MinisterMs. J Jayalalithaa during the Independence Day celebrations here. Mrs. N Valarmathi showing the medal and thecitation | P Jawahar Like the late president who came from humble beginnings, Mrs. Valarmathi, too, hails from thebackward Ariyalur district, where she was born to a retired block development officer, Mr. Natarajan, and his wife,Mrs. Ramaseetha. She had her schooling at Nirmala Girls Higher secondary school in Tamil medium. Later, shecompleted her Pre-University Course at the Government Arts College, Ariyalur and then moved to GovernmentCollege of Technology, Coimbatore. She received her ME from Anna University. Now, a veteran with over threedecades at India’s space agency, Mrs. Valarmathi was the project director of RISAT-1 mission, the first of its kind andheaviest satellitte that the country launched from its spaceport at Sriharikota in 2012. “I am very happy to receive thisaward. It is an honour for the ISRO and I dedicate this award to the organisation. Instituting such awards wouldencourage the youth to achieve more, and I thank the Chief Minister for this measure,” an unassuming Mrs. Valarmathitold mediapersons after receiving the award. The Dr APJ Abdul Kalam award was instituted by the Chief Minister onJuly 31 in honour of the former president. It carries `5 lakh, a gold medal and a certificate of appreciation. Mrs.Valarmathi has been working with the ISRO for the past 32 years. After being part of missions including Insat 2A, IRSIC, IRS ID, TES etc, she became involved in the indigenously made remote sensing satellite, RISAT - I, in 2002. Theremote sensing satellite, an all-weather microwave satellite that is the country’s unblinking eye in the sky, was acrucial and prestigious project for the space agency, as there are only a few among the elite club of countries withspace capabilities who have the technology. The project took about a decade to complete, by which time Mrs.Valarmathi grew in the ranks from deputy project director and associate project director, before she was promoted tothe post of Project Director for RISAT-I. When the PSLV carrying the heaviest satellite ever made lifted off earlymorning on April 26, 2012, veterans of Indian science, including professor Yashpal and Mr. UR Rao, took specialcare to highlight to the nation that it was a woman who headed the project, only the second time in ISRO’s history. Asshe collected the prestigious award instituted in honour of one of the most loved names in recent Indian history, Mrs.

DRDO ties up with Ramdev to market supplements, food products

India’s premier defence research organisation DRDO has now roped in yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali AyurvedaLimited to manufacture and market in the country and abroad some herbal supplements and food products developedby it. DRDO entered into licensing agreements with Ramdev’s company for transfer of Seabuckthorn technologybased products developed by Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR). The technology has beentransferred under the DRDO FICCI ATAC (Accelerated Technology Assessment & Commercialisation) programmethat has been established to identify spin-off technologies for commercial markets within India and abroad, with aspecial focus on social benefit technologies, an official statement said. DIHAR, a frontier laboratory of DRDO whichis located in Leh with detachments in the strategic Siachen sector has pioneered cold arid-agro animal technologiesfor augmenting local availability of fresh food in the region. The laboratory, through its translational laboratory to landapproach, develops technologies for fresh food cultivation, poultry, goat and dairy farming and green house cultivationwhich are disseminated to the local farmers. Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar saidseabuckthorn is a unique product. “Apart from what has been commercialised, there are many more applicationswhich Patanjali Ayurveda could explore to exploit the full potential of Seabuckthorn,” he said.Mr. Parrikar wantedPatanjali Ayurveda to bring many more health products to exploit the full potential of the technologies beyond whatDIHAR has found out. He added that DRDO in collaboration with FICCI under DRDO FICCI ATAC programme isstriving to commercialise more and more spin off technologies for the benefit of society at large. DRDO Chief Dr. SCristopher mentioned that DIHAR has been relentlessly working for development of products which in addition totheir usefulness for Armed Forces has tremendous commercial potential in India and abroad. “The benefits of theresearch done by DIHAR will help the local population to derive the economic benefits,” he said. While giving anoverview, Mr. Bhuvnesh Kumar, Director, DIHAR said that the farmers adopt the technologies developed by hisscientists and sell their produce to the army. “This unique approach not only results in local availability of fresh foodbut also results in socio—economic development of Ladakh and stronger civil-military cooperation in this strategicallyimportant region,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Source :www.thehindu.com

Valarmathi remained as unassuming as Kalam himself, preferring to credit everything to the organisation she belonged.Source:

Source :www.newindianexpress.com

ISRO chairman among those felicitated by IISc.

The Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, a senior police official of the Karnataka Lokayukta and awatchmaker were among those who received the Distinguished Alumnus Award 2015 at the Indian institute ofScience (IISc). Mr. A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman of ISRO, said his experiences at the premier science institutemoulded his career in the space organisation. Mr. Kumar had done his Masters in Physical Engineering with distinctionin 1975, before heading out to ISRO where he played crucial roles in the Chandrayaan-1 and the Mars Orbitermissions. “My exposure to interdisciplinary work (in IISc) helped me especially in my early years. This process ofinnovative work helped me bring together different people from different disciplines in order to forge a team,” Mr.Kiran Kumar said. The other four being honoured are: Mr. K.S.R. Charan Reddy, Inspector General of Police,Special Investigation Team of the Karnataka Lokayukta, who graduated with a Masters in Management Studies in1990; Mr. Mitter Vedu, a graduate in 1996, who was part of the team that designed the first-ever quartz watch; Mr.Sunil Kumar, from the 1992 IISc batch who is now a professor in operations management; and, Mr. Subhash C.Singhal – from the 1965 batch who then went on to become a prominent researcher in solid oxide fuel cell technology.The award is jointly constituted by the IISc and the IISc Alumni Association. Director of IISc Mr. Anurag Kumar hopedthat the alumni would re-engage with the institute in its various activities.

Source :www.thehindu.com

ACHIEVEMENTS

IISc prof in Royal Society

Prof Ajay Sood, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has joined the ranks of ISAAC Newton, JamesMaxwell, Albert Einstein, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Niels Bohr and Max Planck to name a few, by becoming a memberof the prestigious Royal Society. Prof Sood is India’s leading experimental physicist working in the field of condensedmatter in a career spanning over 35 years. He is presently a faculty at the Department of Physics, IISc. “I feel happyto be recognised for our work, honoured to be elected and humbled when I realise that I have been placed in thecompany of so many geniuses,” he said, on being elected as a fellow of the Royal Society. He was awarded thePadmashri by the Government of India in 2013 and was formerly the president of the Indian Academy of Sciences,the vice-president of the Indian National Science Academy. He is now the secretary general of the World Academyof Sciences.

Source : www.deccanherald.com

DRDO labs CABS, GTRE get new chiefsIn elevations to the top posts at two city-based defence labs, Mr. M.S. Easwaran, Outstanding Scientist, has beenappointed director of DRDO’s Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), Bengaluru. Mr. M.Z. Siddique, OutstandingScientist and Project Director (Kaveri), takes over as director, Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), accordingto an official announcement. Mr. Easwaran, an M.Sc. in Physics and Electronics from the University of Delhi andM.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT-Delhi, had been officiating in the post after former Director Mr. Christopherwas elevated as Secretary, Defence R&D, and Director General, DRDO. He has been involved in developing radarsfor the Akash missile, the Light Combat Aircraft, maritime patrol, and was associate programme director for theAirborne Early Warning and Control programme. Mr. Siddique, a mechanical engineer, succeeds Mr. C.P.Ramanarayanan who was elevated last month as DRDO’s Chief Controller R&D in New Delhi.

Source : www.thehindu.com

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Chandigarh scientist selected new CSIR DG

Director of city-based Institute of Microbial Technology (Imtech) Dr Girish Sahni, 59, has been selected as thedirector general (DG) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a premier research and developmentorganisation that has 37 laboratories under it. The post was vacant since December 2014 when Prof SamirBrahmachari retired. Not finding any appropriate candidate, Prime Mr. Minister Narendra Modi, the CSIR president,had directed for re-advertising open nominations last year. After reconstitution of the selection committee threetimes, the Prime Minister’s Office finally cleared the name of Dr Sahni, who had joined Imtech in 1991 and becameits director in January 2005. Dr Sahni has been a pioneer and renowned for developing indigenous streptokinase, aclot-buster, which is a drug that dissolves blockages in blood vessels. If administered within six hours of the onsetof symptoms, it can work as life-saver. He developed the fourth generation of clot-specific variant of streptokinase.It is estimated that the new drug will cost Rs 2,000 per dose, while at present the worldwide used tissue plasminogenactivator, a clot-specific drug, is priced at Rs 50,000 per dose.

Source : www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com