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RS : September - October 1999
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ISRO Initiatives
Megha Tropiques
Hi-tech Space Museums
Geo-Stationary Satellite Launch Vehicle
'GRAMSAT' in the new millenium
Contingency plan for tackling Y2K
Megha Tropiques
A joint mission of ISRO and CNES
The Indian and French Space agencies have come together to initiate "joint value-added services" to fulfil the purpose of exploring and tapping commercial potential of technology and applications of remote sensing. ISRO and CNES are also working for a joint climatic mission called "Megha Tropiques" which is supposed to open up new frontiers in climate and weather applications. The Megha Tropiques satellite is planned to be launched from PSLV by 2005.
Hi-tech Space Museums
An initiative by NCSM
In collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation, the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) will set up a series of hi-tech ‘space museums’ throughout the country. The museums will set up in the four metro cities and all state capitals. These will serve as centres for inculcating scientific temper among the masses. The museums will contain original space aircraft like full size launch vehicles, satellite components and other artefacts related to space science and technology. A common section in all these museums will be devoted to the Indian contribution to space science over the ages, which has made tremendous progress in recent years.
Geo-Stationary Satellite Launch Vehicle
To be launched by March 2000
India’s first Geo-Stationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) would be launched before March 2000. The first vehicle will use a Russia-built cryogenic engine and indigenously developed cryogenic engines would be used in the second and third launch of GSLV which are expected to be carried out in 2001. The GSLV project, estimated to cost Rs. 1,300 crores has the focus on developing a cost-effective and highly reliable technology to achieve self-reliance in the area of space technology.
'GRAMSAT' in the new millenium
Interactive education programme by ISRO
Interactive education programme for the remote rural masses in the country through ‘Gramsat’is going to be introduced by the Indian Space Research Organisation in the new millennium. The stress would be mainly on strong indigenous capability. The networking would be through television and all the required groundworks like ground networking, software development are in progress.
Contingency plan for tackling Y2K
ISRO's plan to man ground station
The Indian Space Research Organisation has planned to depute selected groups of scientists to man its ground control stations at assan and Peenya in Karnataka on the 31st December, 1999. It is a part of the contingency plan to tackle any eventuality arising out of Y2K problem. ISRO teams involved in the launch of its satellites INSAT and IRS would monitor the system at the two control stations. The Direct Acquisition and Quick Look Browsing (DAQLB) software and the interactive information management system at NRSA in Hyderabad are yet to be made compliant. Other satellite systems including the health monitoring systems, satellite mission systems and the embedded systems have all been made compliant.
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